Guidelines for Inter-Church Cooperation, Part 1

Introduction to Trinity Baptist Church's Missions Policy

0:00 This Adult Sunday School class was held on July 16, 1989, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. After an extended series of studies on God's covenants under the leadership of Pastor Nichols, we began several weeks ago to consider together in our adult class the missions policy of Trinity Baptist Church. And let me diagram precisely what we are studying. It was the judgment of your elders that having labored with an unofficially stated missions policy from the very inception of the Church,

0:43 and having come to some articulation of that policy on our elders' retreat in February of 87, that the time had come to spell out that policy in its present dimensions to you as the Lord's people. And so what we have attempted to do in the formulation of this policy is to go to the scriptures, and from the scriptures to extract those abiding and changeless precepts and principles with reference to the subject of missions, and then to see their specific application to Trinity Baptist Church. And believing, as we do in our form of Church government,

1:26 that though we must maintain openness and sympathy and cooperation church universal, that Jesus Christ the Lord stands in the exercise of his lordship directly over each assembly, exercising his rule by his word and his established oversight, we are not pontificating the missions policy of the church universal, but rather seeking to set forth how we presently understand our responsibilities and the most biblical way to discharge those responsibilities as an individual congregation.

2:07 Now certainly some of the precepts and principles are universal in their application wherever there is a sensitivity to biblical norms, but just as we see in the New Testament that the outworking of the mission responsibility or missionary responsibility of the apostolic churches, no two churches were the same in the precise involvement. So in this age, when we have just the writings of apostles and prophets and the inspired penmen to guide us, we do not expect that there will be wooden and artificial uniformity

2:45 in every specific local church in the outworking of the abiding principles and precepts of the word of God. So we must constantly tell ourselves our subject is not missions, policies, generically but the missions policy of Trinity Baptist Church specifically. And after a four-fold introduction to the subject, I stated that our aim would be to examine seven aspects or categories of our missions policy. Thus far we've covered two of them.

Review of Previous Studies: Primary Tasks and Authorization for Missions

3:23 First of all, we considered the identity of the primary tasks involved in the work of missions. And the watershed passage. This passage summarizes better than any other portion of the word of God, the primary tasks of the missionary endeavor, not the exclusive, but the primary tasks, is the Acts 14, 21 to 23 passage. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom

4:06 of God. When they had appointed for them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed. And with this passage before us, we discovered together that the three primary tasks involved in the work of missions were the making of disciples by preaching, the strengthening of believers. The organizing of those believers into churches.

4:34 And then the securing of competent, resident leadership. They appointed for them elders in every church. And then the second major category that we've examined together is the authorization and warrant for our undertaking and overseeing the work of missions. What warrant does Trinity Baptist Church have to undertake this work?

5:01 work involve primarily in making disciples by preaching to the ends of the earth, strengthening believers in organizing churches, and seeking to secure permanent biblically qualified leadership for the churches, what warrant and authorization do we as a church have to be involved directly in this task? As you know, there are many in our day that say that's the task of the parachurch organization, the faith mission board, or the denominational mission board. There is some agent or agency out here that should take care of that, and the role of

5:41 the church is merely supportive of those agents. And so we sought to ask and answer from the word of God that question, what authorization and warrant do we have for undertaking and overseeing the work of missions? And after looking at four...

5:58 Four major groups of biblical texts, we came to these two fundamental conclusions at the end of our study last week. The first was this. If the church is the only authorized agent to do the work of missions, and Christ has promised to build his church and to be with her to the end of the age, then our authority and warrant for doing the work of missions as a church rests upon Christ's authority. Christ's provision and the promise of Christ's presence. And our time ran out as I was saying

6:37 that that conclusion was not novel, but is one that others have come to in the past history of the church. And I very hastily tried to quote several statements of James Henry Thornwell, who wrestled with this issue in his own day within the Presbyterian denomination. And I have...

6:58 I have... I have...

