Six months ago, I was invited to work with a group of believers in Pontypridd who have been going through some dramatic changes over the past couple of years. Until two years ago, this Baptist congregation functioned with a traditional senior pastor who shouldered the typical ministry burden of a solo pastor in Wales: i.e., he carried a lot on his plate! Such roles often bring disastrous consequences to those living under the pressures of unrealistic expectations; and some even go down in flames. The Pontypridd congregation decided to ordain a plurality of three elders from within their own membership. It had also been determined to decentralize the "pastoral care" by delegating this ministry to the congregation's small group leaders; and the elders began to envision these small groups becoming fully-functioning house churches at some point in the future. While you might think such a church would really be struggling, it has actually begun to come alive as various members of the body press their unique gifts and calling into service for the glory of God. There are now seven or eight men who share in the teaching responsibilities from week to week, but none of them wear the title of "pastor" of the church. You could attend their weekly worship celebrations for weeks, perhaps months, and not be able to discern which three men are the ordained elders. They work quietly behind the scenes as servant leaders seeking to create an environment where God's people can become rooted in the Word, blossom into fruitful Christians, and make a powerful impact in their own cultural context. Three of the eight men on the teaching team have earned PhD's, but it would be impossible to tell who they are, because they prefer to be known by their first names and only one of them serves as an elder.
On an average Sunday morning, there are approximately 150 people who gather together as the body of Christ known as Temple Baptist Church: a small congregation in some contexts but considered quite large here in Wales. The amazing thing is that 40 different ministries have either been established by members of Temple or supported in various ways by the people within the church family.
One particular ministry known as "PONT" was recently chosen by the Welsh Assembly government to serve as a pilot or model for a United Nations project that deals with how community groups (a local church, in our particular case) can partner with non-governmental organizations in developing nations to bring about positive changes—economic, social, spiritual, political, educational, and technological— to an entire region in Uganda.
I am working alongside Temple's new eldership as a "church development worker" with a wide range of "aspirational" objectives—each one aimed at improving the overall health of the congregation—but with particular emphasis on equipping and empowering others to serve.
Since January 2007, we have rejoiced to see God's activity in raising up six new house groups who are meeting every week for worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. Each one has the amazing potential of multiplication, as God causes it to grow, complete with new shepherds to serve and train others for the work of ministry. This is the primary reason I have been thinking through issues surrounding the form and function of the local church.
If you are a pastor, let me ask you a couple of questions. What would you do differently if you could start over with a blank slate? If your number one objective could be making disciples—assume you have just inherited a fortune and no longer need your current salary/benefits for support—how would you go about communicating the Gospel to lost people and equipping other believers for the work of ministry? How would you correct the imbalance of the exercise of spiritual gifts within the body of Christ if you were no longer expected to be the "super hired holy man" who leads from the front every time the congregation gathers? If you looked to the Bible alone as the blueprint for the ekklesia—not the traditions of men, even though well-intentioned and sincere—what would have to change? If Jesus was truly the head of the body, rather than a church council or deacon board or eldership or Roberts' Rules of Order, what difference would it make?
Great questions Bill! I think we’d have to admit that we are a bit more dependant on our “professional position” as “Senior or Associate Pastor” than we’d like to admit. You make me think. Thanks.
Dear Brother Bill,
I read with genuine interest what is happening in your life, and with the folk in Wales. So, if it helps, here are some things I have learned:
The Church never went to church.
God made an organism, not an organisation.
God dwells in the organism, not the organisation.
If I denominate money, I divide it.
Equally, denominations divide Christians.
If a body is divided by a tourniquet, the death of a member follows. If the Body of Christ is divided…
To ‘nominate’ is to name. A denomination is a named group.
According to Revelation (KJV) some ‘live a name’ yet are dead.
The laity is conquered by a false priesthood, and we love to have it so.
Paul says I am carnal if I say I am of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas… or perhaps William Booth, Aimee Semple McPherson, Ellen G White, Herbert W Armstrong, John Knox, J&C Wesley…
Pastors are mentioned in scripture a number of times, but as a warning. How many times with praise?
We appoint unto ourselves captains to take us back into Egypt. So if we have any captain but Christ, we already know where he will take us.
In a brief summary of Babylon, (according to Revelation) Gold is the top, and slaves are at the bottom. And something worth even less than slaves… the souls of men. So when we focus on Gold, what just hit the bottom?
Christians agree that when two or more are gathered we have the church. But then refuse to live that way even though the Apostles never put one brick on top of another.
God is outside of the Laodicean church.
The Biblical pattern is to meet in homes. How is it that we would rather follow the Roman system?
If Paul wrote a letter to my home town, to whom would the postman deliver it? Paul only ever wrote to one church in one city.
If we send for the elders over our city, who would come?
Clearly we have allowed ourselves to be conquered and divided.
Yet for all this we need not live in Laodicea. Let us move to Smyrna or Philadelphia
Yours in Christ Jesus.
H.K.Pywell