In my last blog posting, I mentioned that my friend concluded the
conversation we were having with a very insightful observation. He told me that he knew his only chance of walking in the victory Jesus won at the cross, and that he was just beginning to experience, would be if he were a part of a corporate group of believers who are on the same journey with him, i.e., a like-minded church.
How to find such a church is the question. Amos 3:3 in the Literal Translation says, “Will two walk together except they are agreed?” The implied result of this question is, “there must be a measure of agreement between believers who are functioning in the same church together.”
Agree on what? Many churches have a Statement of Faith, dealing with the intellectual facts of what the church believes about Christianity. However, I believe that more basic than WHAT a church believes, is HOW the church arrives at those intellectual beliefs. In past blog postings, I have distinguished between intellectual knowledge (Gk.- eido), and experiential knowledge (Gk.- epignosis).
Biblical churches, I believe, are based on, FIRST, an epignosis experience with Jesus Christ, THEN, followed by eido-learned, biblical knowledge. For example, Paul had an experience with God on the road to Damascus, and then spent the rest of his life learning, intellectually, what had happened to him!
Below are four characteristics of a church that is functioning, consciously or unconsciously, in this manner—what I believe is an essential or biblical way:
1.) Our final authority is Jesus alone (ultimate Truth), as the Incarnate, Eternal Son of God as He is revealed in the Bible (John 1:17, 14:6).
2.) We all walk in the light together as transparent sinners, including church leadership (“Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another…” – James 5:16; 1 John 1:5-10,) Church leaders “lead” in showing us how to do so!
3.) We are living as little children; i.e., living by what Daddy tells me in my heart (epignosis), by His spirit as “His little child.” (Galatians 2:20).
4.) Finally, church is a participatory rather than an observational gathering. All its members, even the least prominent, come with contributions to make to the church, as they know that what they contribute is important to the body (1 Corinthians 14:26)!.
None of us individually, nor does any church, function consistently in this manner. But I believe that this is the biblical vision toward which God is moving us (Ephesians 4:1-6), and I can’t help but proclaim it!. We can believe, as little children, that God is, right now, in the process of making that vision reality (Hebrews 11:1)!
It may be that there is no group, of which you are aware, that is interested, yet, in these ideas. If you are, and you know even one other believer who is, meet together (on the phone if necessary) and “have church”—“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:2O). Jesus dwells in His Temple, not only in each individual stone, but in the Temple corporately!
You could even begin by using this posting as a discussion starter: “What do you think?” “Is Andrews crazy?” “How so?”, etc. Also, you can use a recorded sermon, or a theological issue one of you brings up. Pray together, confess your sins together, and discuss, with everyone participating (both of you!). You have just had church, no matter how many were gathered, because Jesus was there in the midst of your gathering. It is this church that is, right now, exploding in China, India, Iran, and all over the world, that anti-Christ governments can’t stop!