6:58 isolated three of the many other quotes that I had hoped to read to you last week, and in our review I will simply read them without comment. Thornwell writes on page 158 and 159 of volume four, in which ecclesiastical matters are discussed, it appears to us that this whole system, and he's talking about the system of having boards to accomplish the work of missions made up of men who are not designated by biblical titles or under biblical guidelines for their functioning, it appears to us that this whole system involves an abandonment of the great

7:43 principle that it is the duty of the church as such in her ecclesiastical capacity to conduct every department of the work which the Savior has committed to her. To this principle, the Presbyterian church is pledged, and I say to this principle, Trinity Baptist Church as a congregation is pledged. For this principle, she earnestly contended through years of darkness, anxiety, and apprehension. In this contest, we participated heartily and warmly according to the measure of grace which was given us. In other words, this was a conviction

8:24 for which Thornwell was willing to enter into. To ecclesiastical jousting in the name of God's truth and the rights of Jesus Christ within his own denomination. And he says we can see no reason for abandoning it when victory is now within our reach. And then he quotes from the assembly of 1837 and its decision on this matter.

8:50 We believe, said the assembly of 1837 in her circular letter to all sister churches, that if there be any departments of Christian effort to which the church of Christ is bound in her appropriate character to direct her attention and her unwearied labors, they are those which relate to the training of her sons for the holy ministry and sending the gospel to those who have it not and planting churches in the dark and destitute portions of the earth. End quote. Here the obligation of the church in her appropriate character is distinctly admitted

9:34 and given as one reason for rebuking the various voluntary associations which, without any warrant from God, had taken these matters into their own hands. A great man with a great vision and a great heart establishes a mission board. And he says the greatness of vision and heart is the greatest of all. The great man with a great heart and stature does not in any way justify indifference to the warrant of Christ that this task is to be carried on by the church. One other quote, page 160 and 161.

10:12 The duties of the church are duties which rest upon her by authority of God. He has given her the organization which she possesses for the purpose of discharging these duties. She can throw them off upon others than a man can delegate to his neighbor the care of his own family and abandon himself to idleness and ease. And then Thornwell goes on in seven, six or seven other places to make similar strong statements. And some months ago there was a statement of the

10:50 biblical directives for foreign mission policy from a Reverend Ronald Christie. And I made this available to the men in the academy. And this is from the monthly record, the denominational magazine of the denomination with which Mr. Roberts is connected. And in this second article, he summarizes the whole thrust of

11:12 his first article. Foreign missions are to be conducted as a church for the church. We have to do everything within the context of an organized body of diverse elements and all our policy has to be directed to the goal of establishing such churches. So that was the first conclusion to which we came with reference to the question. What authorization

11:38 and warrant do we have to undertake this work? And the second was this strong established churches with multi gifted leadership have a peculiar stewardship in the undertaking and overseeing of missionary endeavors. established churches with multi-gifted leadership have a peculiar stewardship in the undertaking and overseeing of missionary endeavors. And we saw in the scriptures that there was a unique deposit of gift in the church at Antioch, in the church at Jerusalem. Later on, the strength of

12:22 the church at Rome caused Paul to look upon it as the place from which he would launch a new missionary endeavor into Spain. And so Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, and in many ways Philippi, have a unique missionary involvement in the New Testament. There was rich deposit of gift, generous provision of funds, Acts 11, 27 to 30, Philippians chapter 4, and well-grounded, stable, churches, Acts 11, 21 to 26. Well, so much for that review. We come to take up this morning

The Practice of Inter-Church Cooperation in Missions: Introduction to the Third Pillar

13:00 the third of our seven pillars of our present missionary policy. And the subject that we will be concerned with is this, the practice of inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. We recognize that though we have a distinct identity and responsibility, that there are other churches of like faith and order who adopt the same confession, who are committed to the same perspectives, and that beyond that there are other true churches that may not be precisely of the same faith and order, that are nonetheless true churches of Christ with

