 
**Churchianity:**

**At the Crossroads**

**(Act II)**

Jesse Steele

Smashwords Edition

**Copyright © 2012 Jesse Steele**

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Jesse Steele on Smashwords

ISBN: 978-147-633-274-1

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#  **For Dad**

Here's to the questions you searched-out for answers, to the genre you suggested before your passing, and to the fruits you asked to have extra time for.
**Table of Contents**

For Dad

Scene 1: Paul

Scene 2: Don

Scene 3: Watchman

Scene 4: John

Scene 5: William

Scene 6: Michael

Conclusion

Epilogue

Theatrical Permissions

About the Author

# **Scene 1: Paul**

Hank: I wonder what Paul would do about this.

Paul: Do about what?

Hank: Oh... my church...

Paul: What do you mean "your" church? Are you Jesus?

Hank: It's not like I own it or anything. I just mean the church I preside over as pastor?

Paul: The church has a _president?!_

Hank: No, I said, "PASTOR!"

Paul: But you also said, "preside over." Only a president "presides" over something... or a king.... But a king does more...

Hank: Why are you talking about government? I am having trouble with the board at my church that I'm responsible for and I don't need a history lesson in politics of the State.

Paul: You just said that you were "responsible for" the church. What do you mean by _that?_

Hank: I mean that it's part of my stewardship. When I given account to God, He will ask me how I managed things. He will look at the time I spent with the church, its leaders, its volunteers, the activities they had, the Christmas programs, the staffing decisions, and all the little details that don't seem to matter in the big picture. He will expect me to give a good account, showing that all of it went well. That's what I mean by "responsible for" what I do in the church. And that's what I'm concerned about. It's not going so well.

Paul: Why do you suppose that is?

Hank: That's what I can't figure out!! I was just sitting here, mumbling to myself and you were eavesdropping! Then, you even interrupted! Can't a guy talk to himself!?

Paul: It seems you do a lot of that.

Hank: What do you mean by _that!?_

Paul: Where did you ever get the idea that you were responsible for what happens in a local fellowship of God's people?

Hank: Huh? Are you crazy? The Apostle Paul said that some are called to be _pastors_. That's what I am—a pastor.

Paul: Actually, I said, "Shepherd-teachers." But that's just a language issue. I don't expect you to follow every cliché I used in Greek. Your native language is English, after all. It kinda' makes me feel sorry for you.

Hank: Tell me about it.

Paul: But language isn't the biggest issue here. Remember when I told Timothy—also a young leader like yourself—not to niggle over mere words...

Hank: Now you're talking like the Apostle Paul himself.

Paul: You said you wondered what I would do about all of this.

Hank: Yeah, like that could ever happen... NO! Wait, you just said, "I."

Paul: Paul is my name, after all... in Greek. My Hebrew name is Saul. One name for each culture I minister the gospel in. But, oh, what's in a name...

Hank: Right... So, I'm supposed to believe that I'm actually talking to the Apostle Paul himself? As in, the guy who was beheaded in Rome two thousand years ago?

Paul: Well, not quite two thousand.

Hank: You're crazy.

Paul: Fair enough.

Hank: Whether you're actually the Apostle Paul or not, you were saying something about Timothy. See, I get yelled at for being too young...

Paul: It's about the words.

Hank: Huh?

Paul: That's why I always wanted Tim to understand this "words" issue. So many ignorant people argue all day about nothing. It creates constant friction and they think Godliness is all about trying to get ahead. You _can_ get ahead, if you are content. But to do that, you need to understand, among other things, the issue with _words_ ...

Hank: ...where there are many, sin abounds?

Paul: Sorta'. That was Solomon said, anyway. I always enjoyed his _proverbial_ mind. A wise guy, that Solomon... But my point to Tim was that we must not merely think about the words themselves. Each word has so many meanings. If you want to understand people, you must look at the context of their words.

Hank: _Context_ ... That's what I always try to explain to the board and my church. The Bible is so much easier to understand if we take everything in context.

Paul: And that's also the key to ending arguments about nothing... or, arguments about mere words.

Hank: You're losing me.

Paul: You're probably going to accuse me of sounding like a philosopher, but try this idea on for size...

Hank: I'm all ears.

Paul: Think past the actual words. Don't just think with vocabulary. Try to think only in terms of the definitions people _mean_ by the words they _use_.

Hank: That doesn't seem so easy. I usually talk to myself with _words_ you know.

Paul: And that's why you're having trouble knowing what I would do in your situation. It may not seem easy to think outside the box, but it's a lot easier to solve misunderstandings if you think with definitions of words rather than merely the words themselves.

Hank: You're right. You do sound like a babbling, pie-in-the-sky philosopher.

Paul: It's practical. Trust me. Words are a reflection of our ideas—ideas we have in our minds. If you only think with the words rather than trying to see through the words to the meaning behind them... well, it's all a waste. Understanding is the goal of speech.

Hank: Well, that's a thought. What's this got to do with the problems I have as pastor?

Paul: The problem comes down to what _you_ mean when you say, "pastor," as opposed to what _I_ meant.

Hank: A pastor is a leader, isn't he? You have a board of elders and a pastor helps lead their meetings, cast the vision, as well as oversee day-to-day operations of the congregation.

Paul: You just defined a president.

Hank: No, I just defined a _pastor_.

Paul: No, you just defined _your_ version of a pastor's duties as being that of a _president_. Tell me, who in my day _ever_ had the title "Pastor" and did what you just described?

Hank: Timothy did!

Paul: What Scripture do you get that from?

Hank: I don't remember the exact reference. I'm not a walking concordance, after all...

Paul: That's because there is no such Scripture passage. I worked very close to Tim and that's not how he did things.

Hank: Wait. What are you saying?

Paul: Where do you get the word "pastor" from?

