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Thread: Multi-Site Church Campuses-Biblical ?

  1. #11
    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    There's things I like about both models. And don't like about both models.
    Agree

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  3. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by LionHeart View Post
    Most of A/G and Foursquare churches have on site local Pastors who stay there full time. This is an A/G church I attend. I am watching the development of the "campus" Pastor and he is able to avoid the tougher parts of Pastoring and thus growing up spiritually is stunted because all major decisions are made by the mother church. My questions come from reading the book on Apostolic ministry by Gordon Lindsay. He says all churches planted by Paul were independent of his authority after he set up local leaders. He could not exercise authority over them but would correct them as a father. The A/G used this very format in their original doctrines. They planted all churches and gave them independence or autonomy as long as they stayed in doctrinal unity with the denomination. That should mean that each local church should have autonomy from any mother church in any form. They should be self governing and independent. Being a campus away from the mother church seems to me a way around the planting of local churches and steering them into self government which was the original design of the A/G.
    Paul was hindered by distance and a lack of communication. He got around this to some extent by direct revelation about things going on in the churches and in some instances he was there in the Spirit in some way even though he was present elsewhere physically. It's difficult to tell what Paul would have done if he had had cheap airfares, phone, email etc

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  5. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jew and Greek View Post
    Actually, the auditorium church that we all grew up with isn't exactly biblical. The first century churches met in houses. So the megachurch multi-campus concept isn't really any less biblical than the country church with 200 people.
    The very first church assembled daily in the temple, not only in the houses :

    Acts 2:41 Then those who [m]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' [n]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and [o]sold their possessions and goods, and divided[p] them among all, as anyone had need.
    46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added [q]to the church daily those who were being saved.

    Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

    Later they were unable to assemble like that in public, because of persecution.

    The glorification of the house church as the only proper model is simply unbiblical.

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  7. #14
    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    Not disagreeing with you if it sounds like it. Just using your post to comment further. House churches IMO are only 'biblical' in the sense that that's what they were doing when the Bible was written. There certainly was no mandate for churches to just be in houses. It would be logical IMO as Christianity grew to build buildings to congregate just like they had synagogues after centuries of Judaism and they were settled in one place. God can bless any model if as Bookie said if Christ-centered, etc.

    I know some people like John Fenn said Jesus told them to go to the house church model for certain reasons, but again, that was a specific instruction for him, not the whole church. And might the 'church' be better off as a whole with the house church model due to relationships, size, etc? Could be. But again, there is no mandate for house churches only from the Word.
    The local churches were often so small that they fit into a normal house. People were used to having less space back then so 50-100 people in a normal sized house was perfectly possible. The apostles often taught in larger buildings like the local synagogue. Sometimes elsewhere when that didn't work.

    Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

    Ephesus was one of the larger cities at that time so it makes sense that things had grown beyond house size.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cardinal TT View Post
    My friend goes to a multi site church and he turned up to a different service than the one he normally goes to and it was the same video message from the pastor.
    There are some strengths but the weaknesses are the regular video messages with no fresh manna as well as one guy at the top calling the shots

    You also have the other pastors doing the offering, welcoming people etc. and then they introduce the video message - the secondary pastors sometimes preach but I wouldn't be a pastor at a church like that or attend. Obviously many still go and and enjoy it but not for me

    IMO too much power concentrated at the top
    Video messages, that's too much if that is what is going on all the time. Then there's Creflo Dollar who spends millions on flying back and forth between Atlanta and NY just to be present in person in both locations.

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  11. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    Video messages, that's too much if that is what is going on all the time.
    They have mostly live preaching but video is a strong part of the church it also includes the video message at the mid-week home meetings

    The worse part of many of these churches imo is you have 1.5 hours to get people in and out for the next meeting.
    Way too structured for myself but many modern believers like that as it's easier to attend and leave.
    You have done your duty, paid your tithes, sung songs, listened to a short message etc.

    I know they still have many very committed members

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  13. #17
    My main question was is there a scriptural need for a spiritual father or mother to be present in the direct development of their sons and daughters ? Some have claimed people as their spiritual fathers and mothers with whom they never have had a personal relationship or have even seen in person. I do not think you can impart fully into someones life unless you are physically present to lay hands on, counsel, ect. Some of these campus churches(if not all) would fold up and close without life support from the mother church. So they are not even self supporting or independent two main goals of most church planting models. I think as with many church practices and doctrinal deviations over the years eventually they fail.Then they are cast aside as unworkable and not producing good fruit. Time will tell if this model is an unbiblical model doomed to fail ?

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  15. #18
    Paul was hindered by distance and a lack of communication. He got around this to some extent by direct revelation about things going on in the churches and in some instances he was there in the Spirit in some way even though he was present elsewhere physically. It's difficult to tell what Paul would have done if he had had cheap airfares, phone, email etc Quote Colonel

    Reminds me of a Smith Wigglesworth quote when he asked someone if they would be in church on Sunday ? They replied they would be there "in spirit". Smith said it would be nice if those many who told him that same thing would have there bodies show up also !

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  17. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    Video messages, that's too much if that is what is going on all the time. Then there's Creflo Dollar who spends millions on flying back and forth between Atlanta and NY just to be present in person in both locations.
    Reminds me of a Smith Wigglesworth quote when he asked someone if they would be in church on Sunday ? They replied they would be there "in spirit". Smith said it would be nice if those many who told him that same thing would have there bodies show up also !

  18. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    The very first church assembled daily in the temple, not only in the houses :

    Acts 2:41 Then those who [m]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' [n]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and [o]sold their possessions and goods, and divided[p] them among all, as anyone had need.
    46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added [q]to the church daily those who were being saved.

    Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

    Later they were unable to assemble like that in public, because of persecution.

    The glorification of the house church as the only proper model is simply unbiblical.
    I don't know if that was directed at me but I don't glorify the house church concept. I'm just saying that there's no particular biblical way to do church. The church started off at the Temple because they were all Jewish and had nowhere else to meet at the time. As they became more organized they met in houses and that lasted until the 3rd century. I'm not a big fan of the multi-campus video feed model and I've never attended a house church. Some of my fondest memories of church were singing in a choir in an AG church in the 70s where the Spirit was free to move. But millions of people are blessed by house churches and multi-campus churches. Let the Spirit lead where He will.

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