13:45 a missionary perspective and vision and burden. And so we want to wrestle with the question of the practice of inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. And so we want to wrestle with the practice of inter-church cooperation in the fulfillment of our own individual responsibility in the work of missions. And the basic concern of this aspect of our missions policy can be brought into focus by three questions. Number one, to what extent did the churches cooperate in the work of

14:16 missions in the apostolic age? To what extent, as we look at the records in the New Testament, to what extent did the churches cooperate in the work of missions in the apostolic age? Our concern focuses upon a second question. Given the major factor that there are no more living apostles, to what extent should churches now cooperate in the work of missions? Without living

14:45 apostles to direct the missionary enterprise, including the cooperation of churches, to what extent should we cooperate in the work of missions? To what extent should we cooperate in the work of missions? And third, how should this cooperation be implemented and expressed? What are the precise channels and manifestations of this cooperation? Now, in seeking to address the issue, we'll

15:12 consider seven different categories of biblical data, seeking to extract the abiding principle in each category, just as we did last week. And remember, we are concerned in our precise focus of interest with inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. So all of these groupings of texts say something about the question of cooperation among the churches in the work of missions. So put on that set of glasses that will filter out everything else in these passages, because they say many things about missions. And put on the

Principle 1: Consciously Fostering Communication Among Churches

15:52 glasses, which see only one thing in the passage, which is that there are many things about missions, passages any light shed on the question of inter-church cooperation. All right, group number one, turn please to Acts chapter 15. Group number one, Acts chapter 15, and I shall read verses one to four in your hearing. Acts 15.1. And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren,

16:21 saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension in questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. Now listen very carefully to verse three. They therefore being brought on their way by the church, that is, the church at Antioch.

16:52 Passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them. Now you'll notice in my reading I've emphasized certain things. Turn to chapter 11 of the book of Acts, and beginning with

17:30 verse 19 through 22. They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. And there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in

18:13 Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch. And now chapter 14 and verse 27. 1427.

18:32 Well, we should back up to verse 25. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Atalia, and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith. unto the Gentiles. Now, the question is this. What is the major principle or apostolic precedent

19:11 set forth in these texts with reference to the question of cooperation among the churches in the work of missions? What is the umbilical cord that ties these passages together? Why did I select these passages? What is their common denominator? Anyone think?

19:33 That he sees it? If so, raise your hand and make a stab at it. All right, Nate. Write the proclamation to one another of what God was doing among them. Someone else had his hand raised. All right,

19:54 Alan. All right. They notified all of the congregations. And what was the last? All right.

20:08 They brought it before all of the church. They didn't just select certain individuals. All right. Someone else want to add or subtract or alter, amplify?

20:19 Our brethren, I believe we're in the right ballpark. We may not be exactly standing on home plate, but all right. Anyone else? All right. Let me suggest that I have chosen these passages because I think

20:34 more than any others, they answer the question, what was the nature of cooperation among the churches in this way? Communication among the churches concerning missions was consciously conscious. Consciously fostered. Communication among the churches concerning missions was consciously fostered. You see, the Acts 15 passage begins with a statement concerning the primary mission

21:09 of these brethren chosen by the church at Antioch to go up to Jerusalem concerning this agitated question of whether or not circumcision was possible. The circumcision was necessary as an imposition upon Gentile believers. That's the main subject of the passage. And it says, verse 2, that when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas and certain others should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. So they had a primary burden laid upon

21:48 them. Go to Jerusalem. And seek where the apostles were all gathered. Seek there at the seat of New Testament authority, the apostles as the official representatives of Christ with unique office and authority, et cetera, as we've already considered, and bring this to a resolution. There's no indication that

22:10 they were commissioned along the way to give missionary reports to the churches. But the record is that that's precisely what they did. They, therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, not declaring the problems at Antioch. Now, they may have done that. But that is not where the emphasis falls in

22:34 the Spirit-inspired record of Dr. Luke. The emphasis falls upon the fact that in going from Antioch down to Jerusalem, as they passed along the way, whenever they had a stopover at a given congregation, They gave a missions report declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. Here was a conscious fostering of communication among the churches with reference to the work of missions.

