Beyond 150 - Numb8rs

For churches to grow beyond the 150 ceiling, probably the greatest battle that is to be had, is in the hearts and minds of those who are nervous about growth. Be it struggling with the theology around growth, to the woundedness that produces a small minded culture to protect a broken heart, to a vulnerability that comes from the fear that I will get lost in a growing community, when I am already lost in an overwhelming world... and so the reasons grow.

May I suggest we need a deep and irrepressible conviction of the theology of growth. Obviously I am not legitimisng raw naked soulish ambition. However, the overriding story of the scriptures, reflects that the divine intention of the Father reveals a heart of enormous extravagance. From the Genesis story God declared: Gen 1: 28 "And God blessed them. And God said to them:'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth...'" The garden was never a destination but a launch pad. God plan was never smallness but multiplied largeness. This was repeated throughout the OT to all the great patriarchs [ Gen 8:17, 9:1, 13:14 - 17, 17:3 - 8, 26:2 - 5, 35:11 - 14, 48:3 - 4.]

Beyond a whole book in the scriptures that gives an account of Numbers, we see continuous referral to numbers and details. Of course one cannot have this conversation without the life and teaching of Jesus himself. Luke as doctor and author, had a particular eye for numbers. In his account of the Jesus story, he walks us through the calling of the twelve, then the sending of the twelve [5:1 - 11, 6:12... 9:1 - 6] to the next group of 72 that Jesus trained and sent [10:1 - 23] to the 120 in the prayer room [Acts 1:15] then the wonder of the first sermon preached that led to 3000 added that first day [Acts 2:41]. My point being that God indicates number details because they are important and should build our faith to believe for God to do more amongst us. In fact when Jesus speaks of himself as the shepherd [John 10], he says that ' I have sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in also.' He always has more sheep for us, that are not yet in the fold.

Paul the great apostle does a great job in 1 Corinthians 3 when he reminds us that: ' I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow'. This ecological metaphor is delightful. Seeds multiply themselves. They cannot help it. We need to labor - each with our giftings. It takes more than one to get the job done. Then of course, it is God who brings the growth. True God life brings growth, for wherever He is, there is life [Rev 2:1 + 2] and where there is life, there is growth.

Now may I add to the conversation, those who would say that they are sovereignly destined to be in communities or to lead communities that are small. This sentiment does pander to insecurities but does not reflect scripture. It is true that God gives us gifts and talents of different sizes and capacities. However, it is not true that that is a fixed number that cannot be changed. Two parables in Luke's gospel dispel this [Luke 16:1 - 13; 19:11 - 27.] If we are faithful with a little, we will be entrusted with much... there is a relationship between the two. Or in the second text, Jesus teaches that if we are trustworthy in a small matter, we will take charge of ten cities. Our capacity is not a static predetermined amount. Our response to Jesus does influence the nuance of the Father's generosity.

We cannot end this theology of growth conversation without looking at the power of team. When the scriptures draws to our attention that: 'Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work'[ Eccl 4:9] we are joined to a journey with others, that is empowering and liberating. Punching beyond the 150 ceiling is rarely done alone. Of course it can be done by force of character or by charismatic personality. However, for many, this will only be achieved when this local community, agree theologically that it is the Father's desire for them to grow and are prepared to lean into the wheel together, that this mark can be shattered.

Beyond 150 - Cheers

So I am in Tyler Texas with my dear friends Dave and Lea Bianchi - dear friends, wonderful planters, heroes in the faith. Needless to say our discussions have been endless as thoughts, ideas and dreams rampage through our stirred souls.

One of the greatest challenges for every church planter is firstly to crack the 45 person ceiling. Then the second and more difficult is to pillage through the 150 mark. The clever people say that is even more difficult. It does seem to be so.

Mark Driscoll says it this way: " A congregation of 150 can usually gather in one service and exist as one large community, yet have the resources to hire a pastor and function with greater programming for the people. In “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell argues that the Rule of 150 states that the highest number of people the average person can connect with is 150 and that explains why many groups cease growing at that number. For examples he cites the Methodist movement of John Wesley that collected people into communities of about 150, in twenty-one hunter-gatherer societies the average village had 148.4 people, most military fighting units are under 200, and Hutterite communities grow no larger than 150 by design. Therefore, any congregation committed to evangelism and the extension of its ministry should expect to find people feeling displaced once their communities grow beyond about 50 and 150 people, particularly when communication can no longer be conducted solely by face to face contact with the point leader and when a church transitions to two worship services"

I want us to explore the implications, ideas and actions required to go through this merciless ceiling. Lyle Schaller of in his book 'A Very Large Church" gives these statistics of the church in America:

Churches under 45 are about 25% of the total

under 75 50 - 60%

under 150 75%

under 350 95%

under 800 98%

over 800 2%

Whilst this is more of a sociologist report than a theological set of conclusions, there is much to be discussed around these stats. Is that God's sovereign intention or simply our free will? Can we change God's level of talents and gifts he gives us or must we simply accept things for what they are? Is it out of intentionality or ignorance that these ceilings are reached? Is it simply through prayer that we grow or are there things we need to change? Can we reinvent our style or are we simply the way we are?

