This set of notes
has been scanned and OCR'd from a series of articles originally published in
The Sword & Trowel Nos 1 to 4, 1997. Back issues may still be available
from www.metropolitantabernacle.org .The author is Dr
Peter Masters of the
Article 1 Pg 1
Sword & Trowel 1997 No 1
Are
God's Pioneers Hearing the Call?
In a number of towns and cities believers are striving
to plant new churches of a 'traditional' evangelical, reformed and non‑charismatic
character. The Lord has stirred the hearts of people here and there to fight back
against the appalling spiritual darkness which has enveloped the land.
Concerned men and women
have taken up the work of pioneering, fully aware of the immense personal
sacrifice demanded. It is the Lord's doing, and they will surely be sustained
and blessed.
The tragic side of the
pioneering scene is the fact that in every place where people are struggling to
establish a new cause, a strong witness once flourished. Even up to the 1950s,
at least one Gospel preaching church, often very large, flourished in virtually
every town. But the scene is quite different now because the Lord's people
threw away their witness.
These paragraphs on
pioneering must begin with a brief negative appeal, for no one wants to spend
years of their life building up a witness that will collapse as previous
fellowships have done. Why repeat catastrophe? Why replicate past mistakes?
Churches that
disappeared (or were lost to liberalism) did so for a number of reasons.
Sometimes they engaged pastors of unsound views, or who lacked godly dynamic in
the Lord's service. At other times the people were not watchful, and allowed in
'worldly Christianity' and other decadent trends. Many churches made the
mistake of admitting new members too lightly. Eventually people of doubtful
spiritual status began to reshape the character of the church. In many cases
churches accepted members by transfer from other churches of the same
denomination, not caring that these may riot have been evangelical at all.
Countless churches lost
their passion for souls and readiness to work, so that they simply ran down.
Often this began with the closure of
evangelistic Sunday School outreach.
Pioneers must begin with
a profound view of what they want to
avoid. They must have some inkling of the deficiencies which led to the
desperate situation they now find themselves struggling to change.
They must also have a
clear awareness of the rigours that lie ahead for them. They must firmly
believe that the Lord uses instruments, and be ready to undertake long and
patient labour.
Pioneering often feels
like moving a mountain of shale. 'There are long periods without apparent
fruit. Furthermore, the leaders must be jacks-of-all-trades'. There is little
scope for self‑aggrandisement.) Persistence will be the rule of life for
years to come.
The question is often
asked ‑ 'I am attracted to the work of setting up a new witness. How do I
know if the Lord is calling me? Is it right for me to lead such a venture?'
QUALIFICATIONS
OF LEADERS
Among several aspects of
guidance, personal fittedness must be considered. Here is a number of
'qualifications' needed for this work, and we recommend that would‑be
pioneers ask themselves if they fulfil these requirements, at least in some
measure.
We do not want this
formidable list to clash the hopes of sincere people, but if we fall well short
in these ideals we should think again about taking the initiative in the
planting of a new witness. Perhaps we should stay longer in our present church
to be further prepared by the Lord. Or perhaps we should be willing to regard
ourselves as helpers of pioneer leaders.
1. Do you really love
souls, and thirst for conversions? (Some people are only interested in holding
some form of teaching office, which is not the same.)
2. Have you been well
proved in your existing -or in a previous - church, perhaps as an office‑bearer,
or through some other form of Christian service? Have you been a Sunday School
leader, or a successful teacher, or a youth class leader? Have you learned
'stickability' through such service?
3. Can you honestly say
that you are not on the run from some disappointment in your present situation,
such as not being accorded the recognition and leadership role that you think
you should have?
4. Do husband and wife
stand together in this objective, and do both possess the spiritual and nervous
strength to be steadfast in all the trials and tribulations of pioneers?
5. Are you spiritually
minded, loving the things of God more than all that is in the world and depending
on Him in regular prayer?
6. Are you able to
teach, and do others think so?
7. Do you have the
readiness, self-discipline and energy to study in your spare time? (because if
not, you cannot succeed in long-term adult ministry).
8. Are you balanced in
your response to troubles? Do you, for example, react sensibly to the
misbehaviour of others, or are you over‑sensitive, impatient and harsh?
9. Are you courteous,
and do you have respect for other people?
10. Are you patient?
11. And yet can you at the same time be firm, holding out
for what is scriptural and right, in the proper spirit?
(Article 1 Page 2)
12. Are you honest with
yourself; conscientious in all duties and in self-evaluation?
13. Can you subdue self‑interest,
self‑projection and self-glory in all its ugly forms?
14. Do you have an even,
consistent bearing, zealous, but also safe and steady rather than mercurial?
15. Do you possess the
application and energy of a hard worker, or do you expect things to happen by
themselves?