23:12 And you'll notice that that was the same emphasis in the Acts 11 passage. God did an amazing thing. Some unofficially commissioned brethren who were part of the dispersion that occurred on the occasion of the persecution of Stephen did a very bold thing. They began to preach the word not only to Jews but to Greeks and lo and behold God marvelously worked.

23:39 There was a great movement of the spirit and then we read verse 22 and the report concerning them came to the ear. Now who was the tongue to bring the report to the ears of the church we do not know. But there's no indication that the report came by angelic visitation by direct revelation someone was concerned to foster a climate of communication apprising the brethren down in Jerusalem of that which God had done for the spread of the gospel.

24:18 And the gathering of the people at Antioch so there you see is the common denominator and then of course in the chapter 14 passage we have Paul and Barnabas returning to Antioch the church that had sent them forth to their task and they come back and what do they do they don't just come back for a holiday for a time of R&R. But the first thing that they did.

24:49 The emphasis falls upon gathering the church together and rehearsing all things that God had done with them and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles. Here was a deliberate primacy of concern to foster this communication with respect to missions.

25:16 Now my question is this. Does this foster. Storing of communication among the churches require the unique office authority and gifts of an apostle is there anything about such fostering of communication that requires the unique office gifts and authority of an apostle that's a real question waiting for real hands to make real answers all right George. No.

25:52 You sound rather emphatic. He who asserts must prove.

26:01 Yes. We don't have an apostle coming back. All right. So you would say we can argue by necessary inference that if the apostolic voice were essential we would find either a universal statement of that fact in the record or something that mandated it.

26:32 But the very fact that there is just a generic description of a report. And that's what I'm trying to say is that if the apostolic voice came to the ears we'd be hard pressed to say that this was a unique apostolic function very good how many of you agree with that kind of reasoning how many of you don't agree the rest of you're playing it safe all right okay no and I believe we would say that that is valid reasoning and there's nothing in the nature of reporting that requires unique apostolic gifts authority or office. Yes.

27:07 Because remember the Lord Jesus promised to be with his church to the consummation of the age to build his church in such a way that the gates of hell would not prevail against it it would be a conquering expanding church and the principle then of communication among the churches being fostered by reporting from those who have observed what God has done is embodied in these passages and this is why in our missions policy.

27:37 Whenever we have a missionary among us this class is given over to that missionary and not given over for him to preach to us not given over for any other primary purpose than to do what to report the things that God is doing through his labors not as a springboard to beg for money but as a bona fide attempt to encourage us and to strengthen our faith and to elicit praise for that which God has done.

Principle 2: Seeking Counsel and Direction from Established Churches

28:08 God is doing to fulfill the promises made to his son in the messianic covenant to fulfill the marvelous promises of the Abrahamic covenant and as we have seen the marvelous interrelationship between God's covenants and the work of missions all right second grouping of texts and remember now one issue we put on our glasses that only see one thing principles of communication all right we're going back to the acts 15 passage. With a little different.

28:39 Emphasis and I'll try to highlight it in the way I read the passage and certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren saying except to be circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved and when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension in questioning with them they appointed that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem on to the apostles and elders.

29:10 About this question and then chapter 16 and verse 4 and as they went on their way through the cities they delivered them the decree to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem so the churches were strengthened in their faith and increased in number daily.

29:41 Now what kind of interchurch communication is involved in the passages read in your hearing what's the general description of the communication that went on with the church at Antioch in the church down in Jerusalem was it reporting was it seeking counsel what was it all right all right the word all right the issue of the thing was ultimately a decree going forth from the apostles with their unique.

30:26 Responsibility and authority as the universal representatives are representatives of Christ for the universal church but it began in what kind of a context it was a communication in which one church was seeking what of another church what's the word we want counsel and directive now because the council was apostolic it had an authority that the council of any other given church in our day will not have but I believe we can see.

