New Wineskin for Supernatural Growth

                                     

 

                                   The Church A Living Organism of the Spirit

An important aspect of Apostolic/Prophetic culture (which was touched on in the previous unit) is that it is organic. God sees His church as a living, growing organism and not as an organisation. Yet, when you look at the church today, we see that much of church life is organised and very little is organic. We must make sure that we are able to recognise the difference between organic and organisational life and know how to apply this as the church is built. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes life into the church. Much of the symbolism used of the Holy Spirit in the Scripture conveys the idea of organic life. Wind is organic and so is rain – we do not organise or engineer these. The wind blows where it pleases and the rain simply falls. Another symbol used is fire. Fire cleanses and it also warms and comforts. Then there is the symbolism of wine (and wineskins). Again this is an organic symbol, as is the new birth spoken of in John 3:3.

Another symbol that is often used is oil. Oil refuels, lubricates and keeps things operating smoothly. When there is a lack of oil things begin to get rough and grind down slowly – they become burdensome and heavy. This can be true in the church corporately, and in our own lives as individuals. Water is another example of this organic symbolism. John 4:14 compares salvation to a well breaking forth within us. In John 7:38 Jesus says that rivers of living water will flow out of our innermost being. Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 20 and 21 speak of a river with trees on both banks, with leaves that are for the healing of the nations. Wherever this river goes, it brings life, organic life.

Characteristics of Organic Life

1. It recognises that some things are only for a season and not forever. We often make the mistake of holding on to things that we enjoy, or that are working, and fail to realise that God only intended them for a season. If this is how we operate, He will eventually move on and we will be left behind. When we are able to see the moves of God and the life of the church as organic, we are able to move when He moves and bear the right fruit in the right season.

2. Organic life catches, embraces and accommodates the momentum of the Holy Spirit. When we live organically, we do not try and organise the Scriptures at every level and interpret and capture them in a legal document. Organisational life, on the other hand, tries to write down everything that is allowed to happen or not allowed to happen and put it into a constitution, or some similar document. If something is only for a season, you cannot bring it into your constitution. What will you do when that season is over and it takes ages to change one article of the constitution? Organic life goes to the Word of God to see what must be done, and then does it. We cannot organise according to constitutions. We must live according to the Word and what God is continually revealing to us.

3. Organic life also recognises that God‟s way is team. We should always work together on what He is doing. Some sow, some water and some reap, but only God gives the increase.

4. Organic life recognises this and there is therefore no competition between those who have different roles. Anyone who is competing with another and is trying to promote himself or herself, has not understood organic life. They may talk and teach Church with their mouths, but they are not living it until they see that the Church is organic and not an organisation. Once we understand organic life, there will be room for every person to play his or her part because the whole team is needed in order to do the work.

5. Organic life recognises that promotion only comes from God. As long as people try to promote themselves they will remain where they are, only God can do the promotions. Where there is organic life there is no one striving to be on top or to be noticed.

6. Organic life also recognises that every subculture that man has developed in the church must both be repented of and broken. There are many of these and they are often expressed in the way we speak, the tone of voice we use when we pray, the words we use.

7. Organic life does not give in to prejudices or fears, which are often only the comfort zones of the people. There are actually very few leaders who do not give in to these. When we do, however,

we move out of the flow of organic life and follow the preferences of the people.

8. Organic life is flexible and it embraces the God-inspired, Spirit-directed ebbs and flows. It seeks for and accommodates the momentum of the Holy Spirit. When we minister, we want to know what the Holy Spirit is doing and move with that. I cannot do that if I give in to the preferences of the people. It is wonderful when it is not only the leaders, but the whole group that is also picking up this flow of the Spirit, when everyone is committed to the organic life of God and listening to the Spirit to see where He will take us next. Everyone in the worship team should be asking this question when they lead. We should be ready, when we see what God is doing, to embrace that, even if it is not what we had originally planned to do. When the model is organic, everything is given to accommodate this flow and is willing to be stretched.

The Apostolic/Prophetic heart yearns for the whole of Gods word to be applied in the Church. It therefore embraces a model that makes room for this; one that never gets bogged down in tradition but is anchored in and dependent on the very life of God Himself. It is this model that enables us to fully embrace a whole-Bible theology of Church and to work that out at every level. Nothing in the Bible and no genuine move of God is overlooked, because we want everything that God has for His Church. An Apostolic/Prophetic model makes way for us to live passionately for God, and to be people who are radical in their expression of His Word and His life.

Pauls Apostolic Heart and Pattern

Studying the book of Acts along with the letters that Paul wrote, one is able to see Pauls apostolic heart and pattern. One must look at the big picture. The pattern for the book of Acts is summarised in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The whole of Acts is laid out according to this pattern. This is also Pauls strategic pattern for ministry. Pauls apostolic heart and vision sets the trend for his apostolic strategy in the book of Acts. Paul had a kingdom vision, i.e., an apostolic vision – a vision not just for himself or for his local church or for his nation, but a vision for the whole body of Christ and for the nations of the world. It is a vision for the church to be the flag of the kingdom, and for people to change the way they live so that they kingdom can come, so that Gods will can be done right here on earth as it is in heaven. It is not done through a hierarchy, through Christians being in power in society and forcing change. It happens as people are born again and submit to Christ the King. For without being born again, we cannot even see the Kingdom (John 3:3).

We now begin to understand much about Paul and his team and how they operated. We understand that apostles appointed elders in the local church (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:5). We also see that local elders, together with the invitation of apostles, appointed men to apostolic teams (Acts 16:1-3; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). We see local leaders (teachers and prophets) sending out people to proclaim the Gospel from the local church (Acts 13:1-3). We must build according to God‟s pattern. Moses was told to build according to God‟s pattern. David was told to build according to God‟s pattern. We, too, must build New Testament churches according to God‟s pattern. God‟s pattern rests on the foundation that New Testament churches are built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, with the Word of God, as it is obeyed in faith. I believe this foundation is also made up of the grace and revelation given to Apostles and Prophets. I am convinced that it is this Apostolic/Prophetic ministry, which is needed in the church today. I believe the hour in which we live demands that we recognise, release and support Apostolic/Prophetic ministries and trans-local teams.