Is it not interesting that Acts 1:12 - 26 esp vs 14 + 15 " All these were together with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brothers [the company of persons was in all about 120]...

Out of the text we can see the essence of that community size:

i. All were at everything,

ii. It was highly family orientated,

iii. Leadership was very casual and collaborative,

iv. Communication was very informal and face to face

v. There was an ease of 'togetherness'

vi. And like the great philosophy class of the 80's 'Cheers' - "I want to go to a place where everyone knows my name".

But that was just the beginning...

Letters from a Father - GIrls 10 / 17

So I thought I would have a son first. Well, there was much mirth around this subject. Of course every Afrikaner father would have a son first — we all "knew that". I am so grateful that I did not strut that notion, nor threw in a scripture for good measure. We simply waited with bated breath for this little birth.

Then it all began. The steam of a natural birth that started to blow — 'fetal distress' was soon followed by an emergency caesarean section. There I was — in the surgery gown, shoes, head covering and all. It was not a pretty sight. I was not made for operating rooms.

The surgery was speedy. Expert hands met with skilled minds and soon a baby began to emerge from M's tummy. With great celebration the doctor proudly proclaimed: "He is a girl, he is a girl". Confusion reigned supreme. Even the umbilical cord look like a generous male endowment. But the little cry that gently came from my little bloodied baby's mouth settled my girl's arrival. Nasia was born. Our little 'miracle of God' was wrapped in cotton and comforted by her very delighted mother.

Well, time sped by as we eagerly awaited our next child. The tender, gentle Nas was soon joined by her joyous singing sister. It was at that time that I knew I had no clue how to raise girls. What does one do? What does one say? How does a dad play with little girls? Does discipline mean a spanking? Realizing that I had more questions than answers, I needed to get on my knees and engage the creator of their journey. Holding each in my hands, I cried out to the Father...

Heaven was filled with the cry of an enthusiastic but desperate father. My prayer went something like this: "Father God, I do not know how to raise these 2 little girls. You created them, each fearfully and wonderfully unique. Please teach me. I love them. They are little bundles of mystery and mystique and I need you to speak." As clearly as I have ever heard my heavenly Father I heard him say: "Prepare them for another." That was all, but I knew then. My fathering was revolutionized by just a pivotal moment where heaven and earth met.

My job was to get them ready for their heavenly groom who would sweep them off their feet one day — they were not mine. They were His. I was a caretaker of His girls preparing them to love Him passionately, serve Him sacrificially and save themselves for Him.

Then I was to prepare them for their 'man'. Every act of my fathering was to that end. They were not there to make me look good. They were not there to effect my dreams, nor to fulfill my desires. They were under my affection and leadership to prepare them for that moment when I give them away. That I discovered is a glorious moment.

That dear reader, transformed the way I lead churches — preparing them for another. However that conversation is for another time. Little girls are mysterious gifts who blossom under the scope of fatherly affection. They revel in beauty. They thrive on affection. They explore creativity. They need space to expand their uniqueness. Their fathers are a safe place where the challenge of a raw ravaging world is silenced by the presence of a father who protects them radically. I love my girls... and am deeply honored by their extraordinary love.

THE TRINITY CHANGES EVERYTHING

Unity in Diversity.

The ongoing Trinity Story as applied today.

Deut 6:1 – 20 esp vs4.

‘In 1967, Karl Rahner famously drew attention to the then widespread neglect of the Trinity, claiming that “should the doctrine of the Trinity have to be dropped as false, the major part of religious literature could well remain virtually unchanged”.’[1]

Letham then goes on to quote Augustine in his De Trinitate: ‘in no subject is error more dangerous, or inquiry more laborious, or the discovery of truth more profitable.’[2]

Rob Bell, in his book “Velvet Elvis” suggested that doctrine was like a wall made of bricks. If this were so, a few may be removed, and the wall would still stand - this is such dangerous thinking. Even when Bell then goes on to say that Doctrine should be more like a trampoline, flexible, expandable, stretchable, he is simply putting into words what so many believers grapple with-namely how important is all this anyway. Whilst he attempted to clarify these notions later, they did reflect the mind of many, especially when discussing the Trinity. Most believers have a Sunday School grasp of this most essential of doctrines.

