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  Changing the Church without Changing the Gospel  
  A paper given by the
Rev Stephen Abbott at an EFAC Conference, Canberra, April 28, 2001		  
     
     
  Aim: to challenge Christian leaders to let the changeless gospel of grace transform the priorities of our ministry so that that same gospel will be communicated with more effectiveness by a greater resolve to pray, rely on the Holy Spirit , put people before programs and have leaders who model these priorities.
  Introduction
  If you could design a barometer which measured the climate of our present time it would no doubt appear to be struck on 'changeable' and as the third millennium progresses the rate of change will no doubt speed up. Change is indeed, an undeniable and irresistible characteristic of our time.
  Invention, globalisation, migration, ease of communication, etc. etc. impact our country and indeed the world with a flood of the unexpected, the anticipated, the strange, the unfamiliar, the unwanted, the long desired, all of which transform our social context. Technologies, economies, families, moralities, spiritualities and even whole societies are in a state of dramatic flux. It is an ever new, complex and unpredictable world as Grenz comments, 'monumental changes are engulfing all aspects of contemporary culture.' [A Primer on Postmodernism, 2]
  Some would argue that in this environment the church should play the role of the solid anchor, the still point of an ever turning world. An oasis of traditional values and changeless spirituality where those who grow weary of the ever changing culture outside can find respite and relief.
  Such a picture has some merit. But such an image doesn't take seriously the Bibles 'Go-Between' vocation of the community of faith,
  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ...12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (Ex 19:3-7)
  All that I will say today is to a larger or lesser degree driven by my conviction that the Christian churches have lost sight of or been deflected from their strategic ministry as the communities, who stand between God and the World, as instruments of pardon, hope, reconciliation, love, the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.
  The church must, if it is to fulfil her Lord's missionary mandate, be flexible, creative, imaginative and willing to change so that we can seriously engage the constantly and rapidly changing culture we have been called to influence for the glory of God. And there's the rub. If we are to glorify God we cannot change the gospel, for it is his, rooted in the historical realities of Jesus Christ incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and return.
  So then, 'How do we Change the church without Changing the Gospel?'
  {Alf Stanway: A Quaker once said to him, "Alfred, you will need all your intelligence to keep things simple."}
  I think that we keep making ministry more complicated because we are driven by our own agendas to produce, to please, to perform, or to perfect. We talk about mission but we spend the vast majority of our resources (time, buildings, prayer, compassion, finances, people) on maintenance. ie. on producing and perfecting programs for, pleasing, and performing before our existing members. No wonder we are increasingly marginalised in society at large. We are largely an oddity on the social landscape!!
  We have allowed some simple but profound biblical dimensions of gospel ministry to slip off centre stage: the priority of prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit, that people must come before programs, and the example of Christlike leadership. To these issues we will turn in a moment but first let me say a brief comment about the Changeless gospel.
  1. The Transforming Changeless Gospel
  Unlike the church, the gospel does not need to change because it works fine. Our existence here today demonstrates its effectiveness. We can confess like Paul in
  2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
  This message cannot be changed for it has power to save (Rom 1:16), to transform the dead into the living , sinners into saints, this is our personal testimony.
  a. The Gospel - that which cannot be Touched (Transformed)
  There are many places we could turn to quickly reinforce this truth but I want to restrict my comments to Galatians. Here we read the Spirit inspired response of Paul to those who had dared to apply 'scissors and paste' to the gospel of Christ crucified and risen. This was the good news of grace he had preached and which had given birth to this community of faith.
  As Stott comments Paul: "utters a most solemn, fearful anathema upon those who dare change the gospel."
  Lets note one or two of his broadsides:
  i. Galatians 1:6-7b I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all.
  - quickly deserting the one - the root word indicates to transfer allegiance - to become a spiritual deserter from the God of grace. To preach a modified gospel is to show that the preachers and those who embrace their message are no longer in relationship with God, no matter what they may say about having a relationship with Christ Jesus!
  To forsake the gospel is to forsake the God of that gospel. To preach another gospel is to put the souls of others in jeopardy.
  ii. Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
  - let him be eternally condemned! (x2 = 8, 9) - 'anathema', the imagery recalls the picture of the divine ban, or curse - things devoted to destruction. The repetition suggests that this is not some out of control outburst but Paul's "calm and unalterable opinion".
  Why such strong vivid language?
  - The glory of Christ's work was at stake = to make human works a necessary supplement is to declare Jesus' work as unfinished and inadequate for salvation.
  - Flows from the first - the good of people's souls was also at stake, for gospel modification destroys the way of salvation.
  However, a little later in Galatians God teaches us something, which I find extremely unsettling. He indicates that it is possible to corrupt the gospel not simply by teaching incorrectly, but by living inconsistently with the gospel.
  iii. Galatians 2:1-21 (13-14) The other Jews joined him (Peter) in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
  - that they were not acting (walking) in line with the truth of the gospel - as a person of influence a Christian leaders behaviour has enormous power - for bad (v. 14) or good (1 Timothy 4:16). It is not enough to preach Christ and to preserve the gospel, Christians must also practice a life aligned with the gospel. The gospel of grace is to shape our lives, every nook and cranny of them.
