E-mail Questions Answered by Ken Smith:
1/26/07 Denominations:
Email from EDWIN to Ken..,
DEAR DR. SMITH,
I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO COME ACROSS THREE CHARISMATIC CHURCHES AND TWO ANGLICAN CHURCHES THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE TO WORK WITH ME.THAT IS SUPPORT MY MINISTRY AND HAVE ME CHANGE OUR NAME TO THEIRS, BUT I HAVE PRAYED AND CANNOT HEAR GOD TELLING ME ANY THING ABOUT THEIR PROPOSALS.
MAY I PLEASE ASK, COULD YOU PLEASE FIND A GROUP THAT IS MISSIONAL AND WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US. DADDY,WE ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT MISSIONS A WHOLE LOT.
LET ME SAY THANKS TO YOU,FOR THE PIECES OF ADVISE THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ON DISCIPLING IT IS REALLY WORKING.IT IS LEADING US TO WIN SOULS AND DISCIPLE THEM.THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WISH TO HEAR FROM YOU REAL SOON. PLEASE GREET MOM SUE.
YOUR SON,
Answer from Ken...,
Aloha Pastor Edwin,
There has always been the "Ivory Tower", "Wall Building" bunch that divides the "Body of Christ" on some kind of special understanding of Holy Scripture. Here the Anglican Church leans into being the authority of Apostle Peter and the Charismatic Church leans into the emotions of the Power of God. Both have a great deal to offer but can also fence you off from some of the other truths of the Gospel of the Kingdom and of Salvation. So take a moment and go to www.Trinity-Aloha.org and then to "Keys To The Kingdom" and read the first chapter or so. If I were there I would be working on both "denominations" to have them really digest John 17 and come into the unity of one mind and one spirit and make one unified fellowship for your area or mission.
Hudson Taylor did a wonderful apostolic work in China but then came the denominations and confused the Chinese Christians. Communism was able to fill the void in China for 50 years and China is still trying to get free of secular humanism and situational ethics. The Sacramental folks can be very sanctimonious and the Charismatic folks can easily become a carnival. The balance of Love, Holiness and Power is necessary to present our Lord Jesus Christ. The Sacramental folks focus mostly on a form of Holiness and the Charismatics tend to focus on power. Sometimes both or either can be short on Love (1 Cor. 13). Also consider the chapter on God and Authority on my web site.
As to missions the most effective approach is to train 12 disciples who are able to in turn train 12 disciples and so on. If this was done as per our Lord's example then there would be 8 1/2 Billions souls won to the Kingdom of our Lord in just 34 years with taking 1 whole year for individual mentoring. This is called Exponential Evangelism. Our Lord left His Church with 120 trained disciples after His short ministry of 3 1/2 years. But these disciples were full of Love, Holiness and Power and walking in unity. In that powerful, loving, holiness the Holy Spirit was free to do mighty signs and wonders and the Church of Jesus Christ grew very fast. But that foundation is essential for a healthy fellowship. On my web site click onto "History" and go down till you find the slide on "beans" for a visual of Exponential Evangelism.
If you can find 12 young men that are single and holding a job and want to have what you have then you can agree to train them if they will provide you with a tithe of their income. This is Biblically sound. I am leaning into 1 Cor. 7 where Paul speaks of single men being free and better able to focus on the Gospel. If and when they go out on a mission they should go 2 by 2 and never alone.
So my concern is that you follow the New Testament and especially the Book of Acts to gather around you a New Testament Church in the Holy Spirit and not a denominational church. There is much in today's denominational church that is tradition and not Biblically sound. You will need to take the time to filter out this junk or you will become bound by it. Where in the New Testament do you find the Church of Jesus Christ collecting funds for or the building a building? Where in the New Testament do you find "Denominations?" 1 Cor.1:12. Where do you find tithing as a requirement in the New Testament? The amount of giving was left to the heart, 2 Cor.9:7.
So personally, I don't feel that there can be any better connection than simple being brothers walking together as blood washed son's of the Living God. As to denominations if you take their name and money you will have to work out of their box. Will their box be big enough for the vision that God has given you? I have belonged at one time to both groups and have an ordination as a Priest in the Anglican Church and as a Pastor in the other. The collar was too tight in one and the robes too heavy in the other. But as far as I am concerned, it would not change a thing with me and you if you joined one as you would eventually outgrow a denominational membership anyway. But Christian Denominations will surely confuse your people in Liberia. All Denominations preach unity and say join us we have special Truth. And then proceed to tell young Christians why the other denominations are wrong. It is no wonder that the so called church is stuck in the mud that they keep throwing at each other.
Every Christian is my brother, I can go to any gathering that lifts up the
name of Jesus. I have the freedom to go to any church building and find good and
fellowship with the saints of our Holy Father. But I am simply a member of the
Church of the First Born of Christ Jesus as Lord. I just filter out the
denominations and the divisions made by man and for the glory of man.
Hope that this helps your understanding of denominationalism. Yours,
in His great love and mercy, your brother Ken <><
Back.