Hank: It's actually Greek for _shepherd_.

Paul: Good, that's a start. Actually, it's an English word for the Greek word, but this isn't a lesson in Greeklish. What about connotation?

Hank: You mean the "vibe" we get from using the word?

Paul: Yeah. How much do you remember John's memoirs about Jesus's life?

Hank: The Gospel of John says Jesus was the Good Shepherd.

Paul: Okay.

Hank: So, I suppose that, when you, or any other Christian from those days, says, "Shepherd," there is a strong memory of that Socratic teaching style Jesus used.

Paul: Yes and no. _Socrates_ was Socratic. _Jesus_ was a shepherd-teacher. But you are right, that style Jesus used is the fond memory that all of us have of Him.

Hank: But you never saw Jesus.

Paul: His presence blinded me on the road to Damascus, so, yes, technically I never "saw" Him, but, come on, man... I was in Jerusalem through His ministry. I saw his disciples. I saw Jesus's impact on the men you know of as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. We in the Sanhedrin knew His style well. He was a better teacher than any of us could have hoped to be. We couldn't even argue with the guy in public! It's one of the reasons we hated Him so much. His method was _way_ beyond the quality of Socrates's style—and you know what they did to Socrates. We never wanted to admit it to ourselves, but He wasn't just a Rabbi, He was a Shepherd. Even after He left, His disciples still talked about it and many even seemed to pick up His style after that one Pentecost prayer meeting they had upstairs. His shepherd-like style left an impression on all of us—even His enemies.

Hank: I always thought Jesus was a great leader, but I never knew His manner meant so much to you.

Paul: That's because Greek is not your native language and I explained this using Greek. But, now you know.

Hank: I do remember you mentioning it in Ephesians 4.

Paul: Ephesus was quite a long journey from Jerusalem, so I had to spell it out for them.

Hank: What?

Paul: That's my point exactly. The very point that I want to explain to you...

Hank: So, tell me, tell me. I wondered what you... er... the Apostle Paul... or whatever...

Paul: Function.

Hank: _FUNCTION!?_

Paul: Ephesus was so drenched in the Artemis Cult, and believe me, they even closed a business day to vote on lynching me... The Christians there kept thinking in terms of their own man-made hierarchy of administration. They just couldn't get past the idea that they needed one person to be the MC of that meeting—and _this_ guy having a vote—and _his_ office—and _that_ title—and the priests _over there_ who are the only ones with the great and marvelous direct phone line to divine wisdom... It was a mess. And they were carrying that system into their Christian fellowship.

Hank: Well, I sure am glad I wasn't part of that.

Paul: Um, hate to break it to you, but you think a lot like they did.

Hank: What do you mean by _that!?_

Paul: What you _mean_ when your working definition of a pastor, being found nowhere in the Bible, is completely inherited from your culture. My words to Ephesus were meant to clarify how God's kingdom actually works and you superimposed your own assumptions. You saw "pastor", imagined "leader", and assumed "behaves like a president". That was _all in your mind_ and you didn't know you were doing it because you think about life in terms of words rather than the meaning behind them.

Hank: But culture is what I have to think with. I can't think completely without it.

Paul: Don't conform your thinking to the pattern of culture. Instead, be transformed by renewing your mind according to Scripture. Then—and only then—you will know what God's plan is for your life. And, believe me, it's good. So don't be afraid to look at things God's way.

Hank: Your mind is all over the map, but it makes sense when you finally circle around.

Paul: That's part of my own writing style. If you've read my work you'll know what I mean.

Hank: That makes sense alright... So land your point already. What were you trying to say to Ephesus that I'm not getting?

Paul: I told you: _function_.

Hank: What does that _mean?_

Paul: I never described elders or deacons in writing the _assembly_ at Ephesus.

Hank: You're rabbit trailing again. Elders and deacons were in your letters to Timothy, and he was at Ephesus.

Paul: So stick with the rabbit trail... I mentioned elders and deacons to Tim because those letters were addressing "office" of the Church. In the middle of my letter to Ephesus I was addressing "function". It's that topic of "function" where you get the word "pastor" and the offices of "elder" and "deacon" aren't found anywhere in my letter to the Ephesian Assembly. Nor did I mention "pastor" as an office in my correspondence with Tim. They are completely separate and your system-based theology is synthesizing things that are almost opposite.

Hank: Opposite? Function? Office? Huh?

Paul: An "office" is an official position in any government, even Christian fellowship.

Hank: Why are we talking about government?

Paul: You're the one who sees yourself as a president. Besides, the government of the coming age will be on our Lord's shoulders. Jesus is a King. We are talking about the government of the Kingdom of Heaven. Its capital is the New Jerusalem.

Hank: Pause. Let's deal with that another day.

Paul: ...maybe with another apostle. John actually saw the new capital city in his vision. His life ended peacefully, in Ephesus. But I kept appealing my case and risked martyrdom to testify to Caesar. That's because my apostolic function was with the government itself—with the _people_ and the _nations_. Different apostles have different functions

Hank: You just used that word again: _function_.

Paul: Yes, I'm an apostle. Apostleship is not an office. It's a _function_.

Hank: Huh?

Paul: What's this? [picks up a rock]

Hank: Uh, it's a _rock_.

Paul: How do you know?

Hank: Dah, because I know what a _rock_ is.

Paul: Exactly. We didn't vote on whether it was a rock or not.

Hank: Why would anyone vote on whether a rock is a rock? A rock is a rock! You don't need to be a scientist to know that. You just need to read the dictionary and know what a rock is. Why are you making this so complicated?

Paul: I'm not the one calling himself a "pastor" while defining himself as a "president".

Hank: I'm getting dizzy.

