If I were in charge of the church for one day, I would...

[Gary Andrew Clarke]

Renounce my leadership and give it back to Jesus Christ- where it belongs. I would of course steward the congregation if that is what the Lord required of me. I would not need a title though..I would recognize and fulfill my duties as a pastor/teacher/evangelist/prophet/apostle but I would understand that these are responsibilities and not titles. Recognizing also that these callings are badges of servant hood and not a permission to control Gods people.

Sell any buildings that are not in use 24/7. If a building is ornate and beautiful but only used for 5/6 hours a week we would recognize it as the disgusting, bloated waste of Gods resources that it is. The money raised would be used to support single parent families, the elderly, the homeless and the widowed in the surrounding community.

We would recognize that we ARE the church and that we do not attend church. Being the church should be a 24/7 existence.

Anyone spreading deliberate gossip/slander/discord/disunity would be firmly asked to leave. No kidding.

Congregation members would be encouraged to leave their jobs or at least work fewer hours in order to dedicate more of our lives to body fellowship, community outreach, evangelism and discipleship.

Those who decide to keep their working hours would be encouraged to help financially support those who don't and those who are needy regardless of their employment status. i.e single mums and the elderly.

Recognize that we are all the body of Christ..therefore all would be expected to participate. Doing away with seeker friendly services and the notion of the congregation as a spectator. If only one part of the body of Christ gets to minister then the full and complete message of Jesus Christ is not being delivered.

We would all eat together More often. The Bible makes a big deal of it. So should we.

Get rid of all Sunday School/youth group programs that exist as an alternative to meeting with the rest of the assembly. (I do not include programs that are additional to time spent with the adult congregation) Before 50 years ago the finest, most dynamic men of God (see all the revivalists, great awakening figures, Smith Wigglesworth, Countless others...) Learnt from the men and women in the church around them. Learnt to worship with them. Learn t to sit through a sermon with them. Nowadays we usher the kids of into a backroom somewhere and cant understand why at the age of 18 they cannot worship or participate or even endure a sermon before eventually backsliding. Children must learn to fellowship and exist as a christian in time spent with the rest of the congregation.

We recognize the system of tithing as obsolete. Instead we learn to give abundantly more from a heart that loves to give.

We learn to receive graciously also.

Those who are in flagrant, continual sin will be challenged personally at first, by a group of elders secondly and finally before the whole church. No more messing about with sin..especially in the areas of extra marital affairs, theft, domestic abuse and other vices which hurt people other than just the offender.

Preach all of the Bible. Anyone who leaves out/ignores/contests anything that is true and Biblically supported would not be welcome to teach anymore.

[DovezWingz]