30:57 At least this general principle that counsel was sought from a more established church in a matter of doctrinal difficulty in the midst of a missionary situation here in that missionary situation at Antioch there appeared some teachers and they said oh we've come from Judea we've come from these guys and therefore we have the approval of these men for what we're saying up here well what they were saying.

31:28 Was causing tremendous disruption in the church and after seeking to thrash it out and not coming to a resolution the church selected certain brethren probably men who had already begun to manifest unusual spiritual discernment and stature and level headedness that they should with Paul and his companion go to Jerusalem because there in Jerusalem was this strong established church all of the apostles.

31:58 Were at that time residing in Jerusalem except the apostle Paul and it was a church that had elders plural in addition to the apostles it was a well established church with a permanent residence spiritually qualified leadership and the principle there though there's much more involved in it is that here we have in a missionary situation a younger less established church seeking counsel and direction for.

32:28 A more established richly gifted church there in Jerusalem and as Norman has pointed out because the apostles were there a decree was actually sent for which was to regulate the life of the churches for a period of time in this very difficult transition period and we see later on in the epistles that even parts of this decree are lessened in their impingement upon the life of the church.

32:58 The churches certainly not the matter of abstaining from fornication but several of the other items and so the principle that appears to be present is that with reference to the question what kind of interchurch communication should there be in the work of missions not only should communication be consciously fostered but counsel and advice and at times perhaps.

33:28 Submitting to the judgment of men in so far as that judgment convinces the consciences of those who seek it as it's based upon the word of God that there is to be a communication among the churches that involves less established weaker newer churches seeking counsel from older well established more richly gifted churches.

33:58 Now you see the implications that has for our missions policy that as we wrestle with things that we have not faced before we do not simply as an eldership hold up with God in our Bibles as though we're the first ones who ever wrestled with that particular problem. Why do I continually read missionary bulletins and magazines from faith missions denominational missions articles on missions that occur in the church.

34:28 In a denomination across the ocean for what purpose that counts may be continually sought from those who have been at this task longer than we have been who are more experienced and that principle must always be present in our missionary endeavors and we can bring to bear upon it the entire teaching of the book of Proverbs with regard to the matter of the wisdom involved in seeking counsel in the multitude of counselors.

Principle 3: Flexible Financial and Spiritual Support Under Holy Spirit's Superintendence

34:58 There is wisdom he that separates himself seeks his own desire and rages against all sound wisdom we are told in the book of Proverbs all right let's look at group number three as we continue to keep on the same set of glasses interchurch cooperation in missions now we turn to Acts 13 and try to find the common denominator verse one now there were at Antioch in the church that was there.

35:35 Prophets and teachers Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Menaean the foster brother of Herod the Tetrarch and Saul and as they ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Spirit said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them then when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them they sent them away. So they.

36:06 Being sent forth by the Holy Spirit went down to Seleucia and from thence they sailed to Cyprus now chapter 14 verses 27 and 28 chapter 14 verses 27 and 28 when they were common it gathered the church together they rehearsed all things that God had done with them and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles and they tarried no little time.

36:42 With the disciples I'm sorry I should have read verse 26 as well and thence they sailed to Antioch from whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they have fulfilled and when they were calm they gathered the church etc. Now Romans 15 at this point you may not see any common denominator I hope the reading of this passage will bring it into focus Romans 15 beginning with verse 18. Romans 15.

37:15 For I will not dare to speak of anything save those which Christ brought through me for the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed in the power of signs and wonders in the power of the Holy Spirit so that from Jerusalem and round about even till Lyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea making it my aim so to preach the gospel not where Christ was.

37:45 Already named that I might not build upon another man's foundation but as it is written they shall see to whom no tidings of him came and they who have not heard shall understand wherefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you but now having no more any place in these regions and having these many years a longing to come to you when so ever I go on to Spain.

38:15 For I hope to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thither word by you if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company but now I say I go to Jerusalem ministering unto the saints. And then Philippians chapter 4 and if you're just beginning to see a fuzzy outline of the principle I hope the lens will turn a bit more.