16. Are you loyal? Can
you be loyal, perhaps for years, to an emerging witness, no matter what
happens? (Your loyalty will be evident from your faithfulness in previous
Christian service activities.)
17. Can you organise?
18. Can you inspire,
encourage and comfort other people?
19. Are you willing to
support yourself into the distant future, without complaint, by secular work?
20. And lastly, when a congregation of believers is
finally established, would you be willing for someone else to be called as
pastor? Would you be glad to have been a pioneer‑founder to the glory of
God, and then to support another as pastor, if God so directs?
(It
goes without saying that the requirements of 1 Timothy 3 apply to would‑be
pioneers.)
A
pioneer will be called of God first by a strong inner desire to carry out this
task, and to be wholly spent in it. This inner desire will be accompanied by an
outer call, as the Lord moves the church, particularly through its officers, to
recognise that he is equipped and suitable for this form of service.
The
call will be further confirmed as circumstances clearly point to the place, and
facilitate the beginning of a work. Guiding indications will include the
availability of helpers.
How
many people we needed to attempt a beginning? We should pray for two to three
couples at least. The apostles generally worked with companions.)
WHICH COMMUNITY?
What
size of community should be chosen? In answering, we dare not discourage those
who labour in villages and isolated estates. Many have been called and blessed,
pioneering in remote or small communities.
Nevertheless,
pioneers should first consider whether a town has an effective testimony; and
perhaps the more densely populated part of the town. This should normally be
given first consideration because it was the policy of Paul. He began with the
cities and particularly with the large regional centres. Once churches grew in
these places they reached out into the surrounding countryside. At a time when
Gospel witness is so rare, we ought to first view the more populous districts.
In the end, however, we recognise that pioneers may be called to serve their
immediate group of villages, and we respect this.
WHERE SHOULD WE MEET?
This
is of special importance, as evangelism and Christian teaching is inevitably a
meeting based ministry. The work will probably begin in a home, but when a.
more public venue is sought (as it certainly will be for the Sunday School at
least), it must be reachable, known, decent, and near to parking space.
The method of starting will be dealt with in a
later article, but the following practical matters may be of help to pioneering
Christians.
Halls or classrooms should never be far too big
for the number of people. Secondary schools, if available, make better meeting
places than primary schools. The former are more suitable for Adult meetings,
and as far as children we concerned, primary children willingly go to secondary
schools, whereas secondary children are reluctant to go to primary schools.
Grubby, dilapidated halls should be avoided
like the plague. They surely discredit the testimony. Far better to use a home.
(Years ago this would have been a serious disadvantage, but pioneers today do
not usually encounter much prejudice by virtue of meeting in a home.)
Modern community halls are more numerous today than in the past and are
often well appointed.
Page
3
ADVICE
FOR HOME MEETINGS
A pioneer family buying and setting up a home suitable
for meetings should bear in mind a number of ideal requirements. Many of the
recommendations offered here will seem rather mundane and petty, but they may
help workers to avoid pitfalls.
A home which transmits too much interference to
neighbours is clearly not the ideal place.
Cumbersome furniture should be avoided. Huge armchairs
and settees leave no room for formal seating. Minimal family furniture is a
great help. Folding chairs are not expensive, and it is desirable to have a
full set of matching chairs that will fold away for storage.
Adults should not be seated on benches and cushions
without back support. In the acquisition of chairs etc, as much simplicity as
possible is best. Worship will be offered in the lounge or living‑room,
and we should avoid the casual atmosphere of a youth squash. In any meeting
larger than eight to ten people, it is valuable to have the chairs set in rows
so that all face the speaker. Nowadays we are urged to adopt an informal style
of room arrangement and service format, but this is a great mistake for pioneers.
In the Old Testament the Lord secured the reverence, seriousness and respect of
the people by the awesome means of the
Good lighting is obviously important, and there should
be enough hymnbooks to avoid sharing.
Heating is not usually a problem in room meetings, but
cooling certainly is during summer heat. They say that every person generates
60‑80 watts of heat, and a small room can become insufferable. It is
advisable to provide one or two fans.
Room meetings often suffer from family interruptions.
Pioneers must be able to train their children to honour and respect services,
and not to disrupt them with noise or childish antics.
Cooking smells are an objectionable feature of some
room meetings. Doors to kitchens should be kept dosed before and during
meetings, and 'noxious' dishes avoided on meeting days.
Pioneers will need to organise a room or place for
coats, and to keep clutter and bicycles out of the hall. Obviously the place
must be clean and tidy.