Paul: That's because your assumptions are unraveling. Your mind is being slowly transformed away from the patterns of the world. You're starting to realize the difference between "office" and "function" in God's government.

Hank: Are you trying to say that you are like a rock?

Paul: Actually, that would be Peter, but...

Hank: In easy terms, please... What's the difference?

Paul: The difference between office and function is simple. An office is determined at the fellowship of the Church. They discuss, consider, pray, follow the Lord's leading, and agree. They determine who will be their elders to lead and who will be on their paid-staff of Church workers as deacons. There's no mini-king or European-style "pastor (president)" as you say. That idea came from the so-called "Holy" Roman Empire, still burning people alive—just like Emperor Nero did in the "secular" Roman Empire. The Romans—including Ephesus—got those systems from the same history of cults and mythology. Point-man leadership in government is a very imperial way of thinking. Only Jesus Himself can be a one-man office. Even John saw human leadership in the New Jerusalem headed by a board of elders with no chairman. That board of peer-elders is the office of leadership. Deacons hold the office of _work_. We paid them out of the Church treasury so they could be free to do that work. The Church "owns" the deacons, in a way, because they "pay" for them. You own what you pay for. But those paid in the Church are not those in leadership of the Church. That would be a conflict of interest.

Hank: So, how do _you_ get money, then?

Paul: I didn't hold a Church office. I had a function—I was an _apostle_. Besides, I had a tent business. Haven't you heard of a "Paulos" Tent? They're among some of the most reputed.

Hank: Now you're sounding like a shoe salesman.

Paul: Dwight Moody also knew the value of business experience for leading God's people. He wanted to pay for the kid's Bible education, but he knew how important it was for even the workers in the Church to pay for their own food and housing. So, he got businessmen, like myself, to pay their tuition. The students paid room and board. Moody _might_ not have been an "evangelist", even though history remembers him that way—he seemed more like an _apostle_.

Hank: Whoah! Dwight Moody an _apostle!?_ He didn't write books of the Bible.

Paul: I never said he was a "Second Testament" apostle.

Hank: You mean "New Testament".

Paul: With your European vocabulary, yes. You know the meaning of my words.

Hank: Okay, I'm getting it now. Talk more, then about this "function" thing. What is the meaning of that word— _function?_

Paul: It's like a rock. It's not there because you vote on it. It's chosen by God to be what it is. No one voted for Moody to be an apostle or evangelist or whatever he was, I'm simply observing the nature of his behavior—his _function_. Everyone knows what something is, simply by reading the dictionary. If it quacks, it's a duck. Moody behaved like an apostle.

Hank: Just curious, but, how much time do you spend reading the dictionary?

Paul: Well, since I think in terms of definitions and not words, I don't know, it's been so long. But I used to read Greek dictionaries. Now I'm focusing on English dictionaries. Those are WAY more complicated.

Hank: I always thought Greek was more complicated.

Paul: That's because you read Kittle. When it's your native language you understand a lot more. But, for an Englishman, Kittle does a good job of explaining stuff we Greek-speakers just assumed.

Hank: Haha... I got you to admit that you're a _dictionary reader_ ... Na, na...

Paul: So are you, Captain Kittle.

Hank: No, I'm Hank.

Paul: And I'm Paul. Nice to meet you.

Hank: ...The Apostle... right.

Paul: That's my _function_.

Hank: So, _please_ tell me what that _means!_

Paul: The Second Testament (or 'New' as you call it) apostles were chosen by Jesus Himself. They weren't voted on.

Hank: But they had fellowship and chose Mathis to replace Judas. That sounds like voting and "office" to me.

Paul: No. They cast lots, actually.

Hank: Oh, yeah. That's right...

Paul: Judas had left a gaping chasm in the three-year fellowship that remained after Jesus's first time on earth. There was a hole in their hearts. They were accustomed to ordering 12 glasses of wine with every meal, 12 cushions on the floor at every table... They needed another to fill the seat so they could move past the emptiness of Judas. They knew that not just anyone can be an apostle, but they had some obvious candidates... which were as easy to identify as knowing that a rock is a "rock". But, since apostles are chosen by God Himself, just as rocks are made by Him, they had to let "fate" decide. They cast lots so that the final decision of who would take over Judas's "function" was beyond human control.

Hank: So, GOD appoints apostles. That's _convenient_ ... You know how many of those characters are just self-proclaimed "apostles" who are in it for the money?

Paul: And it's plain to see, isn't it?

Hank: Sure is, that's why I don't like it.

Paul: That's what they call a "fake apostle". It's why I wouldn't take money from the treasury, like the apostle whom Mathis replaced always did. He was also the one who didn't like Jesus's appreciation for expensive perfume. False leaders almost always end up talking about money—one way or another. They are easy to spot.

Hank: So, how can you say that apostles are "chosen by God" with all the phoniness?

Paul: That's exactly why.

Hank: Huh?

Paul: You already know the phonies are phonies. You get all worked up about it. So, you know them by their fruit. It's no problem.

Hank: But false apostles mislead so many people.

Paul: Come on. Take some responsibility for yourself. Let others take responsibility for _them_ selves. You're not as responsible for others in the Body of Christ as you said you were when this conversation first began.

Hank: You remember what I said?

Paul: Of course. I _listen_ when you talk. You should also listen to yourself talk when you talk to yourself... you don't answer yourself, do you?

Hank: [shyly] ...well, no...

Paul: Either way, just remember that you don't answer for the decisions of other people. They are very capable of seeing the truth if they want to. People are only deceived by a false apostle if they _want_ to be deceived. So don't stress so much. And don't use self-deceived people as an excuse to give yourself more power. Your role as a shepherd-style teacher is to guide them through the process as much as they want to go with you. God Himself will deal with false apostles. He may raise up His own apostles to do it. But you are a _shepherd_. So don't get in His way when God does deal with them. Keep leading the sheep. That's what Jesus did and that's what it seems like you're called to do.

