Biblical Church Renewal Principles

Biblical Principles for New Life Church

butter5.gif (12467 bytes)

Frequently, our ideas and thoughts as to the habits and ways of doing things within the church have been handed down from one group to another and carried on without question until they are so meshed in our lives that they become absolutes by which we govern our behavior and operate our church. The better alternative is to use the Biblical example of what a church is to be and how it is to function.

New Life Community Church used the following principles as the foundation upon which to build our church. These principles summarize what is commonly called the "renewal church" concept. The "renewal church" concept was promoted by pastors and teachers during the 1960s and 70s who returned to the Scriptures to rediscover the meaning and function of the local church. For more on the Biblical basis of the "renewal church" concept see Ray Stedman's book Body Life.

Our failure to follow Biblical principles for the church will have the following effects:

1. It will cause us to get involved in non-priority issues. (Matthew 15:1-2)

2. It will cause us to break the commandments of God. (Matthew 15:3; Mark 7:9)

3. It will cause us to invalidate (or weaken) the Word of God. (Matthew 15:4-6)

4. It will make hypocrites out of us. (Matthew 15:7-9)

5. It will take us captive and cause the Holy Spirit to cease to be the controlling emphasis in our lives. (Colossians 2:8)

6. It will make us zealous for the wrong things. (Galatians 1:13-14)

7. It will make us say no to God. (Luke 6:46; Acts 10:14; Acts 10 in its entirety)

8. It will cause us to develop unbiblical attitudes towards others. (Acts 10:28)

9. It will make us dull in our witness. (Acts 10:28, 29 - Peter was told why previously.)

10. It will cause us to argue when we should be rejoicing. (Acts 11:1-2)

The cure for any of these or their prevention is a return to
or a refocus on the Biblical principles for the church.

Scriptural principles for the church and each member of the body are:

1. Concept of the Church - an organism, NOT an organization

2. Believers - disciples, part of the body, NOT members of a club.

3. Involvement - participants, NOT spectators

4. Head - Christ, NOT the pastor or elected individuals

5. Authority - the Bible, NOT a constitution plus Biblical "proof texts"

6. Government - a theocracy (God leading), NOT a democracy

7. Selection of Leadership - appointment, NOT election

8. Basic Ministry - meeting needs, NOT conducting services

9. Place of Ministry - anywhere (all the time), NOT in a church building (at stated times)

10. Primary Concern - people, NOT programs, things, building, etc.

11. Objective - build up the body (Ephesians 4:11-16), NOT build up the local church

12. Determining Factor - what people need according to the Bible, NOT what people want

13. Great Commission - make disciples (multiplication), NOT get converts (addition)

14. Field - the world, NOT just our own area

15. Purpose of Assembling - stimulating, encouraging "equipping of the saints", NOT evangelism in the services

16. Material Presented - move on to new lessons when previous ones are being practiced, NOT covering as much ground as quickly as possible

17. Emphasis - on God, individuals, families, and quality, NOT meetings and setting and breaking records

18. Pastor-Teacher - teacher, counselor, shepherd, equipper, belongs to body of Christ, primarily within an assembly, NOT necessarily an administrator, speaker, visitor or belonging exclusively to THIS church

19. Attitude Toward Pastor - one of many other "pastors" (Acts 20:28), NOT THE minister, the professional

20. Board of Elders - multiplicity of leadership, NOT existing to keep the leader in line and decide by majority vote if he can carry out what God has given him to do

21. Resources - the Words, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts, NOT human ingenuity and available funds

22. Methodology - whatever the situation demands, true to the Word, and honoring to the Lord, NOT what we are used to and comfortable with

23. Procedures - trust God to raise up gifted people, NOT begging and pleading for workers

24. Leadership Given to - F.A.T. People (2 Timothy 2:2 - faithful, available, and teachable), NOT to anyone willing

25. Finances - determine needs and then trust God to deal with His people, NOT needs dealt with only with available funds

26. Staff - associates for full- or part-time involvement, a team to assist in the functioning of the body, NOT "hired employees" who carry out policy set by the Board of Elders

27. Salaries - determined by Biblical principles (1 Timothy 5:17-18), NOT "what I make" and seen as hired by the church

28. Attitudes - unconditional acceptance, NOT conditional acceptance

29. Ultimate Concern - exalting Christ and what God says, NOT our church and what others think

The result of following Biblical principles will be a body built up to maturity and functioning as God intends (Ephesians 4:11-16), NOT having a name that we are alive (New Life Church) but actually being dead (Revelation 3:1b).

(Portions of the above based on a sermon by
Rev. C. Marlin Hardman, Barcroft Bible Church, Arlington, Virginia
on January 12, 1975.)

To the New Life Visions and Belief page