40 trends toward transforming the church

FORTY TRENDS TOWARD TRANSFORMING THE CHURCH
Rethinking the Nature and Function of Ekklesia

1. From meeting centered life to Jesus centered life. (Jesus' example was to minister in spontaneous, daily, unplanned situations everywhere, all the time.)
2. From Christianity to Christ. (Not a philosophy, a system, a movement, or a religion, but a person . . . CHRIST IN YOU!)
3. From church houses to house churches. (Simplify to multiply)
4. From upward growth to upward and outward growth. (Both addition and multiplication)
5. From pastor only to five-fold ministries (We need all five of the ministry gifts.)
6. From special priesthood to priesthood of all believers (Bringing God to the people through
your witness and bringing the people to God through your intercession)
7. From organization to organism (Beware! The opposite of hierarchy is anarchy)
8. From weekly worship to constant worship. (Worship is more than singing)
9. From bringing people to church to bringing church to people. (The prayer that ignites. "Father, cause my path to cross the path today of someone who is hungry for you or in need . . . ")
10. From symbolism to substance in the Lord's Supper (Take it often.)
11. From denominations to Spirit-led networks (Identify with the citywide church)
12. From social respectability to SALT & LIGHT (Turn the world upside down)
13. From performance by professionals to I Cor. 14:26. ("Everyone of you has a teaching. . .")
14. From program based to home based church (Liturgical, Evangelical, Informal)
15. From the seminary system to the apprentice system (Simple Bible college)
16. From tenth to total in New Testament giving (generosity with a promise of reward.)
17. From selective submission to total submission (submit to all God-ordained authority)
18. From titles to function ("Call no man teacher, father, rabbi, etc. . . . ")
19. From independence to inter-dependence (connect with the city-wide church for help, strength and wisdom)
20. From paper membership to Body membership (we are members one of another)
21. From the wheel to the vine (releasing teams to plant simple churches in homes)
22. From organizational unity to spiritual unity (there is only one step to unity. . . RECEIVE)
23. From Safeway or Circle K to Safeway and Circle K (embrace all that God embraces)
24. From "Us and them" to "Us" (Refuse to allow a divisive spirit in your fellowship)
25. From planned church only to spontaneous church also. (recognize ekklesia everywhere)
26. From bondage to freedom for women (Acts 2:17-18 , Gal. 3:26-28)
27. From presbytery without the people to presbytery with the people (Acts 15:22)
28. From arbitrary to biblical guidelines for appointing elders (I Tim. 3, Titus 1)
29. From "my pastor" to "my pastors." (teachers, evangelists, apostles, prophets)
30. From raising up leaders to appointing servants. (The ground is flat in the kingdom of God)
31. From local vision to world vision (the three pronged thrust of the church)
32. From building my kingdom to building THE kingdom (Let us help you fulfill your vision.)
33. From wall-wide church to city-wide church. (They filled Jerusalem with their teachings)
34. From fear of stealing sheep to fear of possessing sheep (Acts 20:28-31)
35. From building-centered pastors to people-centered pastors. (Acts 20:28-31)
36. From using the word "church" to using the phrase "the Body of Christ." (Acts 19:32-41)
37. From restricted to unhindered fellowship. ( I am a member of every church in town.)
38. From overwhelming oversight to restful oversight. (tomato plant, fire, starter motor)
39. From lecture type to interactive type Bible study. (The Body ministering to itself in love.)
40. From pyramid to pancake in our understanding of submission to authority. (I am submitted to the King of the Kingdom and to every spiritual authority God sends into my life.)