Hank: How do you know what I'm called to?

Paul: Because I read the dictionary, silly. It's plain.

Hank: It is?

Paul: Well, yeah. Who else would be so torn-up inside about turmoil in God's flock? A _shepherd_ of course.

Hank: So, I really _am_ called to this?

Paul: So it would seem.

Hank: But some of the elders on my board don't seem to think so.

Paul: That's not their decision. They don't vote on the passions and callings _God_ places in _your_ heart.

Hank: But what if they fire me!?

Paul: They can't.

Hank: What? I have a contract, you know.

Paul: You have a contract as a president who calls himself a "pastor". But they can't fire you from being a shepherd-at-heart any more than you or I could vote to decide that a rock is no longer a rock.

Hank: But if they fire me, I'll lose everything.

Paul: Losing everything isn't that bad. It might cause you to know the all surpassing greatness of _knowing_ Christ. But, even then, I don't think you would lose anything that matters. Christ is the true rock and on Him we build what we want. Jesus will fire it up and whatever remains is what remains. On that day, you'll always have your passion for people, to lead them as the Teacher-Shepherd did. That's something no one can take from you. That, itself, is your everlasting reward, and, as a shepherd-style teacher yourself, helping others in the manner Jesus did is more valuable to you than gold.

Hank: Yes. Helping people _is_ more valuable to me than gold. But if I can't preach and lead meetings, then I no longer have the opportunity to lead people in any way, especially in the way Jesus did as the Good Shepherd.

Paul: Actually, you're wrong. Jesus didn't have a board, nor an office, nor meetings, nor a first-morning of the week 40 minute monologue. Those things would have made His earthly ministry a disaster. If Jesus had led like "pastor-presidents" do today, we Pharisees wouldn't have seen Him as such a threat.

Hank: From how you sound, you seem to think that this was all Satan's idea.

Paul: Setting-up a single leader—other than God—within _God's_ government was always Satan's idea from before he got boosted from his own office in Heaven. The angels voted with their swords. They deposed Satan because God was their King and they need no other. You're a good guy and all, and you certainly have a shepherd-teacher calling on your life, but doing it through a position that clearly resembles that of a "prime minister" or "president" is, also, obviously a design of Satan. You don't want to do that, young man. Presidents and emperors are great—in secular government. And that's where they should stay. _Life_ doesn't fit into our man-made hierarchies. I learned that as a Pharisee when Jesus knocked me off my donkey and showed me how blind I truly was.

Hank: But, where's the accountability?

Paul: Who holds Billy Graham accountable?

Hank: Uhh, his ministry does...

Paul: And who holds _them_ accountable?

Hank: Well, they hold each other accountable.

Paul: That's not an answer. You've spent too much time in Sunday school. Why does their leadership system have anything to do with your ability to respect Billy Graham? Can you name his accountability partners? Do you respect him because you've seen the accreditation from his board? What would you do if Graham went loopy and started preaching that Jesus was an alien or that people ought pray to His mother, Mary, instead of the Lord Himself?

Hank: There's no way I'd ever care what he did again if that all happened.

Paul: Don't you think other people are smart enough to think the same thing?

Hank: Well, yeah. If he self-destructed it would be obvious.

Paul: So then, you're not responsible for those others. People don't need you to spell-out what's obvious. The sheep can eat on their own. Good shepherds merely lead them to green pastures and still waters.

Hank: And now you're going to tell me that the Lord won't ask me to answer for the decisions of other people and that I should focus on my own _personal_ life in terms of what I am a steward of.

Paul: Only Satan wants people to think that the obvious needs to be spelled-out for people. This is so that he can convince them of whatever he wants. Be honest with yourself: No one voted that Billy Graham would be an Evangelist. He just _is_ one. Who do you think gave him that calling?

Hank: Well, God did.

Paul: How do you know? Were you _there_ when God did it?

Hank: No, it's just obvious, _dude_. Billy Graham's an Evangelist. Anyone who can't see that is smoking rocks.

Paul: That's because being an "evangelist" is not an "office". It's a "function". It's a calling given by God and it's obvious to everyone.

Hank: So, what about self-proclaimed "apostles".

Paul: What about self-proclaimed "evangelists"?

Hank: There is no such thing!

Paul: Is there such a thing?

Hank: Sure there is. There are a _lot_ of self-proclaimed apostles.

Paul: Yeah, but they are obviously fake. No one calls himself an "evangelist" anymore than a rock claims to be a rock. That's a term other people use to describe him. A true evangelist doesn't need to use mere words to describe what is obvious. His function, the definition of "evangelist", is clearly written all over everything he does. Just as "president" is written all over your daily schedule. You'd be much better as a pastor.

Hank: I _am_ a pastor.

Paul: You have a pastor _calling_ , but you're so distracted with the opinions of your board of directors...

Hank: ...board of _elders_ ...

Paul: ...they _function_ like directors. Call it what you want. A sweater without sleeves is still a vest. This imperial government mentality has you concerned about the opinion of men more than the opinion of God. If you were an elder or a deacon working under their direction, that would be another story. But your pastor-calling is one of the _heart_. It came from God.

Hank: I can't just run through my life without accountability. I _need_ to listen to the board of elders.

Paul: Render to God what is God's and render to man what is mans. A deacon's work is under the leadership of the elders. But a shepherd-teacher's heart is purely given by God. Listen to God in regards to your calling. Cooperate with the elder's decisions, just like all the other pastors God has in your local fellowship. Many are pastors and don't know it. Man didn't give that to you and man can't tell you what to do with it.

Hank: So, I should just do whatever I _want?_

Paul: Follow the leadership of whatever house you are in. If it's a government, a business, a friend's family... follow their decision making, but _be_ a shepherd-teacher wherever you go.