  - you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs - RSV 'compel' - it is a strong word - to force or compel - Peter's actions effectively meant Gentile believers had to embrace Jewish dining regulations if they were to be able to continue in table fellowship with Peter. This had Jesus+ written all over it. Paul driven by the gospel of grace would not have a bar of it!!
  [iv. Galatians 4:1-9 (3, 8-9) 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.... 8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God --or rather are known by God --how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
  - you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles -
  the spiritual path proposed by the evil one and his minions is always some oppressive religious rules which ultimately have God as some austere overlord before whom we creatures grovel and seek to appease by following the 'rules'.
  A natural fall back position for all people, so much so that even Christians can be quickly lured back into a works rather than grace understanding of our relationship to Christ.
  Nothing could be further from the truth of the gospel. The surrounding verses show that God is an outrageously generous and compassionate Dad. A Dad whose sent SON redeemed my status from slave to child and whose sent SPIRIT assures my immediate and intimate access to Him.]
  v. Galatians 5:12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
  Do we think it is a small thing to change the gospel?
  - emasculate themselves! - that they might go all the way - not just circumcision but castration! Here is a graphic picture of the seriousness of gospel tampering.
  b. The Gospel - That which Transforms the Church
  The very nature of the gospel is that it causes change. It transformed our lives and it ought to be continually shaping our thinking and behaviour as well as crafting our ministries. Paul let the gospel craft his flexible engagement with people in order to win them (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) and his personal disciplines so that he himself walked his talk (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Paul as with all believers need to be both agents and athletes of the gospel.
  The packaging of the changeless gospel can be modified, indeed it must be to take seriously the variety of circumstances and situations of lost people. Therefore the communicator's customs, language, illustrations, will need to be flexible while ensuring there is no flexing of the gospel contents, no compromise of the gospels contents or character (message or morality).
  Today, in my view every ministry needs to employ the missiological tools for effective local gospel ministry because no suburb is monochrome and no suburb is identical.
  However, this itself can place us on the dangerous ground of reshaping the gospel, the ground where technique takes precedence over truth.
  Now at an EFAC conference we might be wondering why do I need to stress this point. Surely no one hear would apply 'scissors and paste' to the good news?
  Why might we tweak our message or modify our behaviour contrary to our message?
  Let me suggest some possibilities:
  - because we enjoy (maybe need) the accolades of others, more than the applause of The Other - The Holy God!! The 'other' may include society with its "Lets me tolerant cry!" OR the 'traditionalists' who have worn us down with their resistance to a dynamic faith relationship with Jesus Christ so we have given up preaching the gospel to them, or family or friends who just want us to lighten up and live a little!!
  [OHP There may be other interpretations]
  - because we are tired and burnt out by all the demands of ministry. We have let the 'messiah complex' lead us to emotional weariness so that now we have lost our taste for mission since maintenance is the best we can hope for.
  - because we have drifted away from the Lord's gospel agenda, spending more time learning church growth technology, or keeping abreast of the latest theology rather than being strong in the grace of the gospel.
  - because we have lost confidence in the power of the gospel to save, we know leading a church necessitates a thorough grasp of contemporary leadership theory.
  - because praying, preaching and preparing people for gospel ministry seems boring and old hat, compared to putting on spectacular events and programs, employing the latest electronic gadgetry and having contemporary facilities.
  [Exercise: Take a moment right now to evaluate your ministry and honestly ask the Lord to show you where you may have slipped up or have placed yourself in a slippery place so that compromising the gospel is a real possibility.]
  2. The Transforming Church of the Gospel
  Together I'm sure we could come up with an extensive list of areas which need to be changed by the changeless gospel in the church's life. However, I have chosen to touch on what I believe are four which require urgent and thoughtful attention by we 'reformed evangelical Anglicans'.
  i. Our Church Communities Need to Make Prayer a Foundational Priority
  I love Jesus' parable of the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-8. However, it also unsettles me because of the sting in its tail. It is clearly meant to teach us to persevere in prayer till Christ's return:
  Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
  A simple enough point to grasp right? But the final words raise the suspicion that disciples might not fulfill it:
  8 "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
  We still await the Son of Man to come in glory but do our patterns of prayer suggest we are truly a people of faith?
  {Dean J.C. Vaughan said, "If I wished to humble anyone, I should question him about his prayers. I know of nothing to compare with this topic for its sorrowful self-confessions."}
  One of the saddest commentaries on today's evangelical churches has to be the lack of energy given to prayer. It is not that we do not believe in it (Who dare say such a thing?). It is not that we do not schedule it into the church's program (How could a spiritually minded church avoid this?). It is just that we by and large do not do it.
  In the past I have regularly asked clergy and Christian audiences, 'What are the most poorly attended gatherings in the church's calendar?' The response is a uniform chorus of voices, 'Prayer meetings.'
  Does the prayerlessness of Congregations today reflect the inadequacy of their leaders to model and teach the essential nature of dependence upon God? Eugene Peterson in Working the Angles has drawn attention to the poverty of prayer in pastoral ministry compared with early generations.
