What does the “Spirit” part of being a “Word and Spirit” church mean?

In our previous blog, we looked at what it meant to be a church which is built upon the Word of God. In this post, we will look at what it means to be a Spirit-filled church.

The tension between Word and Spirit is not new. John Calvin once wrote:

We are assailed by two sects, which seem to differ most widely from each other. For what similitude is there in appearance between the Pope and the Anabaptists? And yet, that you may see that Satan never transforms himself so cunningly, as not in some measure to betray himself, the principal weapon with which they both assail us is the same. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency certainly is to sink and bury the Word of God, that they may make room for their own falsehoods.

And you, Sadolet, by stumbling on the very threshold, have paid the penalty of that affront which you offered to the Holy Spirit, when you separated him from the Word. For, as if those who seek the way of God were standing where two ways meet, and destitute of any certain sign, you are forced to introduce them as hesitating whether it be more expedient to follow the authority of the Church, or to listen to those whom you call the inventors of new dogmas. Had you known, or been unwilling to disguise the fact, that the Spirit goes before the Church, to enlighten her in understanding the Word, while the Word itself is like the Lydian Stone, by which she tests all doctrines, would you have taken refuge in that most perplexing and thorny question?

Learn, then, by your own experience, that it is no less unreasonable to boast of the Spirit without the Word, than it would be absurd to bring forward the Word itself without the Spirit.

- John Calvin, Reply to Sadoleto (1539)

Within protestant and evangelical Christianity, we (rightly) place a lot of emphasis on the words of scripture. We emphasise that the content of our gospel is very important. There are false gospels. We need to know the essential marks of the true gospel. The New Testament places an emphasis on the importance and accuracy of the scriptures. Yet the New Testament does not teach that words alone are sufficient. Not even scripture words. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church: “our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” 1 Thess. 1:5

This is such an essential point, here we see that New Testament evangelism involves BOTH a proclamation of truth and a manifestation of power. True gospel preaching is not just a revelation of truth, it is a manifestation of God’s presence.

If we seek to be faithful, to not only the Word, we need to engage fully with the whole scriptural revelation of the Holy Spirit. Further, we need to not only know the truths in our minds, we need to experience the reality of the Spirit in our lives.

So what do we mean by embracing the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit?

Regeneration

Firstly, we believe the Christian life starts with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who draws us to Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit who reveals to us our sins, and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to see that Christ is the solution to our sins. The Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to repent and believe. And the Holy Spirit also assures us of our salvation.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

Spirit filled?

Becoming a believer is only the start. We need the Holy Spirit to live the lives Jesus calls us to live. To be a believer in Christ is to be on mission, and Jesus gave us the essential criteria for effective mission: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The gifts of the Holy Spirit

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 1 Cor. 14:26

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, are given by God for the strengthening of the church, the manifestation of his power and glory, and for the fulfilment of the mission of God. There is nothing in scripture that suggests the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only for the early Church, or even the original apostles. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to help us grow into the fullness of Christ.

The essential place of the Holy Spirit can be seen in our statement of faith.

 

2. The utter depravity of human nature, the necessity for repentance and regeneration and the eternal doom of the finally impenitent (i.e. unrepentant). Gen 3:1-19; Isaiah 53:6; Acts 2:38; 17:30, John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2; Romans 2:7, 6:23; 1 John 1:1-2

5. The baptism of the Holy Ghost for believers with signs following. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; and Galatians 5:22

6. The nine gifts of the Holy Ghost for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the Church, which is the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

8. The divine inspiration and authority of the Holy Scriptures. 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21

It is the Holy Spirit who makes regeneration possible, it is the Holy Spirit who fills us and empowers us for mission, it is the Holy Spirit who manifests his presence with signs and gifts and it is the Holy Spirit who inspires the scriptures.

We’ve not even scratched the surface of what it means to be a Spirit-filled church. Time could be spent reflecting on the importance of the Holy Spirit in worship. Jesus said true worship must be in “Spirit and truth”. Worship, at its core is an encounter with the Holy Spirit who brings us into the presence of the triune God.

If we neglect the Holy Spirit, we ultimately don’t have true Christianity. The Spirit is the presence of Christ on the earth and in the church.

The Breaking Of Bread by Robert Baird

Robert Baird

In the verses we label “The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) Jesus said We were to go into all the world and make disciples! Jesus never said we were to make anything other than disciples! He never said go into the world and build churches. He never said go into the world and start ministries. He never said to go into the world and start schools. He said go into all the world and make disciples. It’s important that before making anything, we need to  know what it’s supposed to look like when it’s finished. Jesus’ expectation of discipleship is someone who is Christ centred, believes and follows His teaching, is fruitful, loves others and is prepared to share their faith.

