2) House church leaders are first of all people who have committed to living life with Jesus. Secondarily they are pastors of a flock, facilitators of conversation, organizers for justice, and hospitality planners. Given #1, they aren’t teachers in the normal sense of the word, but they do teach others as they model living a life on mission for others to see.

Two (and a half) Questions:

1) Do you utilize informal settings for teaching within the Storyline Community? If so, what does that look like?

2) Describe the role and tasks of your house church leaders.

I must beat you in racquetball…soon.

I just wanted say that I have been witness to and transformed through a move away from the traditional teacher/student model of Bible study.

Without a doubt, we desire to learn more about God’s story and applying it to our lives when we enter into such a study, however, in an “organic” or “grassroots” type environment the objective isn’t to understand the Hebrew root of the original text as much as it is allowing God to reveal what it means to us individually.

I still get embarrassed when I think of my initial experience with leading a House Church gathering. Approaching it in a way that duplicated (poorly, might I add) what I had experienced almost entirely to that point, just flipping the table and placing myself in the “teacher” position. I studied, read commentary, planned, and ultimately looked like a fool at best & an arrogant fool at worst. Even with the best of intentions, one sided teaching seems arrogant when the “teacher” is looking for the same answers as everyone else.

Charles, you along with countless others, have played a part in my view of the teacher/student relationship. Because of great teachers, admitting they are still (& desire to be) students, I have been able to be a student who is open to God’s living Word and whatever He reveals through it. As we gather in His name, stripped, through transparency, of whatever titles are placed on us, each person can become the teacher and/or the student as He allows it to unfold.

Just as He did in our formation group two summers ago, when He controls the gathering, there’s no need to worry about balance. We were all seeking the same thing, understanding. Your theological background allowed you to share things that the rest of us needed, and soaked up. Likewise, everyone else offered the same value in another area. I walked away with a deeper “foundational” knowledge, and you walked away with a better view of the “organic” setting and what may be useful in developing things like the discussions you do now. What I know we all saw though, was that when God is working, we realize we are all students. He just has the ability to make a student the teacher with the perfect timing only He has.

May God continue to bless Storyline and the Kingdom work done in Dallas through you all.

Why not both? I see nothing wrong with advanced theological degrees (heck, I’m getting one right now!) – but what if those who were the learned teachers (whether by seminary or not) who are within the body of congregants taught seminary-type (for lack of a better term) courses (i.e. more rigorous and meaty) – whether that be on Sunday mornings or within their small/community groups/house churches throughout the week? When is the last time you’ve seen a Sunday morning class come out of Grudem’s Systematic Theology book? (just an example) Maybe it is out there more than I realize; but this type of thing could lead to equipping of dozens of people at a time; and if teaching/leading is a gift held by those in the class – then they could be groomed in those areas of leadership then pass along that knowledge of the Scriptures and doctrine and leadership skills to others – bringing a stable and firm foundational message to more and more people outside the “church sphere.” And for those who are truly born again, action will follow that demonstrates their newness. But the lessons to live like Jesus must accompany the rest of the Gospel elements (DeYoung demonstrates how Paul saw it this way here: http://www.revkevindeyoung.com/2009/03/truths-that-transform-doctrines-that_20.html)

Finally, I think it is also important to remember that the Scriptures tell us the Gospel just won’t get to some people no matter how much they hear it. It can be frustrating for teachers/preachers/pastors; but for some the veil remains.

Grace, mercy and peace -

I think you are hitting on some points that need to be heard, not just in the new church plants but also in the existing churches. I have spent the last three years serving as a traditional preacher/pastor and generally the only transformation I see taking place are in the lives of those who have already learned not to be dependent upon the weekly sermon for their growth in the faith (and those that are, seem to only hold on to that which they already like while dismissing what they don’t like).

I believe there is a place for an evangelist, teacher, etc… to help communicate (preach, teach, and more) the scriptures in a way so that Christians grow in a knowledge of scripture rather than a “pooling of ignorance” as well as apply the scriptures in a way that leads to mature transformation. Yet, I am with you. It is time that we explore other grassroot ways of doing this, for the seed of the gospel is a grassroots growth.

Thanks for the post!

Grace and peace,

Rex

You are throwing some great thoughts our way. Thanks for writing about this.

And good technique on modeling confession, Dabbs.

I’ve been chewing on Paul’s statement to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 about entrusting the gospel to others who would be reliable to teach others.

Teachers who reproduce teachers is an inherent idea in this text.

Maybe that’s part of my frustration in the teaching conversation. We don’t reproduce teachers in the same way. Sure we reproduce teachers in seminary contexts, but what about at the congregational level?

(A whole other question is whether seminaries should even be the ones training teachers, or whether it should be more congregationally-based–seminaries are part of the institutionalization of the church, after all.)

We get a gifted teacher/preacher and we want to listen to him forever. I don’t think most teachers think that reproducing themselves in the lives of others is their end goal.

But that very goal — of equipping — is also the central idea of Ephesians 4:11-13 with the big 5 gifts. Teachers exist to equip the church to serve, one element of which would be teaching.

It challenges me, too. I am currently equipping no one to teach, preach at gatherings, or help write curriculum.

Reproducing myself in others helps to keep the church from being dependent upon me as a teacher. Instead they depend on others who are reproducing themselves in still others. It seems that churches could grow and multiply much more quickly in this kind of paradigm than in the one teacher/pastor/minister paradigm.

I believe the early churches were dependent on Paul for accurate instruction all the time. Letters were written to the churches after he had received letters (or word) from them regarding issues and doctrinal matters. Paul also left people in place who would then be in charge of this teaching and leading. I see nothing wrong with this and it brings up the need for authoritative and knowledgeable teaching/teachers. Leaving babies to their own devices with Scripture/doctrine is harmful and unloving. The god of this world loves easy targets.

In regards to the teaching elements you bring up, I do think we can get application from observation and interpretation in probably 90% of the Bible. I fear too much application (at the expense of the others) only feeds what American Christianity (mega- and mini-church) and my own modern/post-modern generation have become; focused on the self and the what-about-me frame of mind (What can God do for me/how can church make me feel/etc.)
I do NOT dismiss application in the slightest, but motivations matter in this regard.

I’m curious as to how a “small-group/community-group” focus in a bigger church differs from the organic focus.

Amen to the relational aspect of a teacher with those he is teaching as well as modeling behavior Alan brought up. Mark Dever in his book “Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel” points to the 4-Ps that carry his ministry – Prayer, Preaching, Personal Relationships, and Patience. One can find much in each of those elements that pertain to this discussion.