The meeting room will need a compact lectern of some
kind. Pioneer preachers can feel acutely out of place giving forth in a lounge,
especially if there is nowhere to place a Bible or notes. A lectern also helps
people to respect that a service is in progress. In the absence of a lectern a
heavy type of music stand may serve. (Bare tables never help the preacher, and
may train them to be constantly looking down.)
Hosts of home meetings should avoid expensive, luxury
possessions, and also excessive talking about domestic matters. They should
politely deflect conversation away from flattery of their children, their
garden, and similar matters. 'How are you?' is the stock land sincere) rejoinder
of the wise host.
Before every service there should be a quiet period,
and chairs should be arranged so that people face away from any interesting
view.
A sense of occasion, as we have noted, is of great
importance, and this is helped by having a 'steward' for the meeting.
Refreshments should be limited and simple, and it is a good idea to turn off
the house doorbell, so that latecomers knock rather than ring.
HOW TO BEGIN
Future articles will survey ways of getting started,
together with the operation of a successful children's outreach, development
and growth strategies, the ideal 'programme' for pioneer church life, fatal
mistakes end distractions, how to write a constitution, rules for membership,
and other significant issues.
Article
2 Sword & Trowel1997 No 2
THE PIONEER'S EARLY DAYS
In the last Sword & Trowel, this series began with
treatment of the qualifications of would‑be pioneers, essential basic
attitudes, the 'choice' of a community and arrangements for home meetings.
This article turns
to ways of starting, methods of outreach, mistakes and distractions. (The next
issue will look at a constitution, name and membership policy, and coping with
troubles encountered from within.)
The previous
article emphasised that a church‑pioneering venture is of necessity a
meeting‑based work. Whether meetings we held initially in a home or in a
hired hall, a suitable place must be determined, and most evangelistic
activities will be formulated wound that place.
Hired halls
should be well‑situated, preferably not in the industrial part of a town,
nor downtown if few people actually live there. There are many exceptions to
this, but often in smaller towns the high street is the most desolate and forlorn
place in the area. Certainly, young people may roam during the evenings, but
for fairly obvious reasons that is not usually the best time and place to reach
them successfully.
It is best, if
possible, to locate a more densely populated area easily reached by the rest of
the town. As young people's work will be a major aspect of the work, it is
important to be in a spot where a good nucleus of children and teenagers may
readily be gathered.
With
hired halls, special attention must be given to making them a worthy venue. The
writer well remembers having to pick his way round rolls of carpet and vinyl,
not to mention dustbins, when visiting a pioneer cause years ago. The
fellowship met in an upstairs room over a carpet shop. The poor access led to a
dirty, dingy staircase which in turn led to a badly fitted‑out room.
Great improvements would not have involved much effort. At least two of the
pioneer families were fairly wealthy, possessing substantial homes, and
businesses.
Are we careful to remember God's honour and glory and
to project the best image possible so as not to cause the lost to stumble?
On more than one occasion I have been unable to find a meeting‑place
without a long search, because no conspicuous sign had been positioned. If we
pioneer, we must have an eye for such things, and arrange to have the best
affordable quality in style and size. It is not a bad rule with hired halls to
be always looking for something better. Many good community halls have been
built by local authorities in the last 20 yews. These frequently make excellent
meeting places.
Every meeting needs a reception steward and, ideally, a seating steward.
A measure of formal, friendly seating supervision achieves a well-arranged
hall, avoiding the pathetic situation of a back‑row congregation, or a U‑shaped
assembly. A very small group should space the chairs a little generously,
putting the back row into position only when needed.
The modern abandonment of stewarding leads to bad congregation
configurations, giving a poor impression to the visitor. And to existing
churches we say ‑ the longer you leave the restoration of stewarding, the
less the congregation will appreciate and co‑operate with it.
Another key point for pioneer groups is to encourage silence for a
period of time before the beginning of
Art2
Pg2
a service. New causes, because they are exceptionally close‑knit,
are vulnerable to an unintended loss of reverence, with conversation continuing
right up to the opening sentence of worship.
Hymn accompaniment is almost always difficult for
pioneers. Sometimes the piano in the hired hall is appalling. (The writer was
involved 35 years ago in a pioneer work meeting in a community hall. Before the
service someone would have to remove drawing pins from the piano hammers, the
'honky tonk' sound being wanted by the users on the previous Saturday evening.)
If no competent pianist is available there is now
first‑rate equipment to play hymn tunes automatically on a standard
electronic synthesizer. These can be obtained with fine church
organ sound or piano option, and the automatic playing
device can be adjusted for speed and pitch. (See the note on 'Electronic
Automatic Organist' on the next page.)
MISTAKES
Pioneers
sometimes tumble into unproductive digressions and distractions which consume
much time and effort, and exhaust everyone. The motive is no doubt good, but
the schemes will injure, if not completely prevent, any progress. Here are some
of the likely problems.