• Based on poor, limiting metaphors / analogies, [candle, tree, man,3 leaf clover…],
• Dramatically and dangerously over simplified,
• Little text or theological study,
• Without regard for the historical journey,
• Certainly not reflected on for its weight and influence on all else.

Actually I want to argue that, the Trinity is the focus of all doctrine. If this is treated lightly or is subtly dismissed as of little importance, we are in serious danger of building a Leaning Tower of Pisa – a building founded on a poor foundation that became a monument of human stupidity rather than a facility of long standing life.

I eagerly await Prof Fred Sanders new book: ‘The Trinity changes everything’[3]

Why then do we study the Trinity?

• Unfolds to us, daily the wonder, mystery, complexity, extravagance of who our God really is – and how we are to partner with Him,
• Reveals to us who we are, why we desire what we do and what can only fully satisfy the longings of our heart,
• Exposes and prevents the drift toward heresies with all the devastation that that brings,
• Places at the hub of life the central piece of divinity around which everything spins or spokes outward,
• Without the Trinity we have no true and complete atonement, there is then no salvation to take away the sins of the world with the full personal life transformation that it brings,
• He / they provide the template for all of life – “the Trinity is the first community and the ideal for all communities… the Trinity is the ideal community in every way.”[4] Be it marriage, family, church, leadership, businesses, nations…

If I may stay with Robert Letham’s book for just a little longer, here is something of note that he argues:

‘The East [church] early on faced the danger of subordination, viewing the Son and the Spirit as something derivative, with their divine status not precisely clear… the east has sometimes tended to see the Father as the source not only of the personal subsistence of the Son and the Spirit but also of their deity. In this way, it is easy to see how the Son could be viewed as a little less divine than the Father, his deity by derivation rather than of himself…the recent awakening of interest in Eastern theology in the West, a social model of the Trinity has arisen in the West that focuses on the distinctiveness of the three persons often tending toward loose tritheism…

The West, for its part, has fallen more toward modalism. By this is meant the blurring or eclipsing of the eternal personal distinctions. This can come about either by treating God’s self-revelation as the Father, the Son, and the Spirit as merely successive modes by which the one unipersonal God revealed himself… Western Trinitarianism has been based on the priority of the one divine essence and has had some difficulty doing justice to the distinctions of the three persons.”[5]

Whilst to some, this may appear to simply reflect a theological / philosophical discussion that really has no daily relevance, the opposite could not be truer. So many Christian movements in the west honestly believe that they have the “right’ to choose which person of the Trinity they emphasize. This they do with

• The use of selective texts,
• Testimony accounts,
• Using highly emotive language and
• The ‘evidence’ of God’s blessing to legitimize their stance.

Tragedy. All of this is earthed in a poor Trinitarian understanding and revelation that leads to a ‘legitimate’ form of ‘modalism’. Lets look at these realities: [I am aware of the dangers of generalizations]

• Father God – the therapeutic movement has latched onto the healing Father [often in quite a generic form] almost exclusively,
• The Son – the new reformed emergence, has placed enormous [almost exclusive] weight and emphasis on the Son, the cross, the tomb,
• The Spirit – the ‘kingdom now’ theology, often strongly loaded by an Armenian bias, has drifted to a Spirit-exclusive encounter-based journey.

My appeal for us is to posture ourselves with humility around this glorious conversation – The Trinity. We surrender our right of choice [not that we have one]. There remains an ongoing commitment to mine these truths, to keep building on the solid rock of “a God who is one, who is three equally distinctive, with all three uncreated and eternally God”.

AW Tozer as so often is the case, says it the best - “Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity, must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption.”[6] He adds later: “We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper ‘mystery’”.[7]

---

[1] Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity; pg 1

[2] Ibid pg 2

[3] Don’t yet have all the publishing info,

[4] Mark Driscoll, Doctrine, pg 12

[5] Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity; pg 3

[6] AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, pg 17.

[7] Ibid pg 18.

Letters from a Father - 10 / 10

Today M and I handover the leadership of Southlands Church to Alan and Rynelle. It is a good day.

I suppose as I reflect on all the emotions that clutter my soul, remembering the 14 years we have led her, so much fills my memory vista. The tears we cried together, the battles we fought together, the celebrations we enjoyed together, the laughter we delighted together, the dreams we had together, the life we shared together, the churches we planted together, the mistakes we made together, the community we did together... it is a little like giving a daughter away in marriage.