Hank: But what about those people who say that "God" holds them accountable? They resist human authority.

Paul: Well, okay now... one issue at a time... God _does_ hold all of us accountable. But, just as God will hold Billy Graham accountable, he also has two other layers of accountability.

Hank: _Two?_

Paul: First, there's society in general—if he went loopy and started burning Bibles, we'd stop listening to him. That's one layer of accountability. But, second, everywhere Billy Graham goes, he works with local Christians. Several ministries and groups of people set things up and he cooperates with them, let's them run the show, he just preaches and works with his team, and, after, the new Christians connect with other local Christians. He doesn't just do whatever he wants. He follows the administrative _office_ of each house he goes to. _That's_ accountability.

Hank: Can't they teach him how to be a better evangelist? Doesn't he need _that_ kind of _accountability_?

Paul: Telling a rock how to be a rock isn't _accountability_ , that would be _insanity_. God made the rock a rock and neither you nor I can help ensure that it does a good job of being a rock. It's just as insane for a group of Church _officers_ to tell a shepherd-teacher how to _shepherd_ or to tell a prophet how to _prophesy_ or to tell me whether or not I am an apostle. I am an apostle because God said so, not Jerusalem.

Hank: Don't you need to listen to Jerusalem, though?

Paul: Of course. We all need to submit to each other in love, but just because someone has an opinion about what you should do doesn't mean that person is your new boss. They can tell—say—an evangelist, what time to come and go, ask him to turn the lights off, whether to leave his shoes at the door, and make sure he obeys the Bible just like any other Christian should. But in terms of shepherd-teaching, that's a gift from God. A plumber doesn't ask the home owner how to fix the plumbing. He's the expert, but he still follows the rules of the house. You need to listen to your Teacher, and there is only _one_ of those—the Holy Spirit. Even the Good Shepherd followed the rules of each house He visited. But the home owners didn't try to tell Jesus how to lead His disciples. Know the difference between the local house and God's calling on your life.

Hank: How do you know the difference?

Paul: It's not always easy knowing when an idea is your own opinion or when it's the Lord talking to you. Just try to distinguish as best as you can and you'll get better with time.

Hank: What should I tell others, though?

Paul: When you know it, make sure that you also tell other people whether something you say is your own opinion or if you believe it's the Lord's direction. This respects the fact that the Holy Spirit can lead others—and He doesn't need to send _you_ or _me_ a memo to do it.

Hank: I think I can handle that. But, I have this job—this dilemma. In my heart I know that the people in my church need to go in one direction, but some of the leaders don't want to listen and I have to choose between feeding my family and the calling in my heart. Both are important to God.

Paul: Ever think of owning a business?

Hank: Is there something wrong with getting money for working in the Church?

Paul: Not for a deacon it isn't. But it's hard to lead people where God calls you to if your followers are also your boss. That's not an accountability system you'll see in the biblical Church, it's more of a democracy. Jesus leads a Kingdom. As a tent maker, I was in no man's debt, except for the debt to always love. I don't think I could have told Philemon what I told him if I had drawn a salary from the Church treasury. Philemon was a big Church donor. When someone owns your family's bread and butter, they own your ability to speak the truth. That seems to be part of your trouble.

Hank: You've got good ideas, but I still don't know what to _do_.

Paul: You know... I've got another friend I might want to introduce you to.

# **Scene 2: Don**

Don: Let's make this quick. I've got another appointment later on.

Hank: You sound busy.

Don: I'm only busy because I care about people. The next person I'm meeting claims he met Jesus while attending semitary—or seminary or whatever they call it, and he also had a run-in with a fire and ice Bapticostal. It will be an interesting meeting. It's amazing how many Christians want your advice when you've proven yourself in the business world.

Hank: Well, I'll try to be quick.

Don: Don't be quick, be honest. If you dance around the issues we won't have enough time. Getting stuff done in the time God gives us isn't a matter of how fast we work—it's about how honest we are with ourselves and with the people around us.

Hank: In seminary they always explained that administration required a lot of diplomacy.

Don: Steve Jobs wasn't very diplomatic.

Hank: Yeah, but they fired him.

Don: He was fired by the very idea you're trapped in. Apple went down without Steve there to be anti-diplomatic. Steve didn't work _fast_ ... He made everyone be honest with themselves about what they _could_ do versus what they actually _were_ doing. That's a big reason why he did so much in his life—he accomplished more in one, short life than our so-called "diplomacy" has accomplish in centuries.

Hank: But my professors said otherwise. They have experience, ya know.

Don: Experience? In what?

Hank: Teaching.

Don: That's all theory. I dropped out of college after my economics professor said he didn't have a plan for retirement. He taught about _money_ for Pete's sake! If he didn't know how to retire, then what in the world was he actually going over in class?

Hank: Hmm.. I never thought about that before...

Don: That's what _he_ said just before I dropped out.

Hank: How did you become so successful in business if you didn't go to college?

Don: The same way Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were successful: _they dropped out of college_.

Hank: That seems irresponsible. You should finish what you start.

Don: Exactly. For me, college was a detour from reality. I couldn't waste time on truckload of theory from people whose only experience was in teaching more theory.

Hank: I don't want to talk about this. I'd rather be more efficient with our time.

Don: If you're going in the wrong direction it'll take a lot longer to turn-around and go back the way you came than to pause for a moment, look at a map, and head in the right direction to begin with. The last thing you want to do is get to the top of a corporate ladder, only to find it was leaning against the wrong building.

Hank: So, were did you actually learn about business? You're so good at it...

Don: Business is very simple, actually.

Hank: So, why do you say it can't be taught in school?

Don: Do you suppose you could tell me what a banana tastes like?

Hank: What's that have to do with anything?

