Taking Responsibility (2) Key Problems

The following table shows some important differences between the New Testament church and the Modern Church Model.

New Testament Church	Modern Church Model
Jesus took his disciples on the road with him and showed them what to do. He got them started.	Pastors tell people to come to church where they sit and listen to a preacher telling them what to do. This encourages passive observation. People only stand up to worship.
Worship is a response to victory	Worship has become the main event (due to a false belief that worship releases victory). Vigorous worship has become a substitute for victory.
Churches are led by a group of elders who submit to each other. Their different ascension gifts complement each other.	The church is led by a senior pastor. The other ascension gifts do not fit easily.
An elder watches over each new believer to ensure that they grow and are released into their ministry.	Pastors dominate, but there is very little shepherding, so the church is full of emotional and physical pain
New believers are taught to listen to the Holy Spirit and obey him. Once they can do that, they just need watching from a distance.	New believers are put on a program.
Elders replicate their ministries in those they are watching over. An evangelist releases evangelists. A prophet releases prophets. Multiplication of churches creates a need for a continuous supply of new leaders.	There is no pathway to ministry, because all the good roles are taken by people who are not going anywhere. Becoming a pastor takes years of training.
Growing churches multiply by sending out apostles to take new territory in a different neighbourhood.	Churches grow by getting bigger, which requires more paid administrative staff.
The best people are sent as apostles.	The church has no role for apostles. Apostle has become a title for a super-pastor.
Jesus disciples carried the Holy Spirit into the world. The world could see people being healed and demons being cast out.	Pastors assume that the Holy Spirit can do most of what he wants to do in the church, usually at the front of the meeting (mostly by the pastor or visiting speaker).
Things happen when people go to where the Holy Spirit is moving	Things are expected to happen when a visiting speaker is in town.
People see the things being done and choose to follow him.	Often nothing happens, because the gift of healing and the authority to cast out demons is primarily for the lost, not the church. Christians take offence at God because they feel that he has let them down.
Followers of Jesus gathered together in one place to take territory for him.	The modern church is not interested in territory. Followers of Jesus are scattered through enemy territory, where life is tough.
Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is near.	Kingdom has become an adjective attached to whatever the church does: kingdom conference, kingdom leadership.

You can quibble about some of these points, but the fact remains. What the modern church is doing is not working. Turning the situation around will need a radical change in the way that it operates. More of the same will not crack the problem.