The young
people's work is operated much too elaborately. Games, handicrafts, outings and
food‑based events are of such a high standard that this department
demands all the strength of the workers. If an end‑of‑term or
Christmas tea is provided, the food and embellishments are too involved, not to
mention costly.
Special trips or sports activities recur on the
calendar. Outings visit not one but several places and end once again with
virtual feasting. All this is unnecessary. Always it is well intended, but
inappropriate. We honour those who are determined to rise higher than curling
fish‑paste sandwiches, but overkill may stunt the entire work.
To spend early time on an elaborate
constitution may also interfere with progress. We have seen pioneer causes lose
many mouths re‑inventing the wheel in the forming of a constitution.
(General advice on this topic will be included in the next issue of Sword & Trowel.)
A sure way of wrecking a fledgling church is
for the leaders to try to
Art2
Pg 3
produce a neighbourhood magazine. Regular publications
are monsters. Equally they are despotic slave drivers. It may be that the idea
is to reach the community. It is certainly the most exhausting way of doing it.
Leave well alone anything which imposes deadlines at regular intervals, and
involves such work. A prayer letter, however, would clearly be an exception.
Another diversion from the spiritual work may be the
premature opening of a branch work. This invariably means that neither location
makes progress, while great strain is placed on leaders. Concentrate on
applying all resources on one, main outreach. A pioneer venture is hardly ever
strong enough to diversify early.
These days, a young church is sometimes advised to put
fellowship first, organising monthly rambles and many similar activities for
members and young people. Fellowship events
are certainly pleasant and profitable, but we believe
monthly arrangements are bound to steal, and considerably, from the work.
The very best aim is to
have fellowship in and through service for the Lord. Our first aim, surely, is
to seek the growth of the cause, and to raise a new generation of believers who
will put Christ's service first. A self‑indulgent fellowship cannot grow,
and if it does, it will be a company of people who value companionship more
than soul winning.
A final hint about
distracting activities concerns having too many 'supplementary' meetings. We
have heard about weekly elders' meetings in a pioneer church of less than
twenty people. These dear friends did not realise how costly this was to them.
We have heard of church
meetings held at monthly intervals. One can only speculate how the agenda was
ever filled, with matters of an inappropriate or trivial nature being trawled
through the meeting.
We have heard of additional prayer meetings, so that those who gathered
for a prayer meeting on a weekday (separate from the Bible Study) were back
again at 7.00am on Saturday to spend two further hours in petition. We dare not
criticise a desire for prayer, but sometimes church planters create a timetable
of commitments that would exhaust untaxed people, let alone committed members
of a pioneering fellowship. Such friends often shoulder a number of tasks,
including Sunday School teaching, visiting, weeknight children's meetings,
transport of equipment to hired halls, and many other responsibilities besides.
Much care is therefore necessary in the 'rationing' of church activities.
Next issue will include
advice on a church constitution, membership matters, and troubles encountered
in a new fellowship.
WAYS
OF BEGINNING
The following
eight‑point list notes the main outreach methods generally usable by
pioneers, depending on the number of workers available. (A rather fuller
treatment of this basic list was included in the Sword & Trowel issue of 1993 No. 3.)
Gospel preaching is foundational to everything else.
1 Pioneers must be convinced about the necessity of a persuasive,
pleading presentation of the Gospel. They must believe in the need for distinctive evangelistic services, by
contrast with the teaching ministry. Preferably such a service needs to
progress to being on a weekly basis.
2 Personal witness
is always fruitful, bringing early encouragement to pioneers. If they work mid
bring up their families in the area, opportunities will be many. New members of
the group must, of course, be encouraged to witness.
3 Sunday School is vital as soon as sufficient people
are available to help. Large Sunday Schools may stiff be built up today. Child
evangelism is required in the Bible,* and is today virtually the only source of
moral mid saving instruction for the young. Sunday School mid youth meetings
may also prove to be the springboard for acceptance in a community, mid even
the key to acquisition of permanent premises. It is still best, if possible, to
hold Sunday School at an entirely different time from an adult service, so that
all helpers are free to help, especially in transportation.*
4 Community visiting is another biblical ministry
which often yields early encouragement, because it discovers lapsed believers,
mid others having some former connection with a Bible‑believing church.
Included in community visiting is 'contact work' in which people are approached
in parks or similar places by witnessing couples armed with suitable literature
and service invitations.
Also included is the targeted visitation of student/nurses hostels.
Small churches have sometimes filled a couple of pews from such work.
5 Transportation, mentioned above, is essential these days for the gathering of children, mid also for
many adults. Pioneers should consider the acquisition of mini‑buses as
their private cars. The rule, whether we favour it or not, is: no transport ‑no
people.