38:49 And the line will become sharper Philippians chapter 4 and verse 14 how be it he did well that you had fellowship with my affliction and you yourselves also know you Philippians that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but he only for even in Thessalonica.

39:19 He sent once and again to my need question what is the principle or the issue or the concern binding these passages together as they relate to the matter of cooperation among the churches in doing the work of missions did the lens get turned far enough for anyone yes Bill and how does that relate to the concept.

40:17 Of cooperation among the churches that would seem to be a focus upon the warrant of an individual church to recognize a gift of Christ to be sent for and its responsibility to commit itself to supporting that man in sending him but it's that part that you haven't addressed you've said there was one church that took the lead in the recognition and the sending but now our concern is cooperation among missions. And.

41:02 And what do these passages teach about that do they teach anything all right Gabe good I think we're beginning to have the lens come into focus someone else all right Nate.

41:57 I'm going to share the resources. All right whatever cooperation was manifested among the churches who was superintending it. Some denominational.

42:24 Executives sending out Madison Avenue technique manipulative letters now who was doing the superintendent Holy Spirit excellent point I didn't have written in my answer but it's there in the passages very clearly I think Gabe's comments have begun to zero in on on the great principle that is vital in all of this anyone else think they say well I'm sure if we fished long enough we get it but when we do that then our time gets away from us. But now look at the situation.

42:56 What church originally was the church through whom the Holy Spirit sent forth the Apostle Paul and his companion Barnabas which church the church at Antioch all right now is there any explicit statement that the church at Antioch sent him forth with a bag of money and a duffel bag full of dried foods is there any explicit reference that they were supporting him financially in the passage.

43:26 Yes or no no I don't think we see any explicit reference we might imply that since the Holy Spirit was pleased to commission them and send them forth but we'll see other factors in another grouping of passages that were peculiar especially to Paul that often he was financially independent and that for judicious reasons as we shall see but no explicit reference but we do find later on that the Philippian church concerning the

43:56 in which nothing is said in terms of them having any unique place in the operation of the Holy Spirit in setting the Apostle Paul apart for his God given task yet they were the only church that in this new missionary thrust had fellowship with him in the matter of giving now what does that tell us even with Apostles cooperation at the financial level was what was

44:26 what one word yeah okay yeah all right if an Apostle says you only had fellowship with me and did not coerce the other churches then I think it contains some very vital principles that lock into this whole matter of the dynamics of the Holy Spirit in the missionary enterprise at the most mundane level of financial support and has worlds to teach us

45:04 concerning that matter and yet later on the Antioch was the original quote sending church and did Paul and Barnabas feel some accountability to that church according to the Acts 14 passage they came back and rehearsed spent no little time with them now as he envisions a further thrust of the gospel into Spain he envisions changing his base of operation from Antioch to where to Rome and that is who you are and designate through Isaiah and designate through Jeremiah does he entstea and center expect that Rome's going to help underwrite this? What words indicate, what words are indicative of Paul's expectation that they were going to underwrite the financial involvement or the

45:48 financial expense of this new enterprise? Chuck? Yes, notice that language in Romans chapter 15. He said, I hope, verse 24, I hope to see you in my journey, and chapter 1 indicates what he meant by see you, not just look at them and tip his hat and say, hi, fellas, now give me your stuff.

46:13 No, he said, I want to enter into a relationship long enough and deep enough for mutual strengthening of each other's faith. I want to impart something to you. I hope to receive something from you that will enrich me. And after a meaningful relationship was established, established, not just one in which he came by with his bag and begged and had some shekels plucked in and went on his way with no meaningful interaction. You see what that says about

46:43 the modern evangelical notion of missions? You have a big map up on the board with 50 lights where $50 a month is sent to 50 different missions whose accountability is to the faith mission board with whom the church has no meaningful personal knowledge and interaction. And they said, we have a large worldwide missionary vision. Now, do you see why we have committed ourselves to looking for men in our own ranks or those from our sister churches who are proven men and getting some in-depth knowledge? Why we had Pastor Vader and his family back

47:21 for five weeks, much of the time spent here? You think that was just, well, that's just something we did. We had a lot of time. We had a lot of time.

