Member Driven Ministry
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Transcript of Member Driven Ministry
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
Twitter: @DrGregWaddell