6
Literature is always important,
for handing out on Visitation, for putting through letter‑boxes, mid for
giving to visitors and contacts.
7 Advertisements cart sometimes be inexpensively
inserted in local newspapers. mid also sited on railway stations and in buses.
In larger conurbations the cost is prohibitive, but it is worth exploring in
quieter towns. Occasionally, a smaller local newspaper will include a half‑column
article from a regular church advertiser.
8
Special meetings are frequently
used to attract visitors. These may be a series of coffee‑mornings for
shoppers if there is a suitable venue where people can be introduced to the
work of the church and to the Gospel.
It may equally be possible to attract people to a special topic meeting ‑
such as an anti‑evolution film event for younger people
As time goes on the number of youngsters grows who once came to Sunday School or teenage Bible Class. It is surprising
how many will come, after a few years, to a reunion event.
*[For suggestions about how to begin
a Sunday School we refer readers to The Necessity of Sunday Schools, Peter
Masters and Malcolm Watts, Wakeman]
Article
3 Sword & Trowel 1997 No 3
A PIONEER'S
CONSTITUTION MUST LAST
Pioneers constantly seek help about the composition of
a church constitution. The natural tendency is for this to be rather long and
extremely legal in phrasing. This is a pity because *it results in a document
which is seldom used, and has no ongoing ministry to the members hers.
Certainly a new work needs basic articles of
association, without which a charity registration cannot be made, nor (usually)
a bank account opened.
Because the need is urgent, it may be thought better
to establish simple rules of association with a statement of doctrine, to be
followed by a further statement of constitution after longer thought.
Ideally, a church
needs three basic elements in its constitution: the definite rules of the
church, a binding statement of faith and a church covenant, or something
similar. All should be framed to enlighten prospective members. This can easily
be accomplished.
Most independent
and baptistic churches of the past never had constitutions, because their
constitutional rules were incorporated in the conveyance at the time of land or
building purchase. It is this trust‑deed that one consults to discover
the church rules.
Before moving to
examples of sections of a constitution, we offer some general advice.
An ideal constitution should minimally include
the following provisions.
(i) A definition of the church.
(ii) A dear but brief statement of doctrine. (A
longer statement, such as; the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, may be
referred to by name only, mentioning only the chapters, if any, not taken as
binding by the church.)
(iii) Applications for membership, and
procedures for the receiving and exclusion of members.
(iv) Rules of government and qualifications for
pastors and other office bearers, including procedures for their election mid
removal.
(v) Rules
for the resolution of disputes between church and office bearers.
(vi) A church or family covenant. An advantage of living toward the end
of history is that our newest constitutions may include specific exclusions of
modern predators on Truth. New churches have the opportunity to repudiate
ecumenism, charismaticism (through a cessationist clause), mystical errors,
worldly Christianity and new‑evangelical denials of the full authority
and infallibility of the Word of God.
The following points should be carefully considered
for specific mention in the light of problems which many pastors and churches
have reported over recent years:
(a) The goals and duties of membership should be
emphasised (usually in the church covenant).
(b) There should be no commitment to an unreasonable
frequency of church meetings and officers' meetings. (For most churches today,
three to four church meetings a year ‑ including the AGM ‑should be
ample.) Too many meetings deprives the officers of their scriptural role, so
that all matters are resolved at the church meeting. A proper distribution of
responsibilities should ideally be stated in the constitution. Generally
speaking, the scriptural tasks of the gathered church are
(i) the accepting and exclusion of members
(ii) the election of all office bearers including
missionaries mid other 'spiritual' employees (though not necessarily their
nomination)
(iii) the approving of annual accounts and budget
(iv) the approving of all unusually substantial
expenses other than those which may be described as routine. It should be
possible to anticipate most of the unusual expenses in the proposed budget
presented at the church AGM. If approved in essence, the
Article 3 Pg 2
precise details may be effected by the officers.)
(v) the consideration of all innovations in the
ministry of the church.
To the officers fall all other responsibilities
including the 'day‑to‑day' responsibility for the work, the
initiation of endeavours, the nomination of members and officers, the
employment of non pastoral staff, the process of church discipline (except that
a disciplinary resolution must finally be approved by the whole church), the
oversight, with the pastor, of the flock, and of all church departments
(including the appointment mid retirement of those who labour in them such as
Sunday School leaders and teachers) and, preferably, the fixing of the
minister's stipend, which should be confidential. Obviously, officers must be
careful to proceed with no new or significant undertaking with out it having
been fully shared with the church through the church meeting, and having
received wholehearted identification.
(The distribution of responsibilities between church
and officers is treated at length in the LRBS course of lectures at the
Metropolitan Tabernacle.)