47:27 We had a little money. We were looking around saying, how can we spend it? Oh, that might be nice. Throw a little down at the Vaders.

47:32 No, no. This is the principle, that if God has sovereignly brought us into a place where we now have a level of responsibility to the Vaders, whose base of missionary support and interest has shifted from a church that was once strong enough to bear it and then became weak, the Paradise Church, to where now, having sought our oversight and help, we are now in a place where we have a responsibility to form a climate where there is real, intimate, personal knowledge that goes with the sending them on their way. And those are the biblical principles that have been operative in the thinking of your elders, that these things

48:15 are not done because it seemed nice to do, but they're done out of the conviction that here we have some abiding principles that influence the matter of cooperation among the church. So, in answer to the question, what seems to be the clear principle binding these witnesses together, I have in my notes, there are really two strands. Number one, financial support was not limited to one congregation. That's clear. Financial support was not limited to

48:47 one congregation. And Paul speaks in another place, I robbed the other churches while I was with you. Churches, plural. So, financial support was not limited to one congregation. Therefore, it's evident that

49:03 there was cooperation in the matter of collection of funds for the support of the missionary endeavor. And secondly, the fundamental base of support and the operational base could shift. It shifted with Paul from Antioch to Rome, so there must be a sense of fluidity between the two. And the second point is, as Paul said, the spiritual support is not limited to one congregation.

49:27 It's a sense of having a sense of hanging loose under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit, who is the great executor of the will of Christ, the head of the church. And we must never get so locked in to what we've done because we've done it that it becomes equal to scripture and its authority simply because we've done it, because we've done it, because we've done it. We become de facto Romanists then. We have a second court of authority, namely tradition. Well, our time is gone and we got to only, what, the first

Homework Assignment and Concluding Prayer

50:03 three groupings. I thought we might get through four. But let me give you one homework assignment and then hopefully you'll be able to think ahead when we come to the fourth grouping and what it says concerning the matter of cooperation among the churches. A very pivotal passage. It's 2 Corinthians 8, 18 and 19

50:26 and the question we'll take up at the beginning of the class next week God willing is what is the evident precedent which is illustrated by this text what is the evident precedent which is illustrated by this text and remember that's under the general concern of cooperation among the churches 2 Corinthians 8, 18 and 19 and God willing next week then we'll get through if you're thinking ahead we should be able to nail down number four very quickly it's just two verses and then complete five, six and seven now we'll hold off our conclusion as well until we've looked at all of the data

51:10 well let us pray and ask God to write his word upon our hearts and to give us grace and wisdom to know how these principles of the word of God should continue to be worked out in our life together as a church as we seek to give ourselves more and more to the work of missions as mandated by the Lord Jesus let us pray our Father we are so thankful that you have given to us your holy and infallible word and we do believe that it is the soul and the sufficient room of faith and of practice and we pray that you would grant us

51:54 the spirit of illumination for while we acknowledge your word to be infallible we acknowledge that our judgment is so prone to error and to distortion and we cry to you that we may be given understanding to hold to the balance of scripture as we give ourselves more and more to the work of seeing disciples made among all the nations by preaching and seeing those disciples gathered into churches and made strong by the teaching of the word and seeing those disciples being those assemblies blessed with your gifts of pastors and teachers to shepherd them

52:39 and to be the resident spiritual leaders oh God continue to give us light we thank you for this fresh reminder of the superintendence of the Holy Spirit in all of the missionary enterprise and oh how we ask that we may honor him that we may not grieve him that we may not seek to replace him by human machinery oh God look down in mercy upon your church so many parts of which operate with principles and by methods and by means and resources that have no relationship to the work of the Spirit oh our God

53:22 have mercy upon us and if in any way we are ignoring the Spirit grieving him quenching him show us our sin and lead us to the better way hear our prayer receive our thanks for your presence with us and continue with us through this your special day we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen