In Search of Church: A Journey, Not a Destination

Circle of Friends: Towards An Eclectic and Everyday Ecclesiology

(page 3 of 13)

Finally, there are the idealistic Restorationists, who come in different "flavours". One group contends that in order for the Church to be effective, it must restore the pivotal role of the Apostle for today. Peter Wagner is perhaps the best known champion of this viewpoint. Some of the books that promote this "New Apostolic Movement" include:

• C. Peter Wagner (Editor), The New Apostolic Churches
• John Eckhardt, Moving in the Apostolic
• David Cannistraci, Apostles and the Emerging Apostolic Movement
• Hector Torres, The Restoration Of The Apostles & Prophets And How It Will Revolutionize Ministry In The 21st Century

I personally find much of their argumentation unpersuasive, and see some dangerous precedents at the practical level. However, I have neither the time or interest to pursue this any further.

The other group calls for a return to NT church practice, and is often associated with house churches. (Historically, we can also consider the so-called Restoration Movement, which eventually resulted in groups such as the Churches of Christ, the Christian Churches, and the Disciples of Christ denominations. See Jon Zen's helpful analysis in "Desiring Unity, Finding Division", Searching Together 15:3,4.) Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a homogeneous "House Church Movement", and that it is not just another form of small groups. I am using the term to refer to a local body of believers (typically numbering no more than 30) who meet as a fully functioning church in a home. As I have some actual experience with "house churches", I will offer some of my insights as to the pros and cons of church life in a home setting.

While meeting in an informal home setting can help to break down artifical barriers commonly found in a more "institutional" setting, and while meeting in a home helps remind us that the church is a family, there is no inherent advantage per se in meeting in a house as opposed to a rented gym or dedicated church building. (Though some would argue for better stewardship because of much lower overhead.) There is no guarantee that just meeting as a church in a house will automatically bring about intimate fellowship.

In a nutshell, the NT restorationists argue that modern "institutional" churches have deviated from the NT "pattern" in the following areas:

15 Theses for A New Reformation
The Traditional Church vs. The NT Church
(of course, over time, zealous restorationists often become staunch traditionalists!)

We can summarize these differences and disagreements by looking briefly at the the 6 P's that characterize most churches: Place, Professionals, Preaching, Programs, Performances, and Pews. (Note: the larger argument is whether apostolic church practices in the NT should be viewed as descriptive or prescriptive. This is an important issue, but one that I'm not able to address right now.)