Moving from Denominationalism to Apostleship
The spirit of denominationalism has divided the church for the past 1800 years and prevents her from operating in the fullness of what she should be operating in.
To put it simply, the spirit of denominationalism is a spirit that places a belief above a relationship. Its priority is not relationship; its priority is belief, understanding, conviction, or doctrine.
I have just begun reading Kris Valloton's new book "Heavy Rain". A book where he writes his deepest convictions about the next wave God is preparing His church for to operate in her fullest measure: to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth like a flood. Like heavy rain.
He opens the book with a deep conviction of how denominationalism is a destructive ideology that has and continues to rob the church of her power and Glory. I am barely halfway through the chapter and it has got me thinking in a big way.
I was sitting with a good friend not too long ago, and he said to me that he believes no man has the full body of Truth, because God has ordained things in such a way that we rely on each other in the same way a hand relies on an arm, and lungs rely on the circulation system etc. We are the Body of Christ, and we were meant to rely on each other.
That too got me thinking, because each and every Born-Again, Holy Spirit-filled believer has the very Spirit of God dwelling within them, and Jesus promised that He (Holy Spirit) would lead us into all truth. But that doesn't necessarily mean that we know all truth yet. Jesus said; "I am The Truth." And we will never fully grasp the Glory of Jesus, His Glory is eternal. So you see, it starts to make sense.
The Holy Spirit is working within us to lead us into deeper measures of the Glorious Truths of Jesus. But they are fresh and new day after day, year after year. We need to be a lot more embracing than we are critical and rejecting.
Now I get to my point.
The key is that we would put aside our intellectual minds and instead trust, like little children, in the Holy Spirit to lead us into deeper levels of HIS Glorious Truths. Our intellectual approach to the things of God is what is preventing us from entering into the fullness of what the Body of Christ should be operating in. A fullness of operation that Jesus died for! Jesus died to see His Body as the giant in the world that nations would stand in awe of!
BUT! A significant key is to let people start thinking for themselves, and to place relationships above our theological interpretations.
Our preaching and teaching should not be to convince and win-over our listeners. It should come from a place of our own deep conviction and revelation that we can't wait to share! And we just want people to live in the same liberation and power that we are experiencing!
This kind of approach to leadership will create thinkers. People who think for themselves, and if they have the Holy Spirit living inside them, He will lead them into Truth. If they disagree with us, our approach should not be to try convince them, but to love them and fight for the relationship. That love and relationship will create a platform for the Holy Spirit to teach both parties.
This is apostolic leadership. We share different views, but we don't divide over those differences. Instead, we honour the person and their gift above their perspectives and interpretations.
One of the biggest problems we face in the church today is fear. And the biggest fear? Fear of being deceived. Which makes very little sense. We are the custodians of Truth itself, and are meant to be connected to the Person of Truth Himself by a deep spiritual connection; and yet we are the ones who are afraid of being deceived.
The time has come for the Church to stop pointing fingers at each other and start getting on with the job. And the significant key in all this is LOVE. Love covers a multitude of sins. And if it covers a multitude of sins, I am pretty sure it covers a multitude of differences too. But there is very little love left in the church today. We need to open our hearts wide, stop criticizing and let the Love of God intoxicate every fiber of who we are and get on with the job. Hold hands with leaders on our left and our right who we may have very little similarities with, but see through those differences for a higher purpose: Extend the Kingdom. Because in the Kingdom people will live free, loved and at peace. That's what we all want, right? So come on.
"...for whoever is not against us is for us." Jesus - Mark 9:40
---------------------------------------------------
What do you say? Is doctrine more important than relationship?
To put it simply, the spirit of denominationalism is a spirit that places a belief above a relationship. Its priority is not relationship; its priority is belief, understanding, conviction, or doctrine.
I have just begun reading Kris Valloton's new book "Heavy Rain". A book where he writes his deepest convictions about the next wave God is preparing His church for to operate in her fullest measure: to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth like a flood. Like heavy rain.He opens the book with a deep conviction of how denominationalism is a destructive ideology that has and continues to rob the church of her power and Glory. I am barely halfway through the chapter and it has got me thinking in a big way.
I was sitting with a good friend not too long ago, and he said to me that he believes no man has the full body of Truth, because God has ordained things in such a way that we rely on each other in the same way a hand relies on an arm, and lungs rely on the circulation system etc. We are the Body of Christ, and we were meant to rely on each other.
That too got me thinking, because each and every Born-Again, Holy Spirit-filled believer has the very Spirit of God dwelling within them, and Jesus promised that He (Holy Spirit) would lead us into all truth. But that doesn't necessarily mean that we know all truth yet. Jesus said; "I am The Truth." And we will never fully grasp the Glory of Jesus, His Glory is eternal. So you see, it starts to make sense.
The Holy Spirit is working within us to lead us into deeper measures of the Glorious Truths of Jesus. But they are fresh and new day after day, year after year. We need to be a lot more embracing than we are critical and rejecting.