  I confess with great shame that my own prayer struggles. I am too easily persuaded that while prayer is important it has to be done first thing so that I could get on with the real ministry, my agenda for the day. The voice which still whispers during my prayers, 'You have lots to do today, you had better finish praying and get on with it.', flows from the Father of lies, Satan. [OHP Your Not Busy]
  We have been trained since childhood that a our value comes from what we can produce, purchase or who we can please. No wonder we are prone to give priority to pragmatism-doing what works. Therefore, we find it extraordinarily difficult to accept that anything of tangible value is achieved through prayer.
  Too many of us live by sight not faith. Sadly, prayer is often tacked on to the end of the process in evangelism and church growth planning, as either a way of spiritually baptizing human ideas and plans or as a last ditch attempt to rescue them from failure.
  We have fallen into the devil's trap and fail to take to heart the biblical priority of prayer. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, we have listened to the slippery whispers of the serpent who desires that we rely upon ourselves rather than trust God.
  [My aim here is well expressed by Alf Stanway's aim in his little book Prayer a personal testimony where he writes: "The aim of this book is to get people to pray. I want those who have stopped, to start again; those who have never started, to begin, and those who pray, to persevere."}
  a. Prayer's Priority - Faith at Work
  The first pastoral crisis in the Jerusalem church allows us to peer into the priorities of the apostle's gospel ministry:
  Acts 6:3-4 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
  The results of this priority, prayer, ministry of the word, and shared ministry: Acts 6:7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
  I suspect that if we evangelicals were to instinctively give instructions to a new incumbent about the priorities of ministry we would firstly note "devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." 1 Timothy 4:13
  But, this isn't God's emphasis as he communicates his priority via Paul to Timothy in 1Tim 2:1-3 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession & thanksgiving be made for everyone--2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
  The little phrase, first of all means first in order of importance. That is the primary activity of the Christian community is to express their ongoing dependence upon God especially in terms of God's salvation agenda.
  This passage throws out three challenges to the church's prayers
  - the scope of prayer = the scope of Christ's death v 6 a ransom for all
  - the goal of prayer = aligned with God's goal v 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
  - the motivation for prayer = v 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior our prayers are intrinsically worthwhile and bring pleasure to God. This implies that they will also be effective. We can be sure that when we ask God to do what he desires to do he will do it, although according to his time frame not ours.
  b. Prayer's Products - God at Work
  1. Authentic Prayer Will Keep Us Gospel Focused
  Jesus is the model here. It was through his prayers that the Lord Jesus himself was able to remain aligned with his Father's mission agenda. Very early in his preaching ministry there were temptations to be distracted and embrace a popular healing focus. However, in the solitude of prayer with his Father, he resolved to move on and preach the gospel in other villages for as he declared, "That is why I was sent." (Luke 4:43).
  At the close of his public ministry it was still prayer which kept him aligned with Father God. For as the long shadow of death fell over him and everything in his flesh longed for release from his destiny with death, he determined to stay his Father's course, "Father, if you are willing, take this come from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42).
  If we are to take our lead from the Lord Jesus Christ, we will recognize that, "Mission has its starting (and ending) point not in (human) ideas and plans, but in ... God and in learning to listen intently to him. It is the praying rather than the talking church which is most likely to be effectively engaged in mission." (Gibbs, I Believe in Church Growth p 42)
  There isn't a person here who hasn't felt the pressure to operate in ministry from one crisis to another. The urgent is the enemy of the ultimate. The good the foe of the best. Beginning, continuing and ending all our ministry with prayer to the Creator Redeemer God will go along way to keeping us gospel focused.
  2. Prayer Actually Works
  What a contradiction that pragmatism - doing what works - has overshadowed prayer in the amount of attention it gets within the life of our churches today. We find ourselves studying the latest church growth books, attending the latest and greatest seminar on how to build an effective church, listening to the best practitioners on cassette tape or watching their new video release 'Seven (the biblical perfect number) Sure Fire Steps to Growth'. [OHP Shadow]
  We want the best workable tools for doing ministry we can get our hands on, and the Lord of the Church calls us to ask, seek and knock because the Heavenly Father has all the essential resources - the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:131) - we need to be effective in advancing the gospel and maturing disciples. The Christian community wants what works and here is the irony the clear testimony of the Word is that prayer works:
  So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10
  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:10-11
  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16b
  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
  There is a significant reference on this theme in John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit --fruit that will last. Then [that] the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. [OHP Jn 15:16]
  Carson comments, The fruit, - is new converts. One purpose of election, then, is that the disciples who have been so blessed with revelation and understanding, should win others to the faith - fruit that will last - With these references to fruit and its enduring quality - , it becomes clear that these closing allusions to the vine imagery ensure that, however comprehensive the nature of the fruit that Christians bear, the focus on evangelism and mission is truly central. - these closing words again remind the reader that the means of the fruitfulness for which they have been chosen is prayer,2 [my emphasis].
  We see here that prayer is not a secondary aspect of the great fruit bearing missionary task, but is a primary and foundational element.