Don: Have you ever tried to get a haircut over the phone?

Hank: Are you just trying to be silly?

Don: _Me!?_ You're the one who thinks everything can be explained without actually _doing_ it. If you want a haircut, you have to actually _do_ it, not just talk about it.

Hank: Oh, I see what you mean. It's easier to know what a banana tastes like if I _eat_ one rather than getting a college degree in _Bananas_. I mean, that'd be "bananas", ya know.

Don: If you haven't _done_ it you shouldn't teach it. Actually, it's not that you "shouldn't", but that you _can't_. But too many people try to teach what they haven't done.

Hank: Like who?

Don: Do you know the difference between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs?

Hank: Well, I'm not too impressed with Microsoft...

Don: You're impressed with one and not the other. But both of them are successful businesses. You need to know the difference between excellence and success.

Hank: But we don't want to be dishonest...

Don: No, you don't because if you sow dishonesty it will come back to haunt you. That's sowing and reaping. God's people need to understand this or else Satan's people will own all the businesses and keep running this world into the mud.

Hank: You sound worried.

Don: Don't think that for a second. God is up to something big. Satan won't run things forever. Jesus will return and, when He does, I'm going to give a good account.

Hank: You mean all the money you have?

Don: No, I mean all the people I mentored, like you.

Hank: I don't get it. Aren't you successful in business to give a good account to God?

Don: Money doesn't exist. It's only valuable if you and I think it is. That's why I pour my effort into people: The ones with the true power to make something valuable. God cares about people.

Hank: So, what is the secret to business?

Don: Like an old mentor always use to say, "Money talks. ...the other stuff walks."

Hank: So, work hard?

Don: _Do_ it. Don't talk about it all day. Get up off your bum and go out there and stick out your hand and put in the time and miles and hours and get it done. Most people work better for someone else than they work for themselves. That's why so many people go nowhere.

Hank: I put in the work, but I don't know the _how-to_ of it all? I have a lot of problems in my administration. Things are falling apart and...

Don: Do you have any good mentors?

Hank: Well, my board mentors me...

Don: But do they have fruit on the tree?

Hank: Fruit?

Don: Do they have actual evidence in their lives to prove that they've done what they are teaching you to do?

Hank: Well, one of them attended seminary?

Don: Is your goal to keep attending seminary forever? If it is then I'd keep listening to that guy. He sounds like he's good at it.

Hank: Hey now. That's hard work, attending seminary.

Don: I know. You seem exhausted from it. You know what I always call that look on your face?

Hank: Analysis paralysis?

Don: It's _mental constipation_ ...

Hank: Am I thinking too much about all my problems, then...

Don: Mental constipation.

Hank: I need to pray more.

Don: Mental constipation.

Hank: Maybe I shouldn't have taken this job as pastor.

Don: ...mental constipation...

Hank: Okay, so mentally deconstipate me already.

Don: The whole _world_ doesn't have enough laxative for that. We'll try this... Have you ever heard of "thinking big"?

Hank: Is that, "You can do it if you believe it!"

Don: Well, that's more about getting all excited and I don't know about that. Here's what I mean by _thinking big:_ We have a _big_ God who can do _big_ things and we need to have this _bigness_ in our thinking. But there's more...

Hank: Spend _big_ money to make _big_ money?

Don: No. You don't need to spend any money to make money. Bill Gates didn't. That's just propaganda from investors who want to sell you their securities. I get a lot of those knocking on my door. It's strange, ya know... I start making money and all of a sudden all my friends are in the securities business.

Hank: So what does it mean to "think big"?

Don: ...how about "big picture"... ever heard of that?

Hank: Is that kind of like the art of Grand Strategy, where we need to wage the war and not get obsessed about every little battle?

Don: That's a mentally constipated way of putting it, but it fits you for now, so, yeah.

Hank: Wow, I need to tell my board to see the big picture...

Don: _No, you_ need to see the big picture. Only then can you cast the vision for others. You're trying to get mentoring from them when you have more experience. Don't try to _get_ help— _try to help others_.

Hank: So, I don't need mentors?

Don: No, you need mentors _who have actual experience in what they mentor you about_.

Hank: Oh, I see. So, by learning from an accomplished drop-outs...

Don: ...I resemble that remark... Thank you...

Hank: ...I can get the mentoring I need and then I'll actually get something done. After that, I will be able to help others with what they need?

Don: That's the way Jesus did it. That's discipleship. I'll follow His _example_ since He accomplished more in 33 years than even Steve Jobs did in 56. But... what will _you_ accomplish?

Hank: I don't know. That depends on my board...

Don: NO! _Their_ achievement depends on them. _Your_ achievement depends on no one other than _yourself_. God's given you everything you need. You can either sit around and theorize about it, on the couch or in a classroom—and spend your whole life there—or you can actually get something done.

Hank: It sounds like you think I shouldn't have attended seminary.

Don: Semitary isn't necessarily bad. I want my kids to go to college, but don't think that you'll learn about ministry there. Did you learn Greek?

Hank: Yeah. It was required.

Don: Good. Now you studied it so I don't have to. I'm very glad you went to semitary.

Hank: Are you lazy?

Don: No. I work very hard. But I never do anything myself that I can pay someone else to do for me.

Hank: What's that got to do with Greek?

Don: I donate money to the Church. So, I _pay_ you. As long as you are diligent with your Greek, since you care so much about it when I don't, I'm happy. Tell me all about it. That way I don't have to learn it and I can focus on what God wants me doing.

Hank: And that is... building your business?

Don: No. Building _people_.

Hank: But we are _God's_ craftsmanship, not the craftsmanship of others. I just learned that from the Apostle Paul.

Don: It's good to read Paul.

Hank: No, I actually _talked_ to him.