I have such vivid memories that travel me back 6 years ago, [9 Oct 2004] when I walked Nas down the aisle. That too was a good day. My gorgeous 18 year old girl floated down that aisle to her 6 foot 4 man. Her beauty still captures me. Her fragrance still reminds me of those very sweet days. Like Southlands, we thought we had the privilege of having her at home a few more years. Her laughter and singing was so intoxicating. Her presence around the house lit the home up because her colorful courageous spirit never let a room or moment go grey.

But God delighted in a different story. It was not what was best for mom and dad. It was not a God inspired decision driven by sentiment. It was a strong prophetically inspired encounter that had the nations with the gospel at the center of the divine intent.

We cried at the wedding. Us men that is - we cried. But it was not because it was sad. What reigned supreme was the overwhelming sense of God's kindness. He entrusted daughters into our hands, and we men, were to pour our lives into these little girls so that we could give them away to another man. That is God's expression of goodness.

Today we give Southlands away... She is a radiant bride. We love her deeply and are so proud of her. She held her head so high during the dastardly dark days of pain and assault. She carried herself so beautifully during the times of prayer and devotion. She released the sweet God perfume to fill a broken world with such simple faith and grace. She carries the gospel with glorious dignity and strength. She robes herself with worship and praise that fills heaven with such delight, I am sure. Her generosity with tears, has enabled her to say goodbye to friends who heeded the call to plant churches on distant shores. I am so proud of her and feel so honored to have led her all these years.

Dear Alan and Rynelle... we could not be more delighted than handing the leading of this extraordinary community to you. You, sir, are a man of peace, a lover, a leader, a Jesus preacher, a Spirit facilitator, a Father worshipper. You passion for the word, Spirit, life journey is simply delightful - but I see Southlands in your eyes - you love her and for that I am most grateful.

Today is a good day. M and I are not sure on what the future holds. We are a father and a mother and I guess that is what the Lord requires of us. But we have opened our hands to let the butterfly fly. We watch her with mesmerizing wonder. Southlands we love you deeply and that will not change. Our prayers will fill heaven on your behalf. We are here when you need us but we want you to thrive on this next chapter. Muchos gracias...

Letters from a Father - 10 / 5

Where does one begin to describe the joy of this journey? I became a biological dad around the same time that I became a spiritual dad. 1983 saw us stumble out of the Jesus People world as we entered the wonder and mystery of authentic, real local church life. It was but three years later that my first daughter floated into our world and turned us upside down.

To my embarrassment I wanted to lead the largest church in town, although it never entered my mind to want the largest family in the city. I wanted our church to grow, become popular, have influence, be spoken of and give me some real street cred.

But my little girl came and captured my heart. Her delicate touch was mesmerizing. Her tender whimper when she wanted love, sent us dashing to the crib. The pain that she encountered with her colic, especially during the evening hours, had us rocking her until the sun came up sometimes. Our love was endless, our service was generous, our affection was ever deepening.

The father metaphor, is the strongest guiding one that has shaped the way I have led churches for 27 years. I love being a dad. I love the sense of awe and wonder of that moment that conception is realized. I have loved watching the belly begin to bulge as M radiated with the mystery of motherhood. Her beauty simply grew, as new God-life began to stir in her inner womb - and we celebrated. We hooted and hollered when we felt that life for the first time. Of course I loved speaking to and through the belly button. I was astounded at the authority I had addressing this little person, in the womb, who would soon enter our world and punctuate our lives with love.

M and I never found out the gender of our three children beforehand. There was a clear prophetic moment with each of the births, when gender and destiny met in divine harmony. God had spoken - and we had been surprised. It is amazing how rarely the God story works out exactly like we anticipated or expected. He just knows better. He is just always right.

Prophetic moments are best left in His hands. He seeds our inner belly with prophetic multiplication. Out of His great love, He enlarges us with the seeds of faith. It is a journey of trust that so often remains shrouded in the unknown. That was our joy. We did not know what gender would surprise us when our child was born. We did not know what little personalities would join our journey. We did not know what they would add to us, nor what we would need to add to them.

I love being a father. I have loved the fatherless that have stumbled into my world and the joy we have shared discovering the significant wonder of adoption. My goattee is grey, my hair salt and pepper and I could give the rest of my life to being dad.

Foundation of Apostles and Prophets

In response to my last blog, a pastor from Asia wrote me and asked why I believe that Ephesians 2:20 is not referring to the Old and New Testament respectively but the actual gifts of the apostle and prophets and their role in the church today. This is an elaboration of my reply to him:

Have you ever wondered, thought, let your imagination drift toward what God did before the beginning? C.S Lewis suggested that the three in one God was involved in a glorious dance, a harmony of oneness. This dance is so magnificent, I suggest, that Paul, when he went to the third heaven, was not able to describe its wondrous beauty.