  3. Prayer Releases the Empowering Holy Spirit of God for Mission
  This is a recurring theme in Luke/Acts:
  Luke 3:21-23 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." 23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
  Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
  Acts 1:14; 2:1f They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. ...When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
  Acts 4:29-31 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
  Acts 13:1-2 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
  c. Prayer's Practice - The Christian Community at Work
  At every level of Christian experience, personal devotion, home groups and church services, prayer for the lost and the perfection of the saints ought to be on the agenda.
  1. Christians and Prayer
  Everyday Evangelism has a strong emphasis on prayer and in the first of the four sessions provides practical tools for assisting participants to work out their personal mission field via their natural web of relationships and for establishing a regular intercession discipline on behalf of three unbelievers. Prayer Triplets in the local church or in the workplace/neighbourhood
  2. Home Groups and Prayer
  Home or Cell Groups should be encouraged to appoint someone to take responsibility for the prayer aspect of their life together. An essential dimension of the groups prayers should be on reaching out to the unsaved both within the orbit of the group's relationships and beyond to the world mission field. Many groups have found the practice of placing an empty chair within the circle each week reminds them of those who are not part of their fellowship. This can be even more effective if a list of the group member's lost contacts is placed on the chair and the people on the list are prayed for specifically.
  [Without this prayer emphasis on the lost I suggest most Home Groups will fail to create an outward focus, they will become eccentric to the salvation purposes of God, they will probably never organize their own outreach event nor lend strong support to their church's evangelistic programs. Rather they will become closed comfortable communities where Christians may experience nice warm spiritual fuzzies and discuss theological niceties but rarely engage with the challenges of the Lord God who is on mission.]
  3. Church Assemblies and Prayer
  Christian gatherings ought to remind believers of God's disciple making mission which has an international vision built into it. The prayers offered by and on behalf of the congregation ought to range beyond the material and physical concerns of the community of faith and the wider world. The Lord of the harvest, he who came to seek and save the lost, is to be the focus of our assemblies, that being so Christian leaders ought to ensure that his mission is at the fore of our intercessions and thanksgivings.
  The messages, from time to time ought to remind the believers of their privilege and responsibility to be a kingdom of priests, the royal go betweens who both intercede on behalf of the lost as well as share the good news with them. The church needs visionary leaders who each year annually commission their congregations for day to day intentional witness as everyday evangelists.
  d. A Final Comment on Prayer
  The pressure to be pragmatic and therefore focus on the technology and tools for effective evangelism will always remain, for it is not just a symptom of the spirit of the age it is a spiritual battle. The evil one will do anything to keep believers off their knees and their mouths shut for gospelling. It is essential that the appalling lack of prayer which exists in the church today be rectified.
  Yes the Christian community needs to be imaginative and use whatever is helpful in reaching the lost but it must not sell its soul to pragmatism. Rather the church must give herself to prayer above all else, for prayer is where the Bible tells us to begin gospel ministry and here is the irony of it all, prayer is the most practical thing as well. Peterson makes this point sharply and succinctly when he writes, 'Anything creative, anything powerful, anything biblical, insofar as we are participants in it originates in prayer ... Prayer means that we deal with God first and then with the world.'3
  Prayer needs to be re-engineered in the church's thinking but more especially in her practice. It is not some personal royal telephone to be used for private room service making requests as needs and crises arise. The above examination of Scripture as repeatedly indicated as Piper states, 'that prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, - the point of prayer is empowering for mission.' How many evangelism books have been read? How many evangelism courses have been attended? How many messages have challenged Christians to reach out to the spiritually lost? Have they resulted in any effective evangelism?
  Its time prayer was made a matter of urgency. Today, right now, commence praying that God would expand the worldwide Christian community's love for the Lord Jesus and for all the hundreds of people its members pass each day. Ask the Lord to give all disciples both an urgency and a fearlessness to do the work of evangelism. There is no doubt that the Heavenly Father will answer such prayers for this, as we have observed, is his heart's desire.
  [Exercise: Take a moment right now to write down one or two practical things you will do to begin to make prayer a priority in your life and the life of your Christian community. Then share these with your neighbour and then take a moment to pray together for the courage to change accordingly]
  ii. Our Church Communities Need to Reflect a Balanced Trinitarian Theology
  I think as evangelicals we too often sound Binarian. The Holy Spirit always starts, as it were on the bench, never in the starting line up.
  We are always keen to draw a strong and correct, intimate connection between the Spirit and Scripture (the Word), after all the Word is the 'Spirit's sword' (Ephesians 6:17 word = rhema = usually the preached word) and the Word was 'God-breathed' (2 Timothy 3:16 God-spirited). However, having made this connection I think in practice we make it sound that the Trinity = Father, Son and Scripture (not Spirit).
  The final words of Matthew's Gospel, 'And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' (28:20), are a wonderful reminder that in the central Christian vocation of making disciples, believers are not left alone to their own devices. They are not just given tools but a powerful empowering person.
  Indeed we are never to perceive ourselves as some sort of spiritual James Bonds who having been given our mission and a few technical resources are sent out to overcome the strongholds of the enemy on our own.