I believe the essence of a disciple of Jesus can be found in Acts 2:41-47. In these verses we find the basic teaching pattern that the apostles taught following believers baptism.

1)  They taught the scriptures. 

2) They taught  the importance of prayer and fellowship. 

3)They partook of the breaking of bread.

Today’s blog is about the breaking of bread, some believers call it the Lord's supper, others call it Communion. At Kairos, we observe the breaking of bread most times we gather together, It’s become an accepted pattern. When we partake of communion it is as though we are transported back two thousand years into the past, it’s as if we are there with Christ on that final Passover. We gather together “in one mind and one accord”. We are in unity one with another. Our mind is on Christ. Jesus made a promise that he would not drink again with His disciples until his return. This promise is certain and true. He will return, When we break bread it reminds us of this.

It is a time of thanksgiving, thanksgiving to the Lord for all he has done. It’s also a time of recommitment,  A time of examination, not of others  but of ourselves. 

We live in such a fast moving society. It can foster impatience, intolerance and the importance of self. I thank God that I have the opportunity to join with my brothers and sisters in the Lord in the breaking of bread, to dwell in the presence of the Holy Spirit, to thank my God who will never abandon me, that in Jesus I’m part of God's family, and for the riches that are mine in Christ.

Robert Baird,

Elder, Kairos Church, Stirling

What does it mean to be a Word and Spirit Church? (Part One)

 

One of the core values of Kairos Church is that we desire to be a “Word and Spirit” Church. It’s a phrase we use often to describe our identity. But what does it mean? Are not all churches “Word and Spirit” churches? What does “Word in Spirit” mean in practice?

These are important questions. In a nutshell, to be “Word and Spirit” is to make statement about what we believe about the role of scripture, and the role of the Holy Spirit.

The Reformation restored the scriptures to the centre of the church’s life. Prior to the reformation, church tradition, and Papal decrees stood in equal authority to the scriptures. This, the Reformers believed, led to a number of errors creeping into the church. The errors increased and the plain truths of scripture were eventually eclipsed by human ideas and traditions. It took a young Monk by the name of Martin Luther to spark a revolution that led to the restoration of the primary place of the scriptures. At Kairos Church, and as part of the Apostolic Church UK, we stand in this Reformation legacy. We thank God for the Reformation (we don’t idolise the Reformation, for there much in the Reformation that needed to be reformed) because the Reformation brings us back to the Word of God. This is why one of our core tenets of the faith states that we believe in: “The divine inspiration and authority of the Holy Scriptures.” In other words, as one church Father expressed it: “When the Bible speaks, God speaks.”

Our statement of faith does not stand alone. We stand on similar ground to other creeds and confessions such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, which states:

The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture. (Matt. 22:29, 31, Eph. 2:20, Acts 28:25) (WCF)

Likewise we agree with the Belgic Confession which states:

The sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, to be the only rule of faith

We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe, unto salvation, is sufficiently taught therein. For, since the whole manner of worship, which God requires of us, is written in them at large, it is unlawful for any one, though an apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy Scriptures: nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as the apostle Paul says. For, since it is forbidden, to add unto or take away anything from the word of God, it does thereby evidently appear, that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects. Neither do we consider of equal value any writing of men, however holy these men may have been, with those divine Scriptures, nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God, for the truth is above all; for all men are of themselves liars, and more vain than vanity itself. Therefore, we reject with all our hearts, whatsoever does not agree with this infallible rule, which the apostles have taught us, saying, Try the spirits whether they are of God. Likewise, if there come any unto you; and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.

Our doctrine of scripture is important. It affects every other doctrine and Christian practice. Today there are a number of moral and ethical controversies. All other issues hang on the issue of the doctrine of scripture. How we approach marriage, sexual ethics, and questions of justice will all be determined by our view of the scriptures. For Christian believers, our first port of call should not be "what does society say?", or "what does the church say?", but rather what does God say? We discover what God says by turning to the scriptures.

The doctrine of scripture will also shape the gospel we preach and believe. There are many false gospels. However, if we are a “Word” church, then we are also a gospel a church. We don’t strip the rough edges from the gospel. We preach the full gospel. This is also reflected in our statement of faith, we believe in:

The inherent corruptness of man through the Fall; The necessity of repentance and regeneration by grace and through faith in Christ alone and the eternal separation from God of the finally unrepentant.

