Comments on: When is a Church a Church? http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/ David Watson's Blog Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:40:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: davidwatson http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-597 davidwatson Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:02:01 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-597 HI, Stan. Thanks for tuning into Verge, and thanks for sharing the article. The article is good. But, there is one catch for me. I am very careful not to portray a historical narrative as a teaching about church or anything else. We all do it, but we need to careful when doing it. We can certainly learn from history, but it is usually descriptive rather than prescriptive. The question is, are principles present in the narratives, and are there direct teachings on the subject to support our conclusions from historical narratives? All historians, archeologists, and theologians are faced with this reality. I’m not sure that a church who meets in someone’s house is the same as “house church” in our context. I, personally, don’t like any modifiers for church – house, cell, mega, building-based, program-based, and more. The question for me is, “Does the assembly of Believers meet the nature and functions of church as revealed in Scripture?” There are examples of any variety of church that meet or fail to meet this test. I really don’t care what these assemblies of Believers are called. I am concerned that they fulfill the nature and functions of church revealed in Scripture. Blessings! David Watson From San Jose, California HI, Stan. Thanks for tuning into Verge, and thanks for sharing the article. The article is good. But, there is one catch for me. I am very careful not to portray a historical narrative as a teaching about church or anything else. We all do it, but we need to careful when doing it. We can certainly learn from history, but it is usually descriptive rather than prescriptive. The question is, are principles present in the narratives, and are there direct teachings on the subject to support our conclusions from historical narratives? All historians, archeologists, and theologians are faced with this reality.

I’m not sure that a church who meets in someone’s house is the same as “house church” in our context. I, personally, don’t like any modifiers for church – house, cell, mega, building-based, program-based, and more. The question for me is, “Does the assembly of Believers meet the nature and functions of church as revealed in Scripture?” There are examples of any variety of church that meet or fail to meet this test.

I really don’t care what these assemblies of Believers are called. I am concerned that they fulfill the nature and functions of church revealed in Scripture.

Blessings!

David Watson
From San Jose, California

]]> By: Stan Meador http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Stan Meador Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:31:32 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-595 David, I enjoyed reading your post. As a planter of simple churches in Brazil I often get into the very discussions you describe. I like to reword the question "When is a Church a Church?" in this way "When is an assembly of the followers of Christ an assembly of the followers of Christ?" I really do think it is that simple, but also much more complex. I wrote an article on The New Testament Concepts of Church. It is available on my web site. If you are interested, here is a link: http://rockymeadow.net/wp-content/2009/12/New_Testament_Concepts_of_Church.pdf Blessings - Stan Meador PS. I enjoyed hearing you on the Verge2010 Live Stream. David,

I enjoyed reading your post. As a planter of simple churches in Brazil I often get into the very discussions you describe. I like to reword the question “When is a Church a Church?” in this way “When is an assembly of the followers of Christ an assembly of the followers of Christ?” I really do think it is that simple, but also much more complex. I wrote an article on The New Testament Concepts of Church. It is available on my web site. If you are interested, here is a link:

http://rockymeadow.net/wp-content/2009/12/New_Testament_Concepts_of_Church.pdf

Blessings – Stan Meador

PS. I enjoyed hearing you on the Verge2010 Live Stream.

]]> By: Tom O. Opondo http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-591 Tom O. Opondo Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:26:59 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-591 Church planting and maturing the same is very complicated. Some of us do target urban population, especially middle class. I agree with David to some extent that what we may think to be urban church is all about rural. This is a population born and matured in the rural setting. Most of them too were called to the Lord while in rural setting. So successful urban church can not afford to include in its methodoligies rural strategies Church planting and maturing the same is very complicated. Some of us do target urban population, especially middle class. I agree with David to some extent that what we may think to be urban church is all about rural. This is a population born and matured in the rural setting. Most of them too were called to the Lord while in rural setting. So successful urban church can not afford to include in its methodoligies rural strategies

]]> By: davidwatson http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-561 davidwatson Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:03:40 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-561 Good points, Galen. Thanks! Practitioners always have a pragmatic perspective, and this is good for getting the job done. We still need our theologians, however. They keep us honest as they help us to evaluate the growth and development of what we church planters have put in place. Blessings! David Watson Irving, Texas Good points, Galen. Thanks! Practitioners always have a pragmatic perspective, and this is good for getting the job done. We still need our theologians, however. They keep us honest as they help us to evaluate the growth and development of what we church planters have put in place.

Blessings!

David Watson
Irving, Texas

]]> By: Galen http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-559 Galen Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:22:54 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-559 As with most theological questions, Scripture provides no definition, only descriptions. Thus, theologians battle on in their word games, while church planters plod on in their battle against evil: evangelising, making disciples, encouraging them and appointing elders before moving on (Ac 14:21-23). Even when you've got a church, it may no longer be there next week, having disbanded, been stamped out by religious bigots or bought up by a rich denomination. As with most theological questions, Scripture provides no definition, only descriptions. Thus, theologians battle on in their word games, while church planters plod on in their battle against evil: evangelising, making disciples, encouraging them and appointing elders before moving on (Ac 14:21-23). Even when you've got a church, it may no longer be there next week, having disbanded, been stamped out by religious bigots or bought up by a rich denomination.

]]> By: Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Communities and Silos http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-556 Starting Gospel Movements on Campus: Communities and Silos Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:04:43 +0000 http://www.davidlwatson.org/?p=525#comment-556 [...] In other words, they become churches. (For more on church and how we talk about church, read http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/.) As they grow in knowledge and obedience to God’s Word, these churches grow and replicate within [...] [...] In other words, they become churches. (For more on church and how we talk about church, read http://www.davidlwatson.org/2009/12/03/when-is-a-church-a-church/.) As they grow in knowledge and obedience to God’s Word, these churches grow and replicate within [...]

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