  Such an image is completely alien to the New Testament picture which is one of complete dependence on the Spirit for the fulfillment of the Christian mission. Indeed in his Christian classic 'Knowing God', Packer writes, 'were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit there would be no gospel, no faith, no Church, no Christianity in the world at all.' (p61-63
  The NT affirms that it is through the Spirit that the Lord Jesus remains with his disciples to the close of the age.4
  I am convinced that it is time for a healthy corrective. Christians, including myself need to be taught more about the personal and intimate ministry of the Holy Spirit in their individual lives and in the corporate life of the community of faith. I have already noted something of the Spirit as God's answer to our prayers, especially in relationship to proclaiming the gospel. Let me just touch on other dimensions of the Spirit's ministry.
  a. The Spirit as a Down-Payment/Foretaste of Our Inheritance
  - Ephesians 1:13b-14 Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession --to the praise of his glory.
  The Spirit marks us as belonging to God, his treasured possession, guaranteeing that our final bodily redemption is secure. Because of the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit I know I am not alone, and even now I can begin to enjoy the everlasting possession.
  - See also 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Romans 5:5, 8:23.
  b. The Spirit as the Producer of Christ-like Fruit
  - Galatians 5:16-26 Christians need to be constantly reminded that they are not alone in their struggle with the flesh (sinful nature).
  5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ... 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
  - (Also Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Ephesians 5;18)
  c. The Spirit as the Energizer for Ministry within the Body
  - 1 Corinthians 12-14 In particular we notice the following comments concerning the grace-gifts (charismata): 12:7, 11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ...All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
  - See also Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:7-16
  d. The Spirit as the Intercessor who Provokes Prayer
  - What a joy to know, that not only Jesus the perfect High Priest in heaven intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25) but the Spirit who lives in us is our Intercessor.
  Romans 2:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. When our circumstances are confused by the sufferings and anomalies of human experience and we don't know what or how to pray he who intimately knows our hearts and the heart of the Father goes to bat for us.
  - I need to understand that it is the Spirit who prods and pokes me to prayer so that I will joyfully obey this provoking. Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." and again Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." Also we can note the injunction to pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Jude 20), which surely means to pray inspired and guided by the Spirit
  e. The Spirit as the Empowerer for and Convincer in Mission
  - I noted the Luke/Acts emphasis on this earlier. However, there is a reference in Luke 12:11-12 which is worthy of note in the light of its fulfillment in the speeches in Acts. "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say." I am persuaded that here is a promise of assistance in speaking boldly for Christ Jesus when challenged about our faith in the cut and thrust of the marketplace and neighbourhood.
  Marshall in Luke Historian and Theologian writes appropriately, "Luke especially understood the gift of the Holy Spirit as equipping the church for mission, and consequently that he regarded the essence of being a Christian as the activity of mission."
  A similar cord is struck by John in the upper room discourses (John 13-16) where Jesus introduces 'another Counsellor' (14:16), the Paraclete, who will come alongside to teach them all truth (14:16, 26) therefore inspiring them to testify about Jesus to the world (15:26-27) in both spoken and written word.
  Paul also links gospel preaching with the Spirit's empowering work (Philippians 1:19; Colossians 1:28-29).
  - The New Testament also emphasizes the Spirit's illumination (Convincing) of the unbeliever at the point of the preaching of the gospel. Luke records, to the amazement of the Jewish believers the outpouring of the Spirit upon the household of Cornelius in Acts 10: 44, 'While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.'
  In John's Gospel Jesus notes this illumination dimension of the Spirit's service,
   But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:7-11 The gospel of Christ will be preached but, 'Only the power of God can convince the human mind and heart of its sin and thereby reveal to persons their true self ... The Holy Spirit, the advocate who comes along by our side to aide us, alone is the great 'Convincer'.'5
The letters of Paul reinforce this teaching of the essential ministry of the Holy Spirit in stimulating faith and bringing new birth to spiritually dead people (1 Corinthians 2:10-16; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:5). Leighton Ford in The Power of Story, provides an interesting metaphor of this particular aspect of the Spirit's ministry when he writes, "The Holy Spirit is the beckoning finger of God, creating a holy dissatisfaction, a holy restlessness, a holy desire for union with him."
  What great and wonderful teaching. So often our congregations engage the world with fear and trepidation, prayerless and so they think powerless. However, they have all the resources they need prayer, the Paraclete and the power of the gospel. Surely it is time that we taught and equipped the community of faith in the use of these resources.
  [Exercise: Take a moment right now to write down one or two practical things you will do to begin to make the Holy Spirit into a more balanced focus in your life and the life of your Christian community. Then share these with your neighbour and take a moment to pray together for the courage to make the changes.]
  iii Our Church Communities Need to Downsize Programs and Upsize People
  [OHP God didn't send a Committee]
  I regularly ask people what are the main entry points for outsiders to enter their Christian community. Usually a catalogue of events and programs are noted, rarely does anyone mention first time the members of their congregation. We do not put enough store in the individuals and families personal ministry of the gospel. It is simply overshadowed or worse, shut out by the innumerable programs which form the essential structure of the local church. Colin Marshall in Essentials (Summer 1994),
  We put structures before people. If we asked about the ministries of our church, we usually answer in terms of structures and programmes: Men's Fellowship, Sunday School, Youth Club, Women's Bible Study and so on. If our pastors ask us to be involved in ministry, they usually mean taking on a particular task to keep the programme running. These kinds of programmes are often good - some may be essential - but our thinking is back to front. The reason we run ministry activities is for people - their salvation and maturity in Christ. After a while, the programme attains a validity in itself - the means becomes the end. We run a drop-in centre because we have always run a drop-in centre.
