|
The
Issue:
|
|
The
New Testament Church:
|
|
The
Church of Today:
|
| Location: |
|
Moved
from house to house. |
|
Meets
in church buildings. |
| Size
of groups: |
|
Small,
intimate groups. |
|
Large
impersonal groups. |
| Activities: |
|
Daily
fellowship with one another. |
|
Weekly
worship services. |
| Support
systems: |
|
Building
up one another. |
|
Got
a problem?
See the pastor. |
| Relationships: |
|
Intimate;
helping one another. |
|
Remote,
little transparency. |
| Discipling: |
|
"Mouth
to ear" modeling, personal values
shaped. |
|
Classes,
notebooks, little modeling, values not
shaped. |
| Primary
task of leaders: |
|
Every
believer equipped to do the work of the
ministry. |
|
Directing
the "Program base design." |
| Prayer
life: |
|
Hours
daily, heavy emphasis. |
|
Individual
choice; limited. |
| Pastor's
duty: |
|
Model
the life of a believer. |
|
Preach
good sermons. |
| Expectations
of members: |
|
Ministering
to others; total servanthood and
stewardship. |
|
Attendance,
tithing, work in the programs. |
| Perspective: |
|
Cell
groups the focal point. |
|
Congregation
the focal point. |
| Key
words: |
|
Go
and make disciples. |
|
Come
grow with us. |
| Teachings: |
|
Apply
the scriptures to needs and relationships. |
|
Subscribe
to the distinctive beliefs of this church. |
| Spiritual
gifts: |
|
Regularly
exercised by all believers to build up
others in the cell group. |
|
Either
downplayed or often used at meetings as a
"Crowd pleaser." |
| Commitment: |
|
To
increase the Kingdom of God, unity, and
body life. |
|
To
enlarge the institution, uniformity. |
| Evaluation
test: |
|
How
you serve. |
|
What
you know. |
| Source
for securing staff personnel |
|
Servant
workers developed from within the ranks,
tested before they are set apart for
ministry within. |
|
Trained,
professional, clergy hired to do a job. |
