We are getting ready to embark on our Parish gatherings this week, and many have been asking “what is Parish?”, and “why are we doing it now?”. What follows is an attempt to address those questions in the context of our local DNA at Emmanuel Covenant Church. These are notes from a Bible study given by Elder Robert Withem on 6/3/2009:
What are ECC Parish gatherings?
- Bi-monthly gatherings, every first and third week of the month
- Families will gather in four parishes, scattered across the greater Phoenix area, and organized geographically for the purpose of community interaction and growth
- We will sing together
- We will pray together
- We will learn together
- We will eat and fellowship together
Why Parish?
1. Community matters:
Q: What sets the Body of Christ apart from the rest of the world? Love for one-another (John 13:35)
Q: What is the direction or trajectory of community? Outward toward the work of spreading and living the good news about Jesus.
Q: What is community? Biblical community is an interdependent group of redeemed people who are growing in their devotion to Christ, one another and the cause of the Gospel.
a. Ephesians 4:1-16 – We here have a beautiful expression from the Apostle Paul of what Biblical community looks like:
- Humility
- Gentleness
- Patience
- Tolerance in love
- Diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace
- One body
- Variety of gifts
- Aims toward maturity
- Has works of service in view
- Results in steadfast faith
- Results in growth and health of the body for the purpose of fulfilling God’s work on earth
b. A practical Biblical example of basic communal life:
- Acts 4:42 – learning, fellowship, eating, and prayer
- Learning and practicing the love of one another
- Living out the gospel together
- Serving in Christ’s kingdom together
- Suffering in Christ’s kingdom together (Gal. 6:2)
Parish is intended to place us together intentionally in community so that we can learn to practice the sorts of things Paul talks about in Ephesians 4. So that we can learn to pray for one another, so that we can more consistently bear one-another,s burdens, encouraging one another and sharpening one another.
2. Discipleship matters:
Q: What is discipleship?
“…a process that takes place within accountable relationships over a period of time for the purpose of bringing believers to spiritual maturity in Christ. Biblical examples suggest that discipleship is both relational and intentional, both a position and a process”
~ Robert Weber, Ancient-Future Evangelism
a. Elders as shepherds or ones who disciple – elders need to be among the flock in purposeful and effective ways
- “Shepherd the flock of God AMONG you…” I Peter 5:1,2
- Colossians 1:25-29 “present every man perfect in Christ”
b. The congregation as ones who disciple – we disciple one-another as we live in community. We are called Biblically to sharpen one-another, rebuke, exhort and encourage one-another, and point each other to Jesus Christ through and in the triumphs and trials of life.
c. Making disciples that make disciples – as disciples are made and brought unto maturity in Christ, the goal is that they will in turn become engaged in Christian vocation and calling, both in the church, and outside. Older saints disciple younger saints, who then themselves disciple others as they are brought to maturity in their faith.
Parish gives us a means to disciple the many different people and households God has blessed us with. It places elders among the flock in intentional ways, and allows for the raising up of new leaders to serve the church and make new disciples of Jesus. It encourages Christians to disciple one-another through living life together and bearing burdens. It creates entrance points for non-believers to get to know Christ by being among His body, and we pray it will lead to conversions of individuals and households from darkness to light, from those spiritually dead, to living disciples of Jesus Christ.
3. Mission matters:
Q: What is the mission of the Church? To glorify God and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)
Q: What does this mean, and how do we accomplish it?
a. In many ways the Great Commission is like the initial mandate of God to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, taking dominion. God has given the earth to Jesus, and His new people are to inhabit it, mine its resources and take dominion of it for the sake of the King. We are to work toward the worship of Jesus, extending his reign of justice, mercy, and truth to the ends of the earth. This starts for us in our church and in our neighborhoods and city.
b. How can we begin? The local body must learn to work together for the sake of the world.
Congregations must shift from existing as entities that worship for their own sake and improvement, to entities that worship for the sake of their city and the world.
Think for a moment: How did Jesus spend His time? A deep spiritual life and a life of service and sacrifice.
Healthy Christian community is a means toward the accomplishing of Jesus, mission for the Church – the discipling of the nations! We are not here to merely better ourselves and receive and hoard God’s blessings. We exist for the sake of the world, following Christ’s example of humble service, healing, feeding, teaching, and suffering for the sake of others. Only the new humanity can do this, and only the new humanity can bring the love of Christ to bear on dying cities, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Ghost.
Parish gives us an entrance into this world as a church. It gives us connecting points with our neighborhoods and communities, and avenues for service, evangelism, and expression of Christian love in real ways.