  If, instead we start with people and ask how we can win them for Christ and establish them in the faith, we might end up spending our ministry time differently. [author's emphasis].
  We need to stop giving priority to programs and structures, and give it to people and their natural networks of relationships. It is not that programs should be abandoned but that they should be established on the basis of people's need of and growth in the gospel. We should stop putting the proverbial programmatic cart before the people's horse. [OHP Ideas other than Easter]
  Jesus was a people person and his public ministry was spent engaged with those who lived in and around first century Palestine. Yes he certainly had a Father appointed program (John 4:34, 17:4), but the focus of this was restoring people to God and the program was worked out in the context of relationships.
  The Kaldors (Where the River Flows) comment, '[T]he life of Jesus points us beyond programs for people to a deep and committed involvement with them (people). Perhaps as we look at ministry it is time we took this seriously for ourselves as well.'
  Indeed it is only as we get involved with the people to whom ministry is to be exercised that we will be able to develop programs which will best serve them.
  Throughout the New Testament Epistles it becomes clear that people take precedence over strategies and programs. The instructions in the letters of Paul, Peter and John make constant reference to how Christians are to relate to God, each other, their households, unbelievers and opponents.6
  Certainly by the time the Pastoral Epistles are penned we discover some evidence of and instructions for the organization of the church's life and witness (1 Timothy 5:9-16, the widows list and 2 Timothy 2; Titus 1:5-9, the appointment of overseers). Yet even here there is absolutely no evidence of a model of gospel ministry where programs drive the church's life and where spirituality and commitment are measured by one's contribution to the program. The same could not be said for many churches today.
  There can be no biblical justification for the programmatic emphasis which has taken hold of so many Western churches. People, incorporating all that they are in terms of gifts, personality, skills, needs, resources and relationships, must form the basis of any ministry program which exists within the church.7 Programs and structures have no right to exist other than they serve the purposes of God in building his church, whose very stones are flesh and blood people (1 Peter 2:4-5).
  We need to validate marketplace and neighbourhood ministries. Paid ministry is important but it is only one form - Paul was a tent maker and apostle.
  iv. Christian Leaders Need to Change
  We all carry baggage. We are brought up in a sin soaked world, by sinful parents and we all have a sin bent heart. We need to change our thinking completely so that we are not conformed to the world but transformed to Christlikeness (Romans 12:1-2).
  Christian leadership is a Spirit empowered responsibility to be exercised by teaching the Word, living the Word and equipping others in the Word not a right to put people down with the Word. It is a ministry of empowerment not power.
  It is my conviction that if we do not have an accurate perception and acceptance of who we are we will probably find ourselves doing one or more of the following:
  - wasting a lot of time in defensive behaviour,
  - avoiding conflict and confrontation,
  - spend our time trying to please everybody,
  - having to pick up the pieces of the devastation we cause,
  - becoming reclusive and withdrawn,
  - failing in areas of personal weakness and sin,
  - emotional outbursts: tears, anger, blame, etc.
  - self-righteous and dictatorial (Theocracy where you're name is Theo.)
  I am not suggesting that we become obsessed with our search for the "real me" so that we can some how become self-fulfilled. Rather our concern is to know ourselves so that we can be more effective in Christ-like servant leadership. Is there any biblical warrant for this?
  1 Timothy 4:15-16 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
  Watch your life = take heed to yourself, scrutinize behaviour. Does Paul have in mind the sort of disciplines he himself undertook?
  I would want to argue that the more we understand about ourselves the more likely we will be able to walk/run obediently and not trip ourselves or others up. Leaders need to model the very principles of change already noted.
  a. Christian Leaders and Prayer
  The fast paced rapidly changing world is in desperate need of ministers (ordained and unordained), who know that the secret of a focused disciple making ministry is time spent on the mountain top or in the desert. Christian leaders who are worth their salt follow the pattern of their Lord spending regular time with the Father ensuring that they are aligned with God's agenda. There the Lord's shepherds draw from secret prayer and meditation on Scripture what they will pour out in Christ centered, Spirit empowered service to their flocks.
  Indeed the wise and humble shepherds will take a leaf out of the apostle Paul's ministry manual. A constant request or notation is made in many of Paul's letters of prayer support so that he would keep on boldly and clearly gospelling in the face of opposition and the temptation to do otherwise.8
  It took me over ten years in full time ministry before really plugging into this pattern and having experienced the benefits I would encourage every Christian leader to invite their congregations and/or some of their closest Christian supporters to intercede for them on a regular basis.9 If we do not open our ministries in this way we are failing to draw on a mighty resource for effective evangelism and deny others the joy of partnership in the gospel.10
b. Christian Leaders need to be Spirit Filled
Stephen one of the first deacons and early preachers was described as follows:
  Acts 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
  Acts 7:55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
  How are we to understand these terms?