The purpose of the blog is not to discuss the Trinity but to draw the wonder of a relational God into our conversation. God is not unipersonal, meaning there is not only one of Him, without the three. If that were the case, He might well have been a deity of laws, rules and impersonal justice. Rather, this glorious God of harmonious relationships, robed all of His creation around the affection of these relationships.

I say that because I believe these are pivotal starting points on any matter under discussion. There is a temptation to take texts like these [Eph 2:20] and interpret them purely on the basis of principles and rules. This they are not. They are truths robed around people, gifts and relationships.

Ephesians 2:20 (New International Version)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone

The notion that this Eph 2:20 text is referring to the OT and NT is the position held by the conservative evangelicals. It does suit their agenda, which is that these offices / grace gifts ended at the end of the 'apostolic age'. Their position is that there are no apostles today. There are no prophets today. In fact, a chaplain at one of these Christian colleges said to me, that when we say, "the Lord spoke to me", we are drifting towards heresy - we already have the bible.

I obviously know that that is not your position. Now I certainly believe that we need to be an all Bible people. The revelation of God is seen as we mine both portions of the scriptural texts. We soak ourselves in the mystery of the Old Testament story and then sit and marvel reading the New Testament encounters. What is so apparent is that we do need the actual realities of these two grace gifts in the church today. Look at these texts. They give us an inkling that foundations are not just the scripture.

Romans 15:20

It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:10

By 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.

Hebrews 11:10

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. [given to apostles via the ascension gifts]

· The Old Testament was referred to in the New, as “the Law and the Prophets” [For example Matt 17:12, 11:13, 22:40, Luke 16:16, 24:14, Jn 1:45, Acts 13:15]. This may well suggest that Paul was not referring in the text to the Old Testament but to actual prophets given as gifts to these new churches. Of course the New Testament was not yet written and we also know that it was not only written by apostles. Luke was a physician, Mark was Peter’s traveling companion and we are not certain who wrote Hebrews.

· The ongoing challenge of the New Testament, esp. when we look at the Acts of the apostles - 'is this book prescriptive or descriptive?' May I suggest we find both in the workings of the Spirit. The early church did not have the scriptures [NT]. They only had the gifts. These gifts helped them on their journeys... in person, in partnership. When one looks at every account of a local church mentioned in scripture, there is always an apostle mentioned in partnership [for example Phil 1:5, 1 Cor 3:4 – 9, Col 1:1, ] these relationships were real, affectionate, personal and true. Paul would write to these churches with such knowledge of their journey. He mentioned people by name, their challenges by detail and their required responses with personal wisdom.

· The foundation that is laid by these gifts has to do with their job description, the role they play in the churches. Now the apostle's role is so much easier to define as there is so much to measure it by. They are architects / engineers. [ Cor 3:10, Heb 3:1 – 6 where Jesus is the first apostolic gift to the church]They take the blueprint of the text and apply it in each church with wisdom and sensitivity - as the epistles clearly indicate. Each church recorded in the text showed a wonderful 'partnership' between the local elders / community and one or more apostles. The elders are the highest human authority in those churches. Churches do not need coaches, mentors, presidents, team leaders. They need apostles who will journey with them in prayer , love, visiting, collaboration, in instruction. I loved that there was no territorialism, [us and them], just whatever is best for that community. I can write heaps more about this but that is not really your question.

· Now the role of the prophets is more intriguing. Little is said beyond the texts that you have mentioned. What contributions do the prophets bring to each church that are foundational to their existence? Well here are some thoughts: Prophets obviously equip the saints [Eph 4 is important to explore what New Testament prophets are called to as opposed to their Old Testament companions]... they do ensure that the church is living both in the today and tomorrow [already and the not yet]... they continuously reveal the Father's heart to the church... they do 'unblock the wells'... they catalyze the priesthood to engage in the gifts... they play a pivotal discerning role in the work of the enemy... they help in hearing the voice of the Father in identifying and releasing leaders... Prophets can pick up any drift towards heresy or idolatry...The role that prophets play is different and appears to be less frequently needed by the local churches. However, when churches never have the prophets in, they tend to drift towards either a highly cerebral journey without power and Holy Spirit presence, or they tend to lose the sense of the 'nowness' of the spiritual journey. The gifts also tend to dry up, when not honored. As a result, the priesthood drifts to be seen more as volunteerism than power players.

There is always more to say but we can allow the conversation to continue…