Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

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Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

(1) The question: “How do you start new churches?” The answer : “Do you have a Baptist church in your village?” If they respond predictably with, ‘ What is a Baptist church?’ she replies, ‘Next week we will come and tell you about it,’” p. 73. (2) Garrison downplays this denominationalist approach as merely a way of “improving chances of getting an invitation to come and explain!”, p. 73. (3) Central committee members would then come to the unreached village sharing the testimony of Jesus. What was the evangelistic appeal? “ Would you like to have a Baptist church in your village? ”

e. Note: the welcoming of Jesus into the village was simultaneous and synonymous with having a Baptist church in their village ! (Sounds like Cyprian Cambodian style!)

III. Dynamic Church Planting Movements Embody and Defend Both the Canonical Scriptures and the Great Tradition

Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord: men who are meek, not lovers of money, truthful, and tested; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Do not despise them, therefore, for they are your honored ones, together with the prophets and teachers.

~ Didache (circa 80-140, E), 7.381. (David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, pp. 381.)

It is within the power of all, therefore, in every church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world. And we are in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the churches, and the succession of these men to our own times. . . . For if the apostles had known hidden mysteries . . . they would have delivered them especially to those to whom they were also committing the churches themselves. For they were desirous