That’s a packed statement. It’s also a practical statement. Being a “Word” church means we build our doctrine of humanity, our doctrine of salvation and our doctrine of ‘Last Things’ on the Word of God. We believe in the doctrine of sin. We believe, that whilst God made humans in his own image, there has been a fall. Humanity is now in rebellion towards God. The human condition is one of sinfulness and separation from God. We are not just broken people needing to be made whole, we are rebels in need of pardon. God has given his Son as a sacrifice of atonement, and now calls all people to repent from sin, and to turn towards God. There is a day of judgement coming and only those who have repented and trusted in Christ will be saved. This is the gospel, and this what the scriptures teach. If we really want to be a “Word Church” we must be a gospel church.

So, in conclusion, being a "Word" church means we really do believe that the Bible is the Word of God. God has given us His Word to direct us and guide us. Most importantly God's Word reveals God's Son. We believe in Jesus because the Bible reveals that Jesus is the Son of God who cane to save us. 

God's Word is not simply a list of rules, it is bread for our souls, it is a sword to help us overcome the attacks of the devil, and it is the book of the covenant that reveals our covenant rights and responsibilities as God's people. 

In part two we will explore what it means to be a ‘Spirit’ church.

 

Take a seat: Discovering your position in Christ

In our last post, we reflected on some of the core truths about our identity in Christ. In this post, I'd like to draw your attention to an old (but powerful) little book by Watchman Nee, it is called Sit, Walk, Stand. 

I was first introduced to this Bible teacher, and this book, through a sermon preached by pastor John Fletcher (Living Word Church, Paisley) when he was a guest speaker at Living Waters Church, Paisley. The message made such an impact upon me, that I devoured any of Nee's books whenever I got the chance (this was in the days before one-click purchase Amazon was available -- even the internet wasn't really a widespread thing. 

Nee's books helped me a lot as a young believer because they helped me grasp something of the power and simplicity of God's grace. I saw that faith in God's grace was they key, not only to walking with a clear conscience, but also the key to overcoming sin. 

If you are interested, you can buy the book here, or you can even read it online for free, here. 

Here is the opening section for chapter one. 

THE GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Eph.1:17–21).

“And raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: . . . for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory” (2:6–9).

God . . . made him to sit . . . and made us to sit with him.” Let us first consider the implications of this word “sit.” As we have said, it reveals the secret of a heavenly life. Christianity does not begin with walking; it begins with sitting. The Christian era began with Christ, of whom we are told that, when He had made purification of sins, He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3). With equal truth we can say that the individual Christian life begins with a man “in Christ”—that is to say, when by faith we see ourselves seated together with Him in the heavens.

Most Christians make the mistake of trying to walk in order to be able to sit, but that is a reversal of the true order. Our natural reason says, If we do not walk, how can we ever reach the goal? What can we attain without effort? How can we ever get anywhere if we do not move?

But Christianity is a queer business! If at the outset we try to do anything, we get nothing; if we seek to attain something, we miss everything. For Christianity begins not with a big do, but with a big done. Thus, Ephesians opens with the statement that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (1:3), and we are invited at the very outset to sit down and enjoy what God has done for us—not to set out to try and attain it for ourselves.

Identity IN CHRIST: Put your fears to flight!

On Sunday we looked at the subject of fear and how it can affect us and hinder us in our Christian walk. We then looked, briefly, at how understanding our identity in Christ can help us overcome a spirit of fear. 

Meditating, praying, and speaking these truths over your life can have a powerful impact. 

For a fuller list of truths visit this site: 

Who I am in Christ...

1. I am washed, sanctified, and justified by the blood of Jesus (1 Cor 6:11)
2. I am regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)
3. I am forgiven of from the penalty of my sins (2 Cor 5:19)
4. I am born again into a living hope (1 Peter 1:3)
5. I am united with Christ through His death and resurrection (Rom 6:5)
6. I am a child of God  (John 1:12)
7. I am in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:1)
8. I am a saint (1 Cor 1:2)
9. I am one with God the Father and Jesus the Son (John 17:25)
10. I am alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11)
11. I am an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ (Rom 8:17)
12. I am set free by the truth (John 8:31-33)
13. I am eternally secure in Christ (John 10:27-31)
14. I am now reconciled to God (Col 1:21)
15. I am freed from the power of sin (1 Pet 2:24)
16. I am baptized into Christ and have clothed myself with Christ (Gal 3:27)
17. I am part of the holy brethren, partaker of a heavenly calling (Heb 3:1)
18. I am a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17)
19. I am in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9)
20. I am free from condemnation (Rom 8:1)
21. I am a fellow citizen with the saints in the household of God (Eph 2:19)
22. I am God’s temple (1 Cor 3:16-17)
23. I am a servant of God (Rom 6:22)
24. I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20)
25. I am justified by faith [ and have peace with God] (Rom 5:1)
26. I am more than a conqueror through Christ (Rom 8:37)
27. I am made alive with Christ (Eph 2:1)

January at Kairos: A month of prayer

Since relocating back to Stirling seven months ago (having been restricted as a result of lockdowns) the Lord has been blessing our Sunday morning services. 