To elaborate further on the church meeting, the
horrors of Roberts' Rules (of
Parliamentary Procedure) should on no account be incorporated into the
constitution. All business in church meetings should emanate from the officers'
court through the chairman, and there should be no any‑other‑business',
for this overthrows the entire concept of ordered biblical government.
Church
meetings we intended to be acts of worship and altogether beautiful and holy in
God's sight. A clause in the constitution abominating clamour and unseemly
behaviour as an offence would be a gain. Some reformed churches have
unwittingly embraced the 'super‑democratic' notion of the church meeting
made popular among Arminians from the 1850s.
The
invariable result of this is disorder and unpleasantness, sometimes even
tumult, and pioneers should be sensitive to the need to teach and define the
purposes of the church meeting from the beginning. Times without number small
fellowships have been ripped apart and the work stultified due to the
ascendancy of opinionated democracy over godly application of the order and
proper recognition of the roles of officers and church members.
Another important
matter for the constitution is the issue of majorities. Should it be a two-thirds
or three-quarters majorityrequired for
the appointment of an officer or a pastor?
Tyranny of the minority
Some
teachers of the past spoke of 'the tyranny of the minority', and this is a real
danger. A shade over one quarter of the church can role and impose their will
against the overwhelming view of the membership if the required majority is too
large. A large margin may sound admirable, but it may prove to be a stumbling
block.
To
appoint officers and pastors, a large majority certainly ensures trust, but in
the case of a troubled church it may hinder the appointment of a pastor. If a
large majority is required, it may be helpful to stipulate a smaller or even a
simple majority for (say) the third attempt at calling a leader.
To
dismiss a pastor or officer should always be a matter of a simple majority.
Simple majorities we the best ride for most business, although one would hope
that Christian churches would normally proceed in near unanimity, assuming Ship
is godly and trusty
(c) On the subject of
officers, we offer some comments on the number of elders in a church, and their
relationship to the deacons. It is fashionable nowadays to see the elders as
senior to deacons, rather than to see them as undertaking different
responsibilities. (It is interesting that C H Spurgeon's congregation regarded
the deacons' court as superior to the elders' court.)
During Spurgeon's ministry the Metropolitan Tabernacle
had around 20 elders, equal to one for every 250 members. Today a church of 100
members may have few or five. We offer no criticism of churches at this point,
but would urge a very modest number of elders to help the preaching elder or
pastor‑teacher to care for the church spiritually. We know of some recent
constitutions where the church has been bound to elect a set number such as six
or even twelve, which seem excessive. The number is best left to the discretion
of the church, and not included in the constitution.
(d) The following comments assume that a church is
baptistic in conviction. The church should be defined as consisting of
Christians maintaining an experience of conversion to God, believing the
doctrines of the statement of faith, baptised by immersion as believers,
assenting to the roles of government and embracing the church covenant. In
other words, every church should maintain a 'closed' membership according to
its doctrinal distinctives (honouring the rule ‑'that ye all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly
Article
3 Pg 3
joined together in the same mind and in the same
judgement�.*) (*See Romans 15.6, 1 Corinthians 1.10; 2 Corinthians 13.11;
Philippians 1.27, 3.16; 1 Peter 3.8.)
It is not ideal to make the Baptist Confession of
Faith 1689 a qualifying basis for membership. To do so would strictly man that
no spiritual babes or young could be admitted. It to is better to adopt a brief
statement as essential to membership,while the longer Confession should determine the ministry of the church, and
the doctrinal position to which all strive.
Thus the constitution is 'confessional' in character,
and no other doctrine may be advanced either publicly or privately among the
members.
e) It is extremely valuable to insert a provision for
the termination of membership after six months' non-attendance, at the
discretion of the officers' meeting. Clearly in the case of members who have
moved, and not yet resettled, this need not be applied. Nor in the case of the
sick. There may well be compassionate exceptions for those studying or away for
other purposes for a long time, but walking with the Lord and intending to
return. However, an automatic' basis for lapse of membership will enable the
church to maintain a truthful and God‑honouring membership roll.
It
is also valuable to have a forfeiture of membership' rule for those who no
longer subscribe to the articles of faith, and for those who may wish to
advocate doctrines in conflict with the longer Confession, or for those who
refuse to co‑operate with a proper disciplinary enquiry.
By this rule, the officers may regard as having left the church my
member who clearly infringes in any of these ways without proceeding to an
extended 'process', although the action will clearly be reported to the church
meeting.
This does not mean that the officers assume the right of expulsion,
which belongs only to the church meeting. It enables them to resolve a clear‑cut
and self‑declared change of belief, or to resolve a refusal to answer to
misdemeanours which could lead to expulsion. (We hope that such cases would
never or seldom have to be invoked, but in these troubled times particularly,
churches report such heartaches.)
