Bill Bremer
Senior Member
Joined: 02/29/2016 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 81
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Posted: 06/27/2016 at 5:47am
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"Today's
apostle is often viewed through a franchise
paradigm.
Some describe this as a "vertical" apostle, in contrast to
"horizontal", the latter being viewed as a catalyst and
gatherer of apostles more broadly across the body of Christ; whereas,
the former oversee their own church movements. Tragically, in the
name of the apostolic,
these repeat history by displaying denominational attributes in
various measures, notably centralised hierarchical leadership and
sectarianism.
On the other hand, Ephesians 4 shows that
apostles are given to the whole
body of Christ, not to a particular church movement or network. In
other words the true biblical apostle is always catholic (i.e.
universal) in their spirit and scope, never sectarian. In fact, the
NT shows no evidence of the trans-local networking
of churches.
Rather it demonstrates the trans-local networking
of apostles
only.
At first glance this distinction may seem pedantic. Even
so, the loss of this distinction, in my estimation, is instrumental
in dividing the body of Christ along sectarian and denominational
lines. Apart from hubris, it is the sole source of perpetuating
ecclesiastical tribalism. Consequently, under divine genius the NT
churches were never configured as church networks (aka denominations)
or even according to their apostles, but exclusively by their
geography—their city. There was no configuration of the NT ecclesia
beyond their locality—the city. And any identity found in their
apostles was roundly rebuked as divisive. Even so, the trans-local
ministry of apostles and their teams across various cities and
nations must be preserved. Although, now their agenda is exclusively
the church of the city.
Therefore, as the body of Christ is
restored denominations and church networks will become obsolete. In
fact, future church will be post-denominational; and will therefore
be pioneered by apostles who capture heaven's DNA for the city whose
builder and maker is God – who see with the eye of faith the holy
catholic and apostolic church of a city – a church that is
denominated by geography, rather than Hollywood celebrity, or
sectarian polity, over which Christ is the exclusive head.
Without
this revelation apostles are reduced to the poverty of a franchise
paradigm—growing
their own empires, rather than seeding and sustaining the church of
the city.
Excerpt from "Apostles,
Prophets and Future Church"
Copyright © David Orton 2012 Lifemessenger
Inc · PO Box 777 · Mount Eliza · VIC 3930 AUSTRALIA
www.lifemessenger.org
__________________ Bill Bremer Kingdom Relationships http://billbremer.org
billbremer04@yahoo.com
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Bill Bremer
Senior Member
Joined: 02/29/2016 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 81
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Posted: 06/27/2016 at 5:51am
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I took particular note of this statement of David Orton's
"There was no configuration of the NT ecclesia
beyond their locality—the city. And any identity found in their
apostles was roundly rebuked as divisive. Even so, the trans-local
ministry of apostles and their teams across various cities and
nations must be preserved. Although, now their agenda is exclusively
the church of the city."
May it be so.
__________________ Bill Bremer Kingdom Relationships http://billbremer.org
billbremer04@yahoo.com
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