THE ROLE OF THE PASTOR/TEACHER

THE ROLE OF THE PASTOR/TEACHER OF A LOCAL CHURCH IS?

The ideologies of the Emerging Church movement. Was this paradigm shift real?

I am thinking today, "What is the role that a pastor/teacher/shepherd in the local church today?"

.

And I am sure many of you will say,

"I can't see why it isn't biblical?"

.

How should he view his role in the church that would bring the most glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ?

The NewSpring Churches are not independent baptist churches, nor WBF, or IBFI, or GARBC, they are a group of emerging churches who have a desire to see their church grow. Here is a mission statement by one of these churches. And a video you can watch.

Located in Jenks, Oklahoma, we have ministries for every member of the family and we are sure you will find something just for you. At Newspring, we exist to turn unconvinced, unchurched, and uncommitted people into fully devoted followers of Christ. Enjoy your time on our site and please consider visiting us Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. where you will enjoy a contemporary relevant service with people just like you.
At Newspring, we're not church as usual!

.

5 Pirates in Search of Character Island

.So should I consider a change of methodology. I do desire to reach the unconvinced, the unchurched, and the uncommitted people in our area of ministry. I do desire to see people come to be fully devoted followers of Christ. You say what is wrong with that?

I viewed the Newspring Church out of Wichita Kansas, Charity and I both listen to the message by Mark Hoover.

• As a footnote: I knew Mark over twenty years ago. Mark preached in our church in Kansas, I have had lunch with Mark. I knew him as genuine person who loved God. I have not talked to Mark in twenty years. I have passed NewSpring church several times. But yesterday was the first time I had ever heard Mark preach in twenty years. Totally different personality, totally different look.

• The church was originally Messiah Baptist Church, now the name of the church is NewSpring Church. Once this church was a independent Baptist Church, now the church is . . . . .

Now Christ Community Church in Portsmouth Ohio is beginning to do the same thing. And some have asked me, "What do you think about what they are doing?" I have known the founder of the church for a long time. I know him as a man who loves the Lord, a man who has been married for fifty years. He as pastored the church for more than forty years, I believe. And in reality he wants what I desire, to see people saved, and reach those who are not going to church.

"I had started through that narrow passage that leads from one paradigm to another. Then this paradigm shift got scary and painful. One author describes it as a “post-modern free fall.” I found myself disoriented and confused by the different voices around me." A quote from a young woman.

• "I'm actually amused by the faux-humility of always lower casing one's own name so as not to draw undue attention to it. But the popularity of the practice is yet another fitting symbol for just about everything that is currently fashionable on the evangelical fringe. Why is it that those who seem to talk most about originality are always so lemminglike?"


• Someone wrote me last week asking what would be wrong with adopting McManus's methodology as long as we're careful to overlay it with a high view of Scripture.

WHAT WOULD BE WRONG WITH ADOPTING SOME OF THESE METHODOLOGY AS LONG AS WE'RE CAREFUL TO OVERLAY IT WITH A HIGH VIEW OF SCRIPTURE?

It's pretty hard for me to see why anyone with a high view of Scripture would want to adopt a methodology whose whole raison d'être is rooted in a low view of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. It's a methodology that systematically subordinates Scripture to a secondary or tertiary role in the life of the church.

And not all churches or pastors have a low view of scripture, but they believe they need to take a low reading of scripture.

IS THERE GOING TO BE A PARADIGM SHIFT AT THE RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH?

Is there going to be a paradigm shift? A Paradigm shift is an example that serves as a pattern or model for something, especially one that forms the basis of a methodology or theory. The acceptance by a majority of a changed belief, attitude, or way of doing things.

Can there be a change attitude of the way of doing things? I would really hope so. But our pattern or model should be one that models biblical pattern of ministry.

There is generally a shift in methodology with a new pastor, that is natural. There is a new point of view, a different style of ministry. But what I hope to do, is keep the goal of ministry one that is going to bring glory to the Lord, and that we will reflect as a mirror the glory of Christ.

FOOTNOTE: We posted this morning a line, and then finished up tonight at 10:30 p.m.