|
The Issue: |
The New Testament
Church: |
The Church of Today: |
|
Location |
Moved from house to house. |
Meets in church buildings. |
|
Size
of groups |
Small, intimate groups. |
Large impersonal groups. |
|
Activities |
Daily fellowship with one another. |
Weekly worship services. |
|
Support systems |
Building up one another. |
Got
a problem? See the pastor. |
|
Relationships |
Intimate; helping one another. |
Remote, little transparency. |
|
Discipling |
"Mouth to ear" modeling, personal values shaped. |
Classes, notebooks, little modeling, values not shaped. |
|
Primary task of
leaders |
Every believer equipped to do the work of the ministry. |
Directing the "Program base design." |
|
Prayer life |
Hours daily, heavy emphasis. |
Individual choice; limited. |
|
Pastor's duty |
Model the life of a believer. |
Preach good sermons. |
|
Expectations of members |
Ministering to others; total servanthood and
stewardship. |
Attendance, tithing, work in the programs. |
|
Perspective |
Cell
groups the focal point. |
Congregation the focal point. |
|
Key
words |
Go
and make disciples. |
Come
grow with us. |
|
Teachings |
Apply the
scriptures to needs and relationships. |
Subscribe
to the distinctive beliefs of this church. |
|
Spiritual gifts |
Regularly
exercised by all believers to build up others in the cell
group. |
Either
downplayed or often used at meetings as a "Crowd pleaser." |
|
Commitment |
To
increase the Kingdom of God, unity, and body life. |
To enlarge
the institution, uniformity. |
|
Evaluation test |
How you
serve. |
What you
know. |
|
Source for securing staff personnel |
Servant
workers developed from within the ranks, tested before they
are set apart for ministry. |
Trained,
professional, clergy hired to do a job. |