  What does it mean to be full of the Holy Spirit?
  How do you know whether someone is full of the Holy Spirit?
  Aren't all Christians filled with the Holy Spirit at conversion (Acts 2:38)?
  By what criteria do we decide whether a person is Spirit Filled in this special sense? Tongues? glowing appearance? etc
  How can we become full of the Holy Spirit?
  Is it something I can work up to?
  Is there some formula? Is it purely an act of God's grace?
  {I can pretty well work out when someone is 'full of Grog', or 'full of beans' (enthusiasm) or 'full of themselves'. But 'full of the Holy Spirit' is not so clear.}
  The immediate context gives us some clues:
  - His life bore evidence of Christ-like qualities: grace and wisdom.
  - He was a man saturated and well schooled in the Scripture's contents and teachings: Christocentric understanding.
  - He was a channel of God's Sovereign acts of miraculous (ie. divine) power.
  Luke however has already prepared us for this language and a careful survey of the texts of his gospel and the Acts results in the following conclusion:
  People who are full of the Holy Spirit are those who are:
  - full of the Spirit's Book - the Bible, God's Word.
  - full of the Spirit's Gospel agenda - they proclaim Christ for the salvation of the lost.
  - full of the Spirit's fruit - grace, wisdom and power.
  - they are sensitive to the Spirit's impulses, their hearts are not resistant but responsive, therefore they pray confidently, proclaim courageously, perform powerful miracles at his Sovereign impulse, practice authentic piety even before violent opposition.
  Paul may mean something similar when he says to Timothy "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1)
  c. Christian Leaders need to be People Focused
  1. One Foot in the World - Know the Lost. Incarnational ministry. This will help us understand the difficulties of witnessing in the world. Purpose to be able to communicate the gospel in language and with illustrations that they can understand. To be able to scratch where they are itching. This activity will also enable Christian leaders to equip the saints more effectively for their own gospel ministry.
  2. One Foot in the Community of Faith - Know the Found. A Paraclete Ministry - coming alongside. Visit our parishoners in their homes and work place. Observe, listen to their doubts, fears, conflicts, spiritual struggles, defeats as well as their joys, passions and victories. Ask them about their lost friends and family, and about their walk with God. Encourage them in godliness and empower them for witness.
  3. Bring Both Feet Together - Create a 'Go-Between' Community. A Relevant Ministry - develop only those programs and events for bridge building, evangelism and nurture, which flow from the natural network of relationships that exist within the life of the congregation. That is the outreach events which the members are asking for and which they own and help shape.
  Conclusion
  The history of the Christian church has revealed a fascination with seeking answers to the question first asked of Jesus by his disciples almost two thousand years ago, "what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Matthew 24:3.
  The Lord's reply was not in terms of schedules nor was it primarily focused on specific coming events, but rather on the necessity of his people being faithful and fulfilling his vocation for them until the end. The important question to be answered is not 'When will Christ return?' but 'What are the people of God to be doing prior to Christ's return?'
  Therefore we read, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14.11 It is gospel proclamation to the nations which is to set the course for the Christian community and to be the focus of it's creative energies.
  Every generation since the time of Christ's incarnation has had the same challenge to work out how to communicate the unchangeable gospel of God (Mark 1:14,
  1 Thessalonians 2:8-9), with language and strategies which are engaging, relevant and intelligible to their particular cultural audience. However, the church has not always done this with the sort of biblical integrity, theological care and thoughtful imagination it requires.
  Various Responses to the Lord's Gospel Agenda
  Somebody once said, "There are three kinds of people in the world, those who watch things happen, those who make things happen and those who do not know what is happening."12 This statement can also be applied to the present Western Christian community as it seeks to exist and minister within a postmodern, post-Christian, pluralistic, cosmopolitan, multicultural and multi-faith society.
  1. The Do Not Know What is Happening Churches
  There are still many churches whose ministries and evangelism styles, at least on the surface, suggest that they have little or no understanding of the prevailing culture of lost people, they simply do not know what is happening. They operate on the basis of business-as-usual as if this present generation can be reached for Christ using the same techniques and strategies of the fifties and sixties. Such churches are rightly adjudged by the outsiders as fringe dwellers who live on the margins of society, irrelevant, quaint religious communities, tolerated but not taken seriously.
  2. The Watch Things Happen Churches
  There are two branches of churches which fit under this banner.:
  i. The first branch are those who having observed the world and been repulsed and overwhelmed by it, have retreated deciding that in order to spiritually survive and remain untainted by the world they must withdraw from it. It is not that such churches are totally unmoved by the plight of the lost they just cannot see how they can negotiate the cultural chasm between the lost and themselves without being infected by worldliness. Nor do they have the energy or desire to change their ministry and corporate worship style to keep pace with a world heaven (hell?) bent on living without God. Should unbelievers find their way to such churches they will be gladly welcomed. Sadly, however, there is little or no proactive intentional strategy to reach out with the gospel within the cultural context of the lost.
  ii. The second branch of watchers are very different in character. Rather than withdrawing, they have chosen to assimilate the world's values and culture. Here we find the theologically liberal churches, who have a scissors-and-paste approach to the Bible. They may argue that the New Testament reflects the first century church's interpretation of the Christian message and now the twenty first century church with its more intellectual, scientific and civilized understanding of human society is free to interpret that message and faith for its own time. Evangelism is more about dialoging about faith with other systems of belief, than a declaration of the truth of the gospel, since after all, 'What is truth?'
  3. The Make Things Happen Churches
  This final group of churches also fall into two broad categories.
  i. The first are The Pragmatists, churches lead by Christian entrepreneurs who readily embrace all the contemporary secular marketing tools, add some Christian spiritual packaging and throw in a few verses of Scripture (often out of context), to show that evangelism strategy is kosher. The starting point for these well meaning church leaders is the unchurched audience rather than the Bible and as a result their foundations tend to be anthropo-centric not Christocentric. Such an approach reflects a lack of confidence in the Scriptures to adequately analyze the human condition and provide the strategies for effectively reaching unbelievers. It also nearly always runs the risk of miss using the Bible, tampering with the gospel and establishing a shallow model of discipleship. Such churches do grow, but growth does not equate with building the church with "gold, silver and costly stones" rather these church leaders will be found to have been building with "wood, hay or straw" materials which will not survive the fires of testing on the day of Judgment (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).
  ii. The second category is The Biblical Foundation churches, which have Christian leaders who begin with the absolute confidence that the Bible is the Word of God and provides both the   theological and practical frameworks for gospel ministry and the building of Christ's church. Their starting point for engaging in mission is a thorough investigation of the plot, purpose, plan, promise and principles of the Lord Jesus' ministry because they know they are called to align their ministry with his. It is a calling to keep in step with the Spirit. Such churches are thoroughly Christocentric but do not deny the importance of presenting the gospel in terms and strategies which acknowledge the human audience and the prevailing secular culture. This incarnational approach - moving from God's revealed truth to humanity - of effective growing churches flows from their strong conviction that this is a biblical model practiced by Jesus and the apostles, rather than one primarily driven by pragmatic considerations. Biblically founded churches have come to understand that their God given vocation of standing between God and the world as the Lord's go-betweens, places them in a most significant position in God's economy of salvation and so they attend with the greatest diligence and care to the Word of God. Their concern is to ensure they are pure conduits of truth, building on the foundations of the apostles, which is Jesus Christ, with the fire proof materials of gold, silver and costly stones.
  It is this type of church, the biblically founded church, which is the one that most closely reflects the Lord's designs, and will therefore be most effective in fulfilling the disciple making commission of Christ. At the center of such churches is the Bible's teaching that each and every believer has the glorious privilege and wonderful responsibility of intentionally evangelizing for Christ, proclaiming the gospel in both deed and word.
  If we are to change our churches we will need to ensure that we focus all our ministry on mobilising the saints for ministry to their fellow sinners.

1 In Matthew 7:11, the parallel passage the gift of the Holy Spirit is replaced with 'good gifts.' Lukan and Pauline theology reflect that it is the Holy Spirit who is the Activator or Energizer of all God's good gifts.

2 Carson, John, 523.

3 Peterson, Working the Angles, 28-29.

4 A careful exegesis of the upper room discourses (John 13-16) with its emphasis on the Spirit as another Counsellor, coupled with the occasional references to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7; Romans 8:9; Philippians 1:19; 1 Peter 1:11) would be a good starting point for establishing this position.

5 Drummond, Word of the Cross, 172-173.

6 The following references reveal these elements of New Testament teaching: Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:7-16; Philippians 1:27-30; Colossians 3:18-4:1, 1 Peter 2:9-3:17, 5:6-7; 1 John 1:5-10, 4:7-21 and 2 John 7-11.

7 Drummond, Word of the Cross, 311 comments, 'the church should start with gifted people-not programs. Church structures should be built around people so that there can be a channel through which the gifted ones can exercise their ministry. This was surely Paul's methodology.'

8 See Romans 15:31-31; 2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Ephesians 6:19-20; Philippians 1:18-19; Colossians 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 and Philemon 22.

9 I personally have around thirty people with whom I have entered into a covenant of prayer. I pray for them 3-4 times a month and they are asked to pray for me, my family and our ministry 3-4 times a week. I also write a quarterly letter with updates on family and ministry. It is clear to me that many of these people pray daily for us and experience a real sense of partnership in the gospel through their intercessions on our behalf.

10 Kaldors, Where the River Flows, 105-108 notes some of the prayer ideas above and adds the notion of Prayer Grannies. Some churches have also introduced the notion of prayer walks where people pray for each household as they go on their daily strolls around their area or members set specific days to walk around their suburb praying for the members of each home.

11 Also refer to Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 13:10; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 2 Peter 3:8-12; Revelation 14:6-7, for references which indicate gospel preaching is at the center of God's agenda for the Church.

12 Anon

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