Don: And this other guy talked to Jesus—your dreaming... but that's good. You can help build the dream for your elder board if you yourself are a dreamer.

Hank: But I don't _build_ other people.

Don: I never said you did. I don't build people.

Hank: But you said...

Don: I can smell your mental constipation again.

Hank: Oh dear. I hope not.

Don: _I_ don't build people. I mentor them. I help them find answers to questions based on what I myself have done. By helping them, I also learn. God is the grand master-builder. He's not building buildings. He's building _people_. We're just helping Him in our own little spheres of influence. That's the big picture.

Hank: So, how can I help my board see this big picture?

Don: _YOU_ must see it yourself. Stop trying to push wet noodles. They would probably follow your leadership a little more if you just loved-up on them and moved on. The best way to help them build their dream is for you start building your own.

Hank: What should I _do?_

Don: That's _my_ question. What _should_ you do? You're the one who came to me. So, I'm assuming that you are trying to do something.

Hank: Alright. Here's my problem...

Don: _Other_ than mental constipation?

Hank: Well, that too...

Don: Get on with it. Remember I have another appointment and we need to consider the person in line behind you.

Hank: You were the one distracting with _mental constipation_.

Don: It wasn't a distraction. You needed to hear it because that's probably the problem behind your problem... So, how can I help you connect the dots?

Hank: You might not understand this, but...

Don: I've faced many challenges in my own life. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be successful at anything?

Hank: By "success" do you mean _making lots of money_?

Don: Don't let other people determine your dreams for you. Success is what God promised Joshua if he would meditate on God's Word. Success is merely achieving the dream God gave you—whatever it may be.

Hank: Okay. That makes more sense now.

Don: It's because you're starting to mentally deconstipate. But don't worry, you've still got a lot left in there.

Hank: So, you identify with my life challenges even though you have lots of money?

Don: Money only increases your problems. The neighbors complain about stuff that they didn't complain about when the previous owner lived here. It's amazing how many people waste their time being jealous rather than just focusing on their dreams. The hard part is that you can't hold that against them. If you can't love your enemies then God won't let you have very much of His money. Maybe that's one of your problems. Do you love your enemies?

Hank: Well, yeah, even when they do so many stupid, crazy, foolish...

Don: Boy, you sure are worked up about this. I think you need to let go of some anger.

Hank: I'm not angry, just frustrated.

Don: No, mentally constipated. You're letting other people's problems get to you. Mind your own business.

Hank: But I need to cooperate with them.

Don: So, cooperate with them and quit thinking about how much they get in your way. It doesn't matter anyway. When we all stand on the shores of eternity together, it won't matter who was late to what meeting or what color the curtains were.

Hank: That perspective makes it easier not to be angry.

Don: That's part of thinking big. You need to dream more.

Hank: What do you mean?

Don: You're bigger than the petty, little stuff other people do.

Hank: Yeah? Well, one elder backed into my car!

Don: It's only a material possession. You can buy another one.

Hank: I don't have money for that!

Don: Money is like air. You only think about it when you don't have enough. It's why Judas always thought about stealing money and selling perfume. Jesus knew it, but He didn't care. Jesus paves His streets with _gold_ for Pete's sake! He's got more than enough money than He knows what to do with—and He's smart. He came to offer _abundance_ —and He can get you a new car if He wants you to have one.

Hank: True, but the car is in the shop now. Do you know how much that slows down my life?

Don: I've had worse problems. It will only stop you if you want it to. Later, you'll be looking back and you'll laugh about it. Keep dreaming, never let anything stop you, and laugh about these little things.

Hank: But I have to get work done today.

Don: Work is easier to get done if you can laugh about stuff. I know people who own several cars and they get so angry over every petty, little thing that they never get anything done. Your dream is _bigger_ than your problems.

Hank: That's easy for you to say. You've got money. I have to choose between my family and my job. If I tell the elders the truth they'll fire me.

Don: You're thinking too much about money because you don't understand money.

Hank: So, help me understand money. What's the secret?

Don: It doesn't exist.

Hank: You said that already. But why is there so much worry and concern in the world about something that doesn't exist?

Don: Because people only worry about stuff that they don't understand. When a Chess Grandmaster sees 30 moves into the future, is he worried about a beginner marching against his king with a pawn?

Hank: Well. No. He sees how the game works. He just wins. It's the beginner who's all in a tizzy.

Don: So it's the same with you. You're all in a tizzy about _job_ and _ministry_ and _car_ and _family_ ... because you are controlled by something that doesn't exist... because you don't understand it.

Hank: How can I understand something that doesn't exist?

Don: You can start by understanding that it doesn't exist.

Hank: What do you mean?

Don: If I gave you a big yacht and a nice sports car, but I told you that you could never ride in the car with your friends or family and never use the yacht with other people, would you want them?

Hank: Well, no. That wouldn't be any fun.

Don: So, we don't have possessions for the sake of possessions themselves. We have things because they enhance out time with others.

Hank: People are what matter most to you, even though you are filthy rich?

Don: People are my focus. God is building people and I help by mentoring them. That's why I'm so interested in talking to _you_.

Hank: Even though I'm mentally constipated?

Don: _Especially_ because you're mentally constipated.

Hank: But why take your time on someone like me?

Don: Well, for starters, you didn't walk out when I started being honest with you—and you've been honest with me also. That means that you are ahead of 95% of the people in the world. But also, you have a calling as a pastor... just think about how many people I can help merely by helping you.

Hank: Duplication. You're duplicating your work by helping me.

Don: Never do something yourself if you can pay someone else to do it.

Hank: You are going to pay me to talk to others?

Don: Well, out of God's treasury.

Hank: You mean the church budget.

