Dr. Greg Waddell Mid-South Christian College Memphis, TN

Member-Driven Ministry An Alternative to Top-Down Authoritarian Leadership

in the Church

WHY THE PREOCCUPATION

WITH PYRAMIDS?

A Model of Society

and Control

AN

D

TO

WE

RS

Cosmic Social Order Enforced through Social

Layering

The Ancient Model Applied to the Church

God is far away in outer space.

God

God

God is Truth and all Truth Emanates from Him.

Truth

God

Truth

There is an Impenetrable barrier between God & humanity.

God

Truth

We need a human mediator to penetrate the veil and communicate God’s truth to us.

God

Truth

Member Member Member Member

Member

Ministry is understood as a

top-down process.

God

Truth

Member Member Member Member

Member

Is there an

?

Not an alternative route to God, for that is Christ alone, but an alterative

route to DOING CHURCH.

YES!

The Hierarchical system is NOT inherent to the nature of the Body of Christ nor to the core message of Christ.

There is divine pattern for ministry.

Christ “gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

to equip the saints for the work of ministry,

for building up the body of Christ,”

Ephesians 4:11–12, ESV

This pattern is expansive rather than vertical

Church Leaders

Saints Saints

Saints Saints

What can we learn from the Council at Jerusalem?

Approximately AD 50 Recorded in Acts, Chapter 15

What can we learn?

Q

They had a

Question

L

L

L

L

They had leaders

Q

The members also participated

M

M

M

M

L

L

L

L

Q

M

M

M

M

L

L

L

L

They were connected

with one another in a

network of

ministries Q

L

L

L

L

M

M

M

M

Also present was the . . .

Q

Holy

Spirit

Holy

Spirit

L

L

L

L

M

M

M

M

Their dialogue

was guided by four

criteria.

Q

Holy

Spirit

L

L

L

L

M

M

M

M

Their dialogue

was guided by four

criteria.

Q

Holy

Spirit

L

L

L

L

M

M

M

M

Their dialogue

was guided by four

criteria.

Q

Holy

Spirit

L

L

L

L

M

M

M

M

Their dialogue

was guided by four

criteria.

Q

They were a family, discussing family matters, with Christ at the head of the table.

Dialogue more closely fits the nature of God who is not far off in a distant galaxy but all around us.

He dwells not in outer space but in that blue stuff all around us which the

ancients called the heavens.

He is actually not far from

each one of us, for ‘In him

we live and move and have

our being.’

—The Apostle Paul,

Acts 17:26-28

The Voice of God

Could Come from Any

Direction

In the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit,

and they shall prophesy.

-- Acts 2:17-18

Yet, some see pyramids, pyramids,

everywhere pyramids.

For example,

notice the

pyramid

structure of

this artist’s

rendition of

Peter’s address

at the

Jerusalem council.

After there

had been

much debate,

Peter stood up

and said to

them . . .

In pyramid

structures,

ownership, decision-

making power, and

ideas come from

the top.

in a Member-Driven Church . . .

However,

Members respond to God’s call for ministry & the church provides

logistic support.

Member-Driven Ministry is like releasing a lion from his cage. Your church may rediscover its wild side. Are you prepared to face the consequence of an empowered membership?

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also”

- Acts 17:6, ESV

I would love to share these concepts in more depth with your congregation.

Dr. Greg Waddell www.LeadStrategic.com

901-581-5735

GregWaddell@LeadStrategic.com

Twitter: @DrGregWaddell