We were all baptised by one Spirit into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free— and we were all given the one Spirit to drink
1 Cor 12:13
We live in an individualistic age, especially those of us who live or who are deeply influenced by the Western world. Sometimes, therefore, Christians think that what matters is my personal belief in Christ, what I believe in my heart. Hence, it is said, “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.”
However, this is to misunderstand the basic nature of Christianity as taught in Scripture. Of course individual, heart belief is crucial. Without it there is no salvation. But Christianity is essentially corporate. When we come to faith in Christ the Holy Spirit incorporates us into the worldwide body of Christ, the church.
So the answer to the statement “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian” is “You do if you want to be a really good Christian!”* Corporate worship, teaching fellowship and Communion are all essential to the Christian life
No church is perfect but the trouble is that many churches do not properly function as churches in the New Testament sense. They can be happy, friendly places where public worship takes place for an hour on Sunday– and that is good as far as it goes. But the New Testament envisages Christians being involved in a loving, united, but outward-looking fellowship where:
- each member belongs to all the others” (Rom 12:5)
- all the members “have equal concern for each other” (1 Cor 12:14).
- they frequently meet together to encourage one another (Heb 10:25)
- they “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24)
- they use their different gifts (e.g. encouragement, healing, sharing a word of wisdom, practical ability) to build up the fellowship in love. “From [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph 4:16).
It can easily seem impossible for a church to develop such a fellowship, even on a group level, let alone the congregational level. But it is not. The resources in this section have been tried and tested in many churches. They may need some adaptation to local circumstances, but we experienced an ordinary Anglican parish church become such a fellowship. We distilled these resources from the experienced gained in the process.
There is however quite a bit of material which individuals can use, short articles or the longer “Called to Serve” course which has been used by well over 100,000 Christians.
If you have questions or comments, feel free to write to my blog.
*Obviously I am not referring to those who through illness or circumstances genuinely cannot attend church. God makes special grace available to such people.
Articles are arranged according to subject and to whether they are:
1. Short popular articles for the general reader
2. Longer popular articles for the general reader
3. More academic articles where relevant
Teaching on what the Church should really be like
Introduction
Tony writes: “I urge you to pray and work for individual Christians and churches (especially your own church/fellowship) to be radically biblical in the power of the Spirit. The resources outlined below are the result of lessons we learnt in seeking to be radically biblical in the power of the Spirit in our Essex church. The Lord took hold of an ordinary (divided) church and brought about quite remarkable changes: deep unity, transformed worship, extensive numerical growth, vibrant prayer life (expressed in 28 weekly prayer cells), radical delegation (mainly through 12 area weekly Ministry Groups which functioned like mini-churches, including in evangelism), pastoral care and counselling. It led to a national and international ministry with thousands of churches using the resources outlined below. This was the Lord’s doing, not ours. We simply did what we were told (by him). He can do it anywhere, given prayerful obedience.”
- Why go to church? –
Biblical teaching on the importance of being in unity with other believers - What is the Church for? (pdf) –
What the Bible teaches the church should be like and how to achieve it - The importance of the church
Being Radically Biblical in the Power of the Spirit
The materials below refer to Time Ministries International run by Tony and Patricia Higton. Please now contact Tony at higton01@btinternet.com
- A short history of a parish church in radical renewal (pdf) –
Tony lists the principles on which a radically biblical church should function and illustrates them in some detail from the church he led. The paper contains a good deal of advice and suggestions about developing such a church referring to worship including spontaneous worship, intercession and prayer cells, discerning gifts and ministries, housegroups as mini-churches, evangelism and mission, pastoral care and counselling, eldership, and the challenges involved. (20 pages). - That the World May Believe –
The story of the remarkable work of the Holy Spirit in Tony Higton’s Essex parish which led to the church becoming radically biblical in the power of the Spirit (pdf). - Called to Serve –
A 20-session discipleship course encouraging Christians to be radically biblical in the power of the Spirit (NB: large pdf file: 30 MB; it can also be downloaded in 3 parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
The course includes the following subjects: Setting the scene; Checking the foundation; Turning from sin; Turning to Christ; Remaining in Christ; Receiving power; Doing the Word; Resisting the enemy; Living by faith; Talking with God; Worshiping the Lord; Loving the church; Serving the flock; Honouring the leaders; Discerning the gifts; Extending the Kingdom; Giving to God; Reviewing the Vision.
The Vision of Called to Serve:
To encourage each local church to be a united fellowship, ‘one in heart and mind, whose members are:
- Committed to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord
- Baptised and regular at communion.
- Experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Doers of the Word, not hearers only.
- Resisting the Devil
- Living by faith.
- Seeking holiness before God.
- Involved in intercession and ‘hearing’ God.
- Offering wholehearted worship to God.
- Committed to each other in unity and love: loyal to each other including the leaders; encouraging each other to live according to biblical principles.
- Discerning one another’s gifts and practising “every member ministry”.
- Involved in evangelism and social concern, by love, word and power, in the light of the return of Christ.
- Called to Serve Leader’s Notes (pdf)
by Tony and Patricia Higton - Called to Serve Talks (audio) –
The Called to Serve course taught by Tony Higton in approximately 30 minute sessions.- Called to serve: Session 1: Setting the scene
- Called to serve: Session 2: Checking the foundation
- Called to serve: Session 3: Turning from sin
- Called to serve: Session 4: Turning to Christ
- Called to serve: Session 5: Remaining in Christ
- Called to serve: Session 6: Receiving power
- Called to serve: Session 7: Doing the Word
- Called to serve: Session 8: Resisting the enemy
- Called to serve: Session 9: Living by faith
- Called to serve: Session 10: Bearing much fruit
- Called to serve: Session 11: Talking with God part 1
- Called to serve: Session 11: Talking with God part 2
- Called to serve: Session 12: Worshipping the Lord
- Called to serve: Session 13: Loving the church
- Called to serve: Session 14: Serving the flock
- Called to serve: Session 15: Honouring the leaders
- Called to serve: Session 16: Discerning the gifts
- Called to serve: Session 17: Extending the Kingdom
- Called to serve: Session 18: Giving to God
- Called to serve Session19: Reviewing the Vision
- Minister’s Guide to Church Development Strategy –
A suggested total strategy for church development, by Patricia Higton. (NB: large pdf file: 36 MB; it can also be downloaded in 3 parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
This is a very practical guide on:- How to become united as a church
- Uniting around a written vision
- Delegating through congregational Ministry Teams
- Discerning gifts and ministers
- Running a Leaders’ Fellowship
- Running prayer cells
- Running the young church
- Developing worship
- Evangelism and mission
- Etc.
With extra advice for smaller churches & churches at an earlier stage of development.
- Strategy Talks (audio) –
Talks by Tony and Patricia Higton on the Church Development Strategy- Setting goals
- Achieving biblical unity in the local church
- Delegating through Ministry Groups
- Releasing gifts. Overcoming obstacles Part 1
- Releasing gifts. Overcoming obstacles Part 2
- Motivating the local church in corporate prayer
- Mobilising the local church in evangelism Part 1.
- Mobilising the local church in evangelism Part 2. Summary of the course.
These talks are very practical and give a great deal of additional information to that given in the “Minister’s Guide to Church Development Strategy.” Although they are helpful in themselves, they are really intended to be listened to with the “Strategy Notes” below and frequently refer to the diagrams in the “Strategy Notes.” We strongly recommend using them together.
PRACTICAL NOTES
- The audio files have been re-recorded from original tape recordings so, obviously, you can ignore any request to turn over to side 2. The material from side 2 of the tape will follow immediately (except in Session 4 when you need to move to Session 5, and Session 7 when you need to move to Session 8).
- You will find any of Tony and Patricia’s books referred to in the audio in the “Books” section of this website.
- Strategy Notes
for use with the Strategy Talks
Teaching about the Holy Spirit
- Charismatic renewal –
A careful and critical defence of charismatic renewal. - Christianity is supernatural –
We should be living on a supernatural level
Teaching about Unity
Short popular articles for the general reader
- The importance of unity
- Unity in diversity in the local church
- Finding unity in the Spirit
- How to handle disagreement
- Primary and Secondary issues
- Evangelicals together in unity
Teaching about Vision
Short popular articles for the general reader
- Drawing up and communicating vision –
17 brief suggestions - Prophecy in the church (pdf) –
The nature of prophecy, receiving and testing prophecy
Teaching on Leadership
Short popular articles for the general reader
- The Ordained Ministry: A Biblical Pattern (pdf) –
How ordained Ministers should lead - Leadership
- The Parish Pooh-Bah Part 1
- The Parish Pooh-Bah Part 2
Teaching on Spiritual Warfare
Short popular articles for the general reader
Longer popular series for the general reader
- Fight the good fight (pdf)
Teaching on Prayer
Short popular articles for the general reader
Teaching on Worship
Short popular articles for the general reader
Teaching on Housegroups
- The nature of the church – the function of an area housegroup (pdf) –
How a housegroup can function as a mini-church