Fundamental Assumptions Of The
Productive Church Member
Presented By
J. Alfred Johnson II
Director of Adult Ministries
North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
© 2013 J. Alfred Johnson II (Exception: Lou Evans’ Eight Principles of Covenant Dynamics)
Disciple
Latin discere – “To Learn”
Greek mathetes –
“Learner”/”Apprentice”/ “Adherent”
“…As he thinketh in his
heart, so is he…”
Proverbs 23:7
Thought Process - Ultimate Generator /
Facilitator of Behavior
Fundamental Elements Of The
“Disciple’s Mindset”
1. The Church exists
to Facilitate The
“Making of Disciples”
Through The Power
Of Jesus Christ
• Matthew 28:18-20 - The Great Commission
• Mathano - The Making of Disciples (v. 19)
• Didasko - Imparting Knowledge (v. 20)
Three-Fold Commitment of the
Disciple
• Christ
• Scripture and Church
of Christ
• World “WITH” Christ
2. The Seventh-day Adventist Church IS the
Remnant Church of Bible Prophecy
Our Mandate and Mission -Live, Teach, Preach the Messages of the
Angels of Revelation – with special
emphasis on those of Chapter 14!
3. ALL Members Of Body Of Christ Are
Given SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Each Member Is Called Into Ministry!
1 Cor. 12; Matt. 28; 1 Peter 2:9-10
4. Pastor Is NOT “The”
Minister Of The
Congregation!
• He/She Is “A” Minister With The
Responsibility of Pastor-Teacher
[Facilitator]. (Ephesians 4)
• “Lead” Trainer, Motivator, Ministry
Coordinator Of The Congregation
5. The Bible Knows Nothing Of:
• Laymen With Secular Calling, And
• Clergy With Spiritual Calling
Scripture Says, We Are ALL
Part Of “laos” (the “laity”)
1 Peter 2:9,10 “The People Of God In The
World”
6. In Terms of Status:
• We Are All On The Same Level!
• All Sinners Saved By God’s Grace!
• We Derive Our “God-Esteem” From
This REALITY! (Ephesians 2:8)
We only differ with regard to Function!
•Spiritual Gifts
•Human Temperaments
•Training
•Experience
•Local Ministry Needs
Accordingly, there is NO HIGH or LOW
work assignment in the cause of Christ!
1 Corinthians 12
7. IDENTIFICATION Is
With The Individual
VERIFICATION Is
With The Body Of
Christ!
(1 Corinthians 12:13-16)
8. “Non-Bureaucracy” Must
Prevail In Church Leadership
Negative Bureaucracy assumes that
all are not created equally.
Negative Bureaucracy assumes
power must be kept in hands of a
few because the masses lack the
ability to give intelligent input!
Genesis 1:26, 27; Acts 17:26
Non-Bureaucracy Provides For Input At
The Decision-Making Level
Non-Bureaucracy Spawns Goal-Ownership
And Team Spirit!
9. We Do Our Work Because:
• We Have Been Called To Do So!
• We Are Commissioned To Do So!
The “Call” Establishes Our WORTH
The “Commission” Establishes Our DUTY
Jeremiah 1:4-10
The Holy Ghost “IN” Us:
-“Fruit of The Spirit” (Galatians 5:22,23)
- Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness,
Meekness, Goodness, Faith Meekness, Temperance
- Gives The Capacity to “BE”
- Makes Us “NICE” People
- Purpose is To Show Consistency In Our Daily Lives -With Message We Share!
- Notice The Life Of Jesus Before His Baptism
The Holy Ghost “Upon” Us:
- “dunamis” Power – “Ability To Perform”
-Gives Ability To “DO” Intentional Soul Winning /
Kingdom Building Through Use Of Spiritual Gifts (Acts
1:8)
- Note Jesus’ Life and Ministry Before His Baptism (“In
/ “Be”) And After His Baptism (“Upon” / “Do”)
- The “Baptism Upon” (“Do”) Completed / Balanced
The Fruit (“Indwelling / “Be”)
NOTHING Shall Be Impossible To
Ministry Teams/Families That Enter Into
Covenant With Christ, And One Another!
(Matt. 17:20,21)
IN SUMMARY
1. The Church Exists To Facilitate The
“Making Of Disciples” Through The
Power Of Jesus Christ – Matthew 28:1820
2. The Seventh-day Adventist Church Is The
Remnant Church Of Bible Prophecy –
Revelation 14
3. All Members Of The “Body Of Christ” Are
Given Spiritual Gifts – 1 Corinthians 12;
Ephesians 4; Romans 12
IN SUMMARY
4. The Pastor Is Not “THE” Minister Of The
Congregation. He/She Is “A” Minister
With The Responsibility Of Lead Ministry
Coordinator. – Ephesians 4
5. The Bible Knows Nothing Of “Laymen” With A
“Secular Calling” And “Clergy” With A “Spiritual
Calling”. – 1 Peter 2:9,10
6. In Terms Of Status – We Are All On The Same
Level – “Sinners Saved By God’s Grace! –
Ephesians 2:8
7. “Identification” Is With The “Individual”.
“Verification” Is With “The Body Of Christ”. – 1
Corinthians 12:13-16
IN SUMMARY
8. Non-Bureaucracy Must Prevail in Church
Leadership. Acts 17:26; Genesis 2
9. We Do Our Work Because We have Been
“Called” And Commissioned” To Do So. –
Jeremiah 1:1-10
10.The “Baptism Of The Holy Ghost Upon Us
IS The Primary Motivating Factor In And For
Ministry To Others”. – Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49
Lou Evans’
Eight Principles
of
Covenant Dynamics
1. The Covenant of Affirmation
- Agape Love
“I will love you and affirm you no matter what you
have said or done. I love you as you are, and for
what Christ wants to make you.”
2. The Covenant of Availability
“Anything I have. Time, energy, wisdom, myself,
finances, are all at your disposal. I give these to you,
and the covenant group in a unique way.”
3. The Covenant of Regularity
“I covenant to give a regular part of my time to this
group when it decides to meet. I consider that time
to be of highest priority on my schedule.”
4. The Covenant of Prayer
“I promise to pray for you, to uphold you,
and to attempt to be sensitive to the Holy
Spirit concerning your needs.”
5. The Covenant of Openness
“I will show myself to you. Letting you
know who I am as a person in feeling,
history, hopes and hurts. In other words, I
will need you!”
6. The Covenant of Honesty
“I will be honest in my mirroring back to you
what I sense and feel is coming from you.”
7. The Covenant of Confidentiality
“What goes on in this group stays here. I
will say nothing that may be traced back, or
that could be injurious or embarrassing to
my covenant partners.”
8. The Covenant of Accountability
“You have a right to expect growth
from me so that I may give you the
fullness of the gifts which God has
bestowed upon me, and fulfill my
God-created designs. Therefore, I
will not languish in the process of
growth.”
“Finally, My Brethren…”
Ephesians 6:10-20; 23-24