A� BASIS� 0F�
FAITH
1. The full inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; their authority and
sufficiency as not only containing but as being in themselves the Word of God.
The reliability of the Scripture's witness to itself as the only, the complete
and the infallible Word of God, the New Testament witnessing to the reliability
and divine character of the Old Testament; the necessity also for a reverent
faith in the Word, and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, for a true
understanding of the whole.
2. The unity of the Godhead and the divine co‑equality of the
Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit eternally., the sovereignty
of God in creation, providence and redemption.
3. The true and proper deity of our Lord Jesus Christ;
His virgin birth; His real and perfect manhood; the authority of His teaching
and the infallibility of all His utterances; His substitutionary death on the
cross as being the full and sufficient and only atonement for sins; His bodily
resurrection and His ascension into Heaven; His present priestly intercession
for His people; His personal return in glory.
4. The justification of the sinner solely by faith, through the atoning
merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
5. The total depravity of human nature in consequence
of the Fall of man from the original state of perfection in which he was
created, by which Fall all mankind is in a state of condemnation and separation
from a holy God, and can only be delivered by the divine work of regeneration
and redemption.
6. The sovereign grace of God, by which we mean His
free and unmerited favour; and that by His sole choice the elect have been
predestinated to salvation.
7. The work of regeneration, conversion,
sanctification and faith as being not an act of man's free win and power, but
of the mighty efficacious and irresistible grace of God, through the Holy
Spirit.
8. All those who we chosen by the Father, redeemed by
the Son, and sanctified by the Spirit, shall certainly and finally persevere,
so that not one of them shall ever perish but shall have everlasting life.
9. The resurrection of the dead, the judgement of the
world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with the eternal blessedness of the redeemed,
and the eternal punishment of those who finally reject Christ as Saviour.
10. The observance of the divine institution of the baptism of believers by immersion, in
loving obedience and as an act of witness, but not as conveying any
regenerating grace. The observance of the Lord's Supper as a commemoration of
our Lord's death, but not as being a sacrifice for sin nor involving any change
in the substance of the bread and wine.
11. The sole authority and
prerogative of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, speaking in His Word, for the
government of the church.
Article
3 Page 4
In connection with membership, it should be stated
that every prospective member should provide a clear testimony of salvation,
and be satisfactorily interviewed by the pastor and by at least two other
officers before the name is put to the gathered church.
No one should be able to automatically transfer their
membership from mother church, although the commendation of the previous church
should be available. It will protect the church if an 'acquaintance interval'
is set, say of at least six months from the time the applicant began to worship
at the church, before a membership motion is brought to the church. (This
writer would also recommend a minimum age of sixteen, with a right to vote at
eighteen.)
(f) It would also be of immense value to include in
the constitution a requirement that the minister must believe in the necessity
of specific and direct evangelistic preaching, at least once every week, and
also that he should actively encourage and support evangelistic Sunday School
and other outreach. In times past, these formed part of the unspoken definition
of a minister's task, but now need to be dearly articulated.
(g) Negatively, a modem constitution should preclude
affiliation to my society of churches not consisting exclusively of those
committed to the defence of evangelical doctrine, or to any society in which
the autonomy of the church would be compromised in any way whatsoever. Clauses
should also repudiate those current problems referred to earlier, such as
ecumenical activity.
(h) A provision will be needed to facilitate the
resolution of my dire problems which may arise leading to the dissatisfaction
of the members with the conduct or work of the pastor or elders or deacons. If
the leaders will not address complaints raised by the members, or if they have
abused their authority, or if for my reason an impasse has come about, then an
extraordinary meeting of the church would need to be called. The method by
which members may initiate this, and determine the matters to be raised, will
be set out in a future issue of Sword & Trowel.
THE CHURCH COVENANT
A church covenant is a
statement of promises entered into by the members of a church. Its purpose is
to encourage godliness and to define unacceptable conduct. It deals with the
spiritual attitudes of members toward God, the church, mid fellow members.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
churches would often read their covenants publicly (not the entire
constitution) every time they observed the Lord's Supper, or at least at annual
church meetings.
Today, covenants, where churches have them, we seldom
read out before the church, but they we certainly included in the process for
joining the church. They have often been called Family Covenants.
Such covenants have been traced back to 1567 in
Covenants were used in the course of church
discipline, when a member was reproved (or even removed) for perpetual and
grievous gossip, or for disorderly behaviour.
A typical covenant appears on the following page.
