Eldership

[Peter Debelak]

Originally Posted by YP0534

A practice of personal transdenominationalism, while laudable and interesting, seems particularly irrelevant to the point. That practice essentially guarantees no offices. Can one practice the one and simultaneously advocate that there must be these things? Isn't that at least partly inconsistent not to mention a recipe for disaster among those weaker in the faith?

Peter, you wanted me to agree that there should be a group-by-group freedom and that there should not be an attempt to impose anything on someone else. Please help me understand how you would have the appointed elders expressed in such a fluid environment. (I'm shying away from the term "spiritual authority" at this point because I don't know that verse either.)

I think you realize that my radical working thesis is that we must not have the old Hebrew artifacts among us, but most of the world will insist that we must.

I believe until now I have understood that you have proposed that we should have among us whatever form of "organization" we feel appropriate and not superimpose that upon others. Well, I'm rejecting anything like an organization while at the same time recognizing what the Bible says about elders and apostles, at least, as problematical to maintaining such rejection.

Peter, you've got a soggy piece of Utopian land. And one or two hard-sells at your open house now.

Go for it.

Quick thought in response:

I think there are two conversations going on:

1) What the Bible sets forth, if anything, as the proper structure in the church

2) How we (each individually) respond, today, in an environment where there exists a multitude of structures, many of which are not in obvious violation of Scriptural prescriptions, but which differ greatly nonetheless

They are only somewhat different inquiries.

I was not advocating, per se, that there should be a multitude of structures (so long as they aren't obviously violative of Biblical normatives). I was only suggesting that, so long as there is a multitude - none of which violate the SCriptures - each group should allow latitude to the others.

As far as what the Bible sets forth as what should be, well, I'm still sorting that out...

So, I don't think I'm in disagreement with your radical working thesis as yet...

Peter