Now I get to my point.
The key is that we would put aside our intellectual minds and instead trust, like little children, in the Holy Spirit to lead us into deeper levels of HIS Glorious Truths. Our intellectual approach to the things of God is what is preventing us from entering into the fullness of what the Body of Christ should be operating in. A fullness of operation that Jesus died for! Jesus died to see His Body as the giant in the world that nations would stand in awe of!
BUT! A significant key is to let people start thinking for themselves, and to place relationships above our theological interpretations.
Our preaching and teaching should not be to convince and win-over our listeners. It should come from a place of our own deep conviction and revelation that we can't wait to share! And we just want people to live in the same liberation and power that we are experiencing!
This kind of approach to leadership will create thinkers. People who think for themselves, and if they have the Holy Spirit living inside them, He will lead them into Truth. If they disagree with us, our approach should not be to try convince them, but to love them and fight for the relationship. That love and relationship will create a platform for the Holy Spirit to teach both parties.
This is apostolic leadership. We share different views, but we don't divide over those differences. Instead, we honour the person and their gift above their perspectives and interpretations.
One of the biggest problems we face in the church today is fear. And the biggest fear? Fear of being deceived. Which makes very little sense. We are the custodians of Truth itself, and are meant to be connected to the Person of Truth Himself by a deep spiritual connection; and yet we are the ones who are afraid of being deceived.
The time has come for the Church to stop pointing fingers at each other and start getting on with the job. And the significant key in all this is LOVE. Love covers a multitude of sins. And if it covers a multitude of sins, I am pretty sure it covers a multitude of differences too. But there is very little love left in the church today. We need to open our hearts wide, stop criticizing and let the Love of God intoxicate every fiber of who we are and get on with the job. Hold hands with leaders on our left and our right who we may have very little similarities with, but see through those differences for a higher purpose: Extend the Kingdom. Because in the Kingdom people will live free, loved and at peace. That's what we all want, right? So come on.
"...for whoever is not against us is for us." Jesus - Mark 9:40
---------------------------------------------------
What do you say? Is doctrine more important than relationship?
2 comments
Hey Jamesie...good post!!
I did a 2 week mini-series on this at Gracelife last year (another is due :-) me thinks)…
Called "The dividing wall of hostility"
If you think about it, all denominations have one thing in common...as a matter of fact so do those that are non-denominational but still mix law with grace...
That is Law-galistic thinking! A law mentality that has been, through generations, firmly entrenched into the minds of the members...
Through that thinking, a wall of hostility is raised up, i believe, in 4 places...
1. Between the born again and those still lost...Jesus didn't have this thinking that is why "sinners" where attracted to him... Today’s Church? By and Large it’s the opposite…
2. Between 2 believers (Judging i.e., you don’t do as much as I do, pray, give, holiness etc)
3. Between local church and local church (denominationalism) I’m a Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic,(These are NOT local church’s but… Jewish, Hindu, Muslim )- I have the right way to God and you don’t kind of thinking…(I know there is a difference between a Charismatic and a Hindu, one is saved and the other is not but under the law the thinking can be very similar. I.e. don’t dare try and take the little red dot off a Hindu’s forehead or don’t dare try and tell some Charismatic’s the law has been abolished – you will get the same violent reaction)
4. Within the mind of a born again believer (outworking itself in double mindedness, condemnation, guilt, fear, disparity, no power, little faith, little revelation – you get the picture!)
That antidote? The gospel of grace!!! Putting the law in its right place, Rom 10:4 baby ! As leaders, breaking down that wall – as Paul did (True Apostolicity)
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Below is a small post i did on unity a few weeks ago, along the same lines...
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"The law divides; it is THE dividing wall of hostility...
Eph 2: 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace" NIV
When Martin Luther brought "disunity" to the Body, the then Roman Catholic Church, it was a good thing, otherwise we would all still be Catholic.
Martin Luther's main point of reference, the scripture God had opened his eyes to, was Rom 5:1 "1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." that's the gospel of grace right there baby!!
When he started preaching that, it showed just how much "unity" there was!!
Now, was 'ol Martin bringing disunity?
Well lots in the church at the time would have accused him of it, accused him of heresy, of not being a son in the house, of deserting the people, of not loving the people, of not playing team, being rebellious, selfish...
...BUT...
NO, he was not, God was, through him, bringing genuine Spirit-filled unity, not "surface-smiley-everything-is-fine-until-you-start-preaching -your-gospel-of-grace-and-messing-with-the-10 commandments" unity
Jesus himself brought down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. He paid the biggest price for that...When men bring the law back into the church, they are the very ones who are bringing disunity...not those preaching to get it out!"
Later...
Hi there Lina,
thank you for your comment. You can find me on Twitter and Facebook if you visit my website www.sonicsubstance.com where you will find links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts. Would be great to get in touch you via those mediums!
God bless you!
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