Article 3 Page 5
SOLEMN SPIRITUAL PROMISES
The
Solemn Covenant drawn up by
Benjamin Keach in 1689 is still the covenant of the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
We who desire to walk together in the fear of the
Lord, do, through the assistance of His Holy Spirit, profess our deep and
serious humiliation for all our transgressions. And we do solemnly, in the
presence of God, and of each other, in the sense of our own unworthiness, give
up ourselves to the Lord, in a church state according to the apostolical
constitution, that He may be our God, and we may be, His people, through the
everlasting covenant of His free grace, in which alone we hope to be accepted
by Him, through His blessed Son Jesus Christ, Whom we take to be our High
Priest, to justify and sanctify us, and our Prophet to teach us; and to be
subject to Him as our Law‑giver, and the King of saints; and to conform
to all His holy laws and ordinances, for our growth, establishment, and
consolation; that we may be as a holy spouse unto Him, and serve Him in our
generation, and wait for His second appearance, as our glorious Bridegroom.
Being fully satisfied in the way of church‑communion,
and the truth of grace in some good measure upon one another's spirits, we do
solemnly join ourselves together in a holy union and fellowship, humbly
submitting to the discipline of the Gospel, and all holy duties required of a
people in such a spiritual relation.
1. We do promise and
engage to walk in all holiness, godliness, humility, and brotherly love, as
much as in us lieth to render our
communion delightful to God, comfortable to ourselves,
and lovely to the rest of the Lord's people.
2. We do promise to watch over each other's
conversations, and not to suffer sin upon one another, so far as God shall
discover it to us, or any of us; and to stir up one another to love and good works; to warn, rebuke, and
admonish one another with meekness, according to the rules left to us of Christ
in that behalf.
3. We do promise in a special manner to pray for one
another,
and for the glory and increase of this church, and for the presence of
God in it, and the pouring forth of His Spirit on it, and His protection over
it to His glory.
4. We do promise to bear one another's burdens, to cleave to one
another, and to have a fellow‑feeling with one another, in all conditions
both outward and inward, as God in His providence shall cast any of us into.
5. We do promise to bear with one another's weaknesses, failings, and
infirmities, with much tenderness, not discovering them to any without the
church, nor any within, unless according to Christ's rule, and the order of the
Gospel provided in that case.
6. We do promise to strive together for the truth of the Gospel and
purity of God's ways and ordinances, to avoid causes, and causers, of division,
endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4.3).
7. We do promise to meet together on Lord's‑days, and at other
times, as the Lord shall give us opportunities, to serve and glorify God in the
way of His worship, to edify one another, and to contrive the good of His
church.
8. We do promise according to our ability (or as God shall bless us with
the good things of this world) to communicate to our pastor or minister, God
having ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.
(And how can anything lay a greater obligation upon the conscience than this
covenant; what then is the sin of such who violate it?)
These and all other Gospel duties we humbly submit unto, promising and
purposing to perform, not in our own strength, being conscious of our own
weakness, but in the power and strength of the blessed God, Whose we are, and
Whom we desire to serve. To Whom be glory now and for evermore. Amen.
Article 4 Pg 1 Sword &
Trowel1997 No 4.
This example of a constitution is for the help of
pioneers, who may want to omit and insert clauses. The traditional role of a
Pastor is represented here.
Those who incline to a different nuance of ministry
will need to re‑express relevant portions. This constitution embodies
general principles commonly adopted by Baptists and Independents, and also
takes account of modern errors'.
Constitution of
the Church known as the
worshipping for
the time being at XYZ
1. Character of the Church
This Church is a society of Trinitarian, Protestant,
Baptist Dissenters holding and maintaining Calvinistic doctrines as represented
in the Church Statement of Faith and in the Baptist
Confession of Faith of 1689 [with stated reservations],* maintaining that
the moral law of God ought ever to be the rule of a believer's life and
conduct, and that the Holy Scriptures we the infallible, sole and binding
authority in all =tiers of doctrine and conduct.
The Church shall remain an independent congregation holding that the
Lord Jesus Christ is the exclusive Head and authority over individual
congregations.
The Church shall not be affiliated to any society of churches unless it
consists land continues to consist] entirely of like‑minded churches, or
if by such affiliation the autonomy of the Church would be compromised or
inhibited in my way whatsoever.
The Church exists for
‑ worship of Almighty God through the merits of
the Lord jaw Christ;
‑ the proclaiming of the Gospel of grace to
adults acid children;
‑ the expounding of God's Word;
‑ the nurture of believers in the faith;
‑ the defence of the faith;
‑ the promotion of fellowship between Christians
within the congregation;
‑ the organising of works of witness and service
to be carried out by members of the congregation;
‑ the ministry of discipline in the
congregation; and the support of church planting and other missionary
endeavours at home and overseas.
2 Membership
The Church shall be composed of those who have‑ professed repentance, towards God and faith in and obedience to our‑ Lord Jesus Christ;