Whilst there has been a blessing on the worship and preaching, we have decided to change our Sunday morning meetings throughout the month of January. 

For the month of January, we are laying aside the typical Sunday service and instead focussing on prayer and intercession. This will be a time of deep encounter. We want to start 2022 on the right foot. 

At Kairos, we don’t believe in going through the motions. We always want to keep in step with the Spirit. Intercession is key to that. 

The New Testament shows us that collective prayer was a major focus of the early church. 

The pre-Pentecost church met primarily for prayer. 

Acts 1:14: All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The post-Pentecost church were no less committed to collective prayer. 

Acts 2:42

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Despite the passionate pursuit of prayer in the early church, prayer has not always been a priority for much of the church. Leonard Ravenhill, in his classic book, Why Revival Tarries, says this about the unpopularity surrounding prayer. 

“The Cinderella of the church of today is the prayer meeting. This handmaid of the Lord is unloved and unwooed because she is not dripping with the pearls of intellectualism, nor glamorous with the silks of philosophy; neither is she enchanting with the tiara of psychology. She wears the homespuns of sincerity and humility and so is not afraid to kneel! 

The offense of prayer is that it does not essentially tie in to mental efficiency. (That is not to say that prayer is a partner to mental sloth; in these days efficiency is at a premium.) 

Prayer is conditioned by one thing alone and that is spirituality. One does not need to be spiritual to preach, that is, to make and deliver sermons of homiletical perfection and exegetical exactitude. By a combination of memory, knowledge, ambition, personality, plus well-lined bookshelves, self-confidence, and a sense of having arrived—brother, the pulpit is yours almost anywhere these days. 

Preaching of the type mentioned affects men; prayer affects God. Preaching affects time; prayer affects eternity.”

The Christians in the book of Acts were launched out into discipleship and mission. They discovered what it was to live Christlike lives. Before this happened, they prepared their hearts through prayer, and encountered His presence through their own personal Pentecost.

If we hope to have any degree of effectiveness in Stirling, and our own communities in the surrounding areas, we too need to discover a new level of discipleship and missional engagement. True mission and discipleship is not about programs, it’s about people and Presence. 

However, discipleship and mission must flow out of our relationship with God the Holy Spirit, and that relationship is nurtured on the altar of prayer. 

I look forward to seeing you in January. Let’s press in to all that the Lord has for us individually and collectively

Kairos Church, Stirling: Simple Church for Complicated Times (Acts 2:42)

What is Kairos Church all about?

If we were to strip that answer down to its essential parts, the answer would be a single Bible verse:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)

We live in incredibly complicated times. It seems we can’t move without a risk assessment. There are government controls over social interaction and the places we can go. Covid has changed everything and life is much more stressful and complicated than it used to be.

In the past, church has been complicated too. Complex theology. Complex strategies. Complex structures.

Yet when we look at the Gospels and the Book of Acts we see a simplicity. We see the essentials.

The church was not a building, a program, or an institution, it was simply a Jesus-centred community seeking to carry out God’s mission in a lost world.

In terms of the key marks of a church, they were simple:

·       Devotion to the Apostles’ teaching (scripture)

·       Devotion to Fellowship (relationships)

·       Devotion to the Breaking of Bread (Communion)

·       Devotion to Prayer (Collective praying)

Of course – those four elements alone say nothing explicitly about mission – but they are written in the context of mission.  Mission is the overarching narrative that shapes these features, and which in turn these features shape. It was Peter’s evangelistic street sermon, in the previous verses, that led to a harvest of souls: “about three thousand were added to their number that day.”  and we read in the verses that follow: “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Maybe I’m being overly simple – but to me it seems clear. If we keep church simple, and make the main thing the main thing – the Lord will bless our missional efforts and he will add to the church as he sees fit.

John Stott in his book, The Living Church, warns against churches running too many programs. Even “evangelistic” programs. He says we should gather as the church weekly to break bread, hear God’s Word, fellowship and pray, and we should scatter for the rest of the week to live life missionally. As we gather we receive, as we scatter we give away the life we receive from gathering in His presence.

Arguably, a healthy church develops in three ways – spiritually, relationally (amongst the members) and outwardly towards individuals and communities who are not part of the covenant community.

If we embed the values of Acts 2:42 in the context of our missionary calling to be make disciples, and if we maintain our closeness with the missionary Spirit, we will simply be the church God is calling us to be.

A church that simply loves Jesus, loves each other, and loves the lost.