Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
The concept and teaching of the MOTA has no basis at all in the NT. There was a plurality of apostles, a plurality of ministries and a plurality of writers of the NT. The latter indicates that the very structure of the NT refutes the idea of a MOTA.
If anyone today believes that there is an apostle with the same apostolic authority as Paul, Peter, John etc had in the early days of the church then my first question to them would be: Who else? Who else has the same authority as "your" apostle i.e. who is equal in status to him? And my second question would be: Are there any limitations to their authority and if so what are they? Why would I ask these questions? Because in my observation and experience the whole MOTA thing wherever it exists is all about power and who has it and who doesn't. Any church organization such as the LC system that allows one man to have such power is asking for trouble and nobody should be surprised when it shows up! It's unavoidable.
|
My recollection tells me Lee was compared to the apostle Paul over and over again. It got to the point I did not want to read Paul's letters!!
At the same time Lee claimed there were no apostles today. He claimed in God raised a Moses in every age. He did not "believe" in pastors, prophets, evangelists as mentioned in Ephesians. So he assigned "elders" to lead the local assemblies. They evolved into "leading brothers". And then the "blended brothers" took charge of the entire LRC.
For the record, I am not impressed with titles. I believe as the believers mature in Christ Jesus, we take our rightful position in the Body of Christ without man ordaining us into that position.
Always learning, to my knowledge, every organized church has a leader with the power you mentioned. They are called pastors, bishops, evangelists, prophets, apostles. They are called the 5 fold ministry. Some "churches" have them. Most have one or two....at least this is true in my neck of the woods. Oh
Let's not forget the "Drs." in the church. I am not referring to physicians.
Perhaps this is why Nee and Lee steered away from the titles mentioned in Ephesians..only to open up another can of worms, sad to say.