10b – The Apostolic Multiplication Of The Church

A. In light of the promised Kingdom and resurrection, the Church is called to worship, discipleship and evangelism. These functions of the Church are all in direct relation to the coming Kingdom. We worship the Sovereign One who will judge the living and the dead; we walk in righteousness in preparation for the righteousness that will soon be established on the earth; and we appeal to all creation to flee from the wrath to come.

For we must all appear beforethe judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.¹¹Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,we try to persuade men…¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵And he died for all, that those who liveshould no longer live for themselvesbut for him who died for them and was raised again…¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…²⁰We are thereforeChrist’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (^NIV2 Corinthians 5:10-20)

B. God has given the Assembly the gift of a deposit of his Spirit as a Helper to aid in our perseverance and testimony of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the grace of God given to believers to sustain and empower them in their sojourning during their time of exile. Given in response to prayer, gifts of the Spirit are administrated through the five-fold ministry for the edification of the Body.

…in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift isprophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.⁷If it isserving, let him serve; if it isteaching, let him teach;⁸if it isencouraging, let him encourage; if it iscontributingto the needs of others, let him give generously; if it isleadership, let him govern diligently; if it isshowing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (^NIVRomans 12:5-8)

C. All of the functions and elements of the church are best accomplished through a home-based form. The corporate-based model is not onlyineffective(because of the excessive financial and temporal burdens), but it is alsoillogical(in light of the imminent destruction of the Day of the Lord and the preceding antichrist regime).

Butseek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.³²Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.³⁵Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,³⁶like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. (^NIVLuke 12:31-36)

What I mean, brothers, is thatthe time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;³⁰those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something,as if it were not theirs to keep;³¹those who use the things of the world,as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. (^NIV1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

Do not love the world orthe things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world;¹⁶for all that is in the world– the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, thepride in riches(Gk. bios,“possessions”ESV/NLT)— comes not from the Father but from the world.¹⁷Andthe world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.¹⁸Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard thatantichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come…²⁴Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.²⁵And this is what he has promised us, eternal life…²⁸And now, little children,abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidenceand not be put to shame before him at his coming. (^NRSV1 John 2:15-28)

• <979> bi,ojbios{bee’-os}

Meaning:1) life 1a) life extensively 1a1) the period or course of life 1b) that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods

Origin:a primary word; TDNT – 2:832,290; n m

Usage:AV – life 5, living 5, good 1; 11

1. Church planter and missiologist David Garrison keenly summarizes 10 advantages of home-based fellowships:

a) Leadership responsibilities remain small and manageable.

b) If heresies do occur they are confined by the small size of the house church. Like a leak that appears in the hull of a great ship, the heresy can be sealed off in a single compartment without endangering the whole.

c) You can’t hide in a small group, so accountability is amplified.

d) Member care is easier, because everyone knows everyone.

e) Because house church structure is simple, it is easier to reproduce.

f) Small groups tend to be much more efficient at evangelism and assimilation of new believers.

g) Meeting in homes positions the church closer to the lost.

h) House churches blend into the community rendering them less visible to persecutors.

i) Basing in the home keeps the church’s attention on daily life issues.

j) The very nature of multiplying house churches promotes the rapid development of new church leaders.[1]

2. Corporate holdings are not inherently evil but must be maturely andshrewdly managed(cf. Lk. 16:8ff; 1 Tim. 6:17ff) in the equipping of the Body of Christ. If a corporate holding begins to disempower the ministry of the common believer, it must be crucified. Wealth and assets must be used to bless people, rather than people being used to build wealth and assets.

After one week of fasting and prayer, I suddenly heard the Holy Spirit tell me these words,“Oil Station”. When the Lord returns his followers must have oil burning in their lamps…Until that time our church had experienced God’s great power in our midst, and had seen miracles and many people come to the Lord. But this was the first time we ever seriously implemented a training programme to send new workers into the harvest field. We called the Oil Station the“Prophet Samuel Training Centre”. During the [two-month] school, each student was required to read through the entire New Testament and memorize a chapter a day. One month after the start of class most of the students could quote the whole Gospel of Matthew by memory. We all lived and ate together in the cave…Every morning we awoke at 4:30 a.m. and washed. At five o’clock we worshipped the Lord. We then prayed for all our co-workers in the field for the next few hours. At eight o’clock the first class of the day commenced. Every day we ate only two meals, at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. We took turns at cooking and doing other chores. In the evening we all had homework to do…These young workers, filled with God’s oil, were welcomed and appreciated all over China. They became gospel warriors. On 16 January [1994] our church elders laid hands on the young workers and sent them out into the field. They scattered from our home base to all parts of China.[2]

A. No metaphor is more commonly used concerning the church than that of a “body” (cf. Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:17; 5:23; Col. 1:24). A body by definition is living organism.[1] The use of the body metaphor is used intentionally to emphasize thequality of life, in and between believers. The healthy functioning of the body is the highest goal of the apostolic church.

1. Like all organisms in creation, the church is called to be fruitful and multiply (cf. Gen. 1:22, 26; Is. 45:18; Mt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:47; Acts 1:8). The church was always intended to be a living body, designed by God to be healthy and fruitful.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (^NIVMatthew 28:18-20)

2. As the human body is designed for intimacy unto fruitfulness, so also is the Body of Christ designed for intimacy with God (cf. Jn. 15:4ff; Col. 1:23; 1 Jn. 2:24ff; Jude 1:20) unto fruitfulness in converts, those born of God and discipled in light of the Day of the Lord (cf. Jn. 1:13; 1 Pe. 1:3; Jam. 1:18; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:1).

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (^NIVJohn 15:5-6)

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation–²³if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. (^NIVColossians 1:22-23)

But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christthat leads to eternal life. (^ESVJude 1:20-21)

3. The church ought to naturally reproduce as it walks in holiness and righteousness amongst unbelievers. Focusing on the quality of life in light of the Day of the Lord, it ought to be obvious to everyone that Christians are not living for this age. There should be no need for spiritual “artificial insemination,” unnatural evangelistic programs within the Body.

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.¹²Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge. (^NRSV1 Peter 2:11-12)

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyonewho asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,¹⁶keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (^NIV1 Peter 3:15-16)

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;make the most of every opportunity.⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (^NIVColossians 4:5-6)

4. As there is no explicit “fruitfulness strategy” within a marriage, so also is there no explicit “church planting strategy” laid out in the New Testament, because fruitfulness is the assumed product of intimacy. The reason we come up with such strategies in the modern church is because we have been intimate with “other lovers” (e.g. money and power), which has created illegitimate children—money-makers and power-brokers who are neither citizens of heaven nor heirs of the kingdom.

B. The Scriptures also emphasize the church as a spiritual “family” (cf. Mt. 12:50; 25:40; Eph. 2:19; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 3:6; etc.). Like the body metaphor, the goal of a family is quality of life. A family ultimately strives towardhealth and maturity. Likewise, this is the goal of the five-fold ministry: to father mature spiritual families that reproduce and create healthy spiritual families of their own.

• <3609> oivkei/ojoikeios{oy-ki’-os}

Meaning:1) belonging to a house or family, domestic, intimate 1a) belonging to one’s household, related by blood, kindred 1b) belonging to the household of God 1c) belonging, devoted to, adherents of a thing

Origin:from 3624 [Gk.oikos, “house”]; TDNT – 5:134,674; adj

Usage:AV – of the household 2, of (one’s) own house 1; 3 [Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19; 1 Tim. 5:8]

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong tothe family(Gk. oikeios)of believers. (^NIVGalatians 6:10)

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints andmembers of the household(Gk. oikeios)of God,²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets…(^ESVEphesians 2:19-20)

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. Andwe are his house(Gk. oikos), if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (^NIVHebrews 3:6)

1. As in any righteous family, the goal of leadership within the home is not unto the glorification and exaltation of the maturity of the parents; rather it is the goal of the parents to love, train and empower the children within the home, creating an environment and atmosphere of love and common household health.[2]

Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,but parents for their children.¹⁵So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. (^NIV2 Corinthians 12:14-15)

2. Apostolic ministers are the “chief fathers” within the Body of Christ, those who are entrusted with the gospel out of love for the Family, and equipped to establish others in the faith (cf. 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Cor. 12:14; Gal. 4:19; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 Jn. 2:1; etc.).

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.¹¹For you know that we dealt with each of youas a father deals with his own children,¹²encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (^NIV1 Thessalonians 2:10-12)

3. The role of the apostolic ministry within the Body of Christ is that of a “fatherly mastermind,” gifted by God to establish a solid foundation for a house within which spiritual families can grow and flourish.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field,God’s building.¹⁰By the grace God has given me,I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (^NIV1 Corinthians 3:9-11)

4. The church can only grow when it is healthy in heart, thought and lifestyle, and the leadership of the five-fold ministry is primarily responsible for the creation of a healthy environment. When young believers are rightly nurtured, trained and equipped, the church is able to effectively reproduce and multiply.

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe– as the Lord has assigned to each his task.⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.⁷So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (^NIV1 Corinthians 3:5-7)

C. The five-fold ministry extends only as far as real familial bonds can extend. Authority must only function within the bounds of love. Those who try to enforce rules and discipline upon those they have no loving relationship with violate their authority.

I am not writing this to shame you,but to warn you, as my dear children.¹⁵Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ JesusI became your father through the gospel.¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. (^NIV1 Corinthians 4:14-16)

1. No healthy family organizes itself to become a global cartel, centrally organized in an endless pyramid. Families that are run like a business produce driven and effective children, but they are not mature and loving human beings. Likewise, when leaders become “globally minded,” they are often effective in impact but the quality of fruit in their disciples leaves something to be desired.[3]

For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, whichthe Lord gave for building you upand not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed…¹³But we will not boastbeyond limits, but will boast only with regard tothe area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.¹⁴For we are notoverextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. We were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.¹⁵We do not boastbeyond limit in the labors of others. (^ESV2 Corinthians 10:8-15)

2. The five-fold ministry must function in a loving relational network,defined by depth of relationship. Moreover, the five-fold ministry must function in mutual submission unto mutual edificationunder a common Head. The assumption of ultimate leadership of the Church by any one of the five-fold ministries is death to the healthy functioning of the Body.

There isone body and one Spirit– just as you werecalled to one hopewhen you were called–⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism;⁶one God and Father of all,who is over all and through all and in all.⁷But to each one of usgrace has been givenas Christ apportioned it…¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service,so that the body of Christ may be built up¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God andbecome mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (^NIVEphesians 4:4-13)

A. The most striking aspect of the New Testament church is its dramatic growth (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 8:12; 9:31-42; etc.). British missionary Roland Allen spoke of this as the “spontaneous expansion of the church.”[1] Because of the reality of the good news of the kingdom and resurrection, confirmed by the recent resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the speed with which the word of the Lord spread was staggering.[2]

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciplesmultiplied greatlyin Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (^ESVActs 6:7)

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,it multiplied. (^ESVActs 9:31)

The word of the Lord continuedto grow and to be multiplied. (^NASBActs 12:24)

This continued for two years, so thatall the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (^ESVActs 19:10)

B. The healthy reproduction of spiritual families in home-based fellowships was the primary mechanism by which this “spontaneous expansion” happened. However, this reproduction was limited and localized to the peoples and places where the seed of the word had been planted. To reach across cultural and geographic lines, God raised up and sent out “apostolic bands.”

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers…²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saulfor the work to which I have called them.”³So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (^NIVActs 13:1-3)

From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.²⁷On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them andhow he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.²⁸And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. (^NIVActs 14:26-28)

1. When these teams went out it isassumedthat they planted the same type of house churches that were exemplified in Jerusalem. There is no reason to believe that the churches in Acts 8-28 functioned any differently than those of Acts 1-7.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles werescattered throughout Judea and Samaria…³Saul began to destroy the church.Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.⁴Those who had been scatteredpreached the word wherever they went. (^NIVActs 8:1-4)

You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia…²⁰You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught youpublicly and from house to house. (^NIVActs 20:18-20)

Foryou, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews,¹⁵who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. (^NIV1 Thessalonians 2:14-15)

2.When the apostolic teams planted new churches, it was assumed that those churches would likewise mature and begin reproducing. In this way the reproduction of house churches locally could be seen as “growth by addition”, while the sending out of apostolic bands to establish house churches in new areas could be seen as “growth by multiplication.”[3] The spontaneous expansion of the church requires both.[4]

3. Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the multiplication of the church ought to be a natural function within the Body of Christ. As there was no specialized “evangelism program” within the early church for localized growth, so was there no specialized “missions program” for cross-cultural and cross-geographic work.[5]

Since the church was the mission, it did not send out special‘missionaries’as such: it literally sent out itself, in the form of multipliable units, embryonic units of two and three from the local church, which carried within themselves the vision and virus of church, ready to infect whatever they touched.[6]

C. Thus, the essential mechanism of the spontaneous multiplication of the church is “familial maturation.” Planting and raising new spiritual families is analogous to starting and raising human families. This can generally be seen in four phases:[7]

1. Infancy – Absolute Dependence

2. Childhood – Heavy Guidance

3. Adolescence – Intentional Empowerment

4. Adulthood – Mutual Cooperation

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, asinfants in Christ.²I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,³foryou are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? (^ESV1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

• Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.²Set your minds on things above,not on earthly things.³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.⁶Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (^NIVColossians 3:1-6)

For though by this timeyou ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again thebasic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,¹³for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, sincehe is a child.¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, for those who havetheir powers of discernment trainedby constant practice to distinguish good from evil.^6:1Therefore let us leavethe elementary doctrine of Christand go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,²and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.³And this we will do if God permits.⁴For it is impossible to restore again to repentancethose who have once been enlightened…(^ESVHebrews 5:12-6:3)

D. This maturation goal was reached by a simple model of discipleship. New believers were established in their faith in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, incorporated into the life of the community, and lovingly discipled in light of the age to come.

Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.¹⁹Therefore go andmake disciplesof all nations,baptizing themin the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,²⁰andteaching them to obey everything I have commandedyou. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (^NIVMatthew 28:18-20)

1. It is the growth of the Church in simple, loving obedience to Jesus under the power of the Holy Spirit—as summed up in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7; Lk. 6) and exemplified in the post-Pentecost Church (Acts 2:37-47)—that is the only formula for the consistent growth and multiplication.
[8]

a) Repent and believe (Acts 2:36-38; Mt. 5:3-10)

b) Be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 41; Mt. 28:18-20)

c) Celebrate communion, worship and pray (Acts 2:42, 46; Lk. 22:17-20)

d) Love God and others through service (Acts 2:45; Mt. 7:24-27; 22:37-40)

e) Pray, fast and give (Acts 2:42-44; Mt. 6:1-18)

f) Baptize and disciple others (Acts 2:47; Mt. 5:13-20; 28:18-20)

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”³⁸And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptizedevery one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you willreceive the gift of the Holy Spirit…“⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.⁴²And they devoted themselvesto the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…⁴⁴And all who believed were together and had all things in common.⁴⁵And they were selling their possessions and belongings anddistributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together andbreaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (^ESVActs 2:37-47)

2. Overly complex models of discipleship based on a convoluted gospel createpassive and confusedbelievers that eventually give up in their attempts to be an effective witness of Christ.

E. The maturation of new spiritual families happened in conjunction with the development of leadership, which was raised up in aparticipatory manner. The five-fold ministry personally invested in and raised up other leaders in the midst of ministry and church planting. Thus, new leaders were not separated from their communities and relationships for training as is common today.

Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,²²strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.²³Paul and Barnabasappointed elders for them in each churchand, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (^NIVActs 14:21-23)

To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.⁵The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished andappoint elders in every town, as I directed you.⁶An elder must be blameless…⁷Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless…(^NIVTitus 1:4-7)

1. In this “on-the-field training”, leadership was trained in context to personal mentoring in a way of life that modeled the righteousness of the coming age (cf. 1 Cor. 4:16; 1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:9; 2 Tim. 3:10; Heb. 6:12; 13:7; 1 Pe. 5:3).

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For Ibecame your fatherin Christ Jesus through the gospel.¹⁶I urge you, then,be imitators of me.¹⁷That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you ofmy ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. (^ESV1 Corinthians 4:15-17)

I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.^11:1Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.²Now I commend you because you remember me in everything andmaintain the traditionseven as I delivered them to you. (^ESV1 Corinthians 10:33-11:2)

2. Not only was leadership trained in a lifestyle, but it was also trained on-the-field in solid doctrine and teaching (cf. Acts 18:24-28; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:2; 3:14; Tit. 1:9).

I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.¹³Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.¹⁴By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. (^ESV2 Timothy 1:12-14)

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,²andwhat you have heard from mein the presence of many witnessesentrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (^ESV2 Timothy 2:1-2)

3. The extraction of leaders for specialized training is catastrophic to the health of the church. Likewise, the creation of a professionalized paid staff inherently stagnates a movement. A lay-based movement, though highly offensive to modern ecclesiastical structures on many levels, is the only effective means to the apostolic multiplication of the church.[9]

4. The use of tithes to support leaders within the church must be donelocallyandreasonably, in light of the ability of the church and the fear of the Day of the Lord. A local house church ought to easily be able to take care of the poor and needy in its midst, support a few elders, and consistently send out apostolic teams.

a) Poor and Needy

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had…³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, andit was distributed to anyone as he had need. (^NIVActs 4:32-35)

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews becausetheir widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.²So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in orderto wait on tables.” (^NIVActs 6:1-2)

Give proper recognitionto those widows who are really in need…⁹No widow may beput on the list of widowsunless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,¹⁰and is well known for her good deeds…¹⁶If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them,so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. (^NIV1 Timothy 5:3-16)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:to look after orphans and widows in their distressand to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^2:1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.²Suppose a mancomes into your meetingwearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in…(^NIVJames 1:27-2:1)

And now, brothers, we want you to know aboutthe grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.²Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up inrich generosity.³For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,⁴they urgently pleaded with us forthe privilege of sharing in this service to the saints…¹³Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, butthat there might be equality.¹⁴At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,¹⁵as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” (^NIV2 Corinthians 8:1-15)

b) Leaders/Elders

Let the elders who rule wellbe considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.¹⁸For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (^NIV1 Timothy 5:17-18)

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:²Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;not greedy for money, but eager to serve;³not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (^NIV1 Peter 5:1-3)

• But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will befalse teachersamong you…³In their greedthese teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. (^NIV2 Peter 2:1-3)
• For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent orgreedy for gain…¹⁰For there are many who are insubordinate…¹¹They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole familiesby teaching for shameful gainwhat they ought not to teach. (^ESVTitus 1:7-11)
• On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to beentrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.⁵You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a maskto cover up greed– God is our witness. (^NIV1 Thessalonians 2:4-9)

c) Apostolic Teams

For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an oxwhile it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?¹⁰Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope ofsharing in the harvest.¹¹If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if wereap a material harvestfrom you?…¹³Don’t you know that those who work in the templeget their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?¹⁴In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospelshould receive their living from the gospel.¹⁵But I have not used any of these rights. (^NIV1 Corinthians 9:9-14)

Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?⁸I robbed other churchesby receiving support from themso as to serve you.⁹And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedoniasupplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. (^NIV2 Corinthians 11:7-9)

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.¹⁵Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with mein the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;¹⁶for even when I was in Thessalonica,you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.¹⁷Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.¹⁸I have received full payment and even more;I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. (^NIVPhilippians 4:14-18)

F. The primary failure of the missions movement historically has been its simple lack of ability to let go of control of indigenous churches and leaders. Foreign missionaries becomeperpetually paternalistic, refusing to allow indigenous leadership to function in their God given abilities.[10]

1. This refusal to father new churches is generally the result of: 1) lack of faith in the real leadership of the Holy Spirit, and/or 2) pride, greed and selfish ambition, which result in various forms of domination and paternalism.

2. For the church to grow by addition and multiplication, the five-fold ministry must walk in faith, trusting the Holy Spirit, and it mustrelease controlof the ministry to new believers. As parents must “let go” of their children, so must missionaries let go of their churches, trusting that God will guide and lead them.

3. As the health of children is largely dependent upon the provision of a “learning environment,” so also are new churches. If new leaders do not feel that they are able to make mistakes, it shuts down their faith and ability to take risks under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Children must be encouraged to learn from their mistakes.