Don: No, I mean your true payment is that you'll fulfill what's in your heart. I'm not the one paying you. God gives each of us a desire and we aren't satisfied until we pursue it. He doesn't do what he _pays_ us to do. Leadership and business are similar. Find your passion. It will direct you... and it's your reward.

Hank: Paying others, in a real "business" sense is expensive, though.

Don: You can't always think of things in terms of money. Like I said, it's not the only motivator. If someone doesn't want money, don't offer it to them. Many people will do stuff free.

Hank: Yeah? Like what?

Don: You just said it.

Hank: Said what?

Don: Ever head of the "Like" button?

Hank: Oh, yeah, social networks and tweetie.

Don: Exactly. People will advertise stuff to their friends free of charge. If you gave money to people every time they hit the "Like" button they would stop liking stuff from their friends. People talk about stuff they are interested in when they don't get paid for it. The relationship with friends _is_ there payment.

Hank: But I can't just quit my job. I can't earn money without one.

Don: That's because you are financially illiterate. By not knowing how money works you are allowing local politics to interfere with the vision God has put in your heart.

Hank: But I don't have time to learn about money. I have meetings to go to.

Don: Why are you so certain that all those meetings are necessary?

Hank: I lead a meeting. People at that meeting work with volunteers. They put on a Christmas program and people's lives change after they understand what amazing things Jesus did for them. I need to go to meetings so it can happen.

Don: Good. You demonstrate long-range planning skills. You see how one action today affects results later. But you're missing one thing.

Hank: What's that?

Don: Evaluation.

Hank: What?

Don: You have results in your life and you help people learn from what you yourself have done, yes. But how do you know that there isn't a far more effective way to help people understand how Jesus's work at the Cross can change their lives for the better?

Hank: Well, this is what we've always done and it's what I learned in Seminary.

Don: Is that the only reason you can come up with?

Hank: We do have surveys and we don't do things the same way they have always been done. We change-up the Christmas show every year so it's more effective... and the numbers show results.

Don: You only care about numbers?

Hank: No, numbers are people and you yourself know how money translates to actual time with family. Money puts food on my table—yours too.

Don: Yep. You're right. I just wanted to see if your head was in the right place.

Hank: We evaluated, reinvented, did our homework. We even surveyed the area to find out which petty, little things keep people away from church. You know what we found?

Don: What did you find?

Hank: We found that the number one reason people didn't come to church was the greeter at the door. Oh, boy. The elders were angry when I suggested getting rid of the greeter.

Don: Okay. You demonstrate an ability to let go of old systems that are no longer necessary. Yesterday's success can hinder tomorrow.

Hank: My dad used to say something to that effect.

Don: But you're still missing one thing...

Hank: And what is _that?_

Don: As I said, evaluation. You evaluated the past, but you've not evaluated at the level of the _big picture_.

Hank: What do you mean?

Don: You're willing to let go to a degree, but not fully. For example, you've taken a Christmas program from _average_ to _excellent_. That's good. But how do you know that a Christmas program is necessary in the first place?

Hank: Are you suggesting to get rid of Christmas?

Don: You are hearing me say things I didn't say. That's your mental constipation again. But this time, I think it's rooted in _fear_.

Hank: Fear?

Don: Fear is dangerous. Deep down, you keep that Christmas program because you're afraid of letting it go. It's not necessarily bad—but liking something shouldn't be your reason for keeping it. You have given me nothing to suggest that it's best to have that Christmas program in the first place.

Hank: Well, what do you suggest?

Don: I'm not a professional minister. So, I wouldn't know. My business is widgets.

Hank: "Widgets"!? As in, you're not telling me what your business is.

Don: No. Widgets, as in, I make small applications people install on their mobile devices.

Hank: You're a computer programmer?

Don: No. I never do anything myself that I can pay someone else to do for me.

Hank: Where did you get the money to pay them?

Don: I didn't. Never do something yourself that you can pay someone else to do for you.

Hank: You pay someone else to pay them?

Don: Yep. That's business.

Hank: So, what to _you_ actually do? This isn't income without industry, is it? You're not a leach are you?

Don: No. I innovate. I look at the big picture, interpret the obviously not-so-obvious, and keep my company trimming back things that don't matter. It's like dusting furniture. Everything is always shedding old skin and the trash always needs to be taken out. Realizing that you don't need to keep doing what you did yesterday is not easy. But if you can break free from the past every morning, thoroughly understand people's ever-changing needs, _and be creative at the same time_ , well, then you've got something—and that's what I specialize in.

Hank: Doesn't all this time you spend with people take away from your business?

Don: Where do you think I learn what the widget market needs?

Hank: Oh, from talking to _people_.

Don: Business is about people. If you don't understand people you can't understand business.

Hank: Well, that makes sense.

Don: Now, I'm starting to think there may be a marketable need for widgets that help people who suffer from mental constipation.

Hank: And what would that widget do?

Don: It would teach people like you to let go of things that don't matter. That will solve many of your problems.

Hank: How can that solve the problem I have with my church?

Don: First, from what you told me, it sounds like your problem is that you have a conflict of interest. That itself will cause many other problems.

Hank: What conflict of interest?

Don: Have you ever asked them why they hired you if they don't want to listen to you?

Hank: Sometimes, yeah. Well, I've _wondered_ anyhow.

Don: The problem is that they haven't wondered that themselves. So many people go through life without thinking about why they do what they do. God's people would make a bigger impact in the world if they would think about stuff. You're controlled by a bunch of people who are going nowhere fast. They are controlling you through a thing called a paycheck.

Hank: How do I change that?

Don: You can't. Not even _God_ can steer a parked car.

Hank: You have a really simple way of seeing things.

Don: No, I'm just not mentally constipated. I stay focused on thinking _big_ ... big value from God (He loves me very much)... big ability (God's given me everything I need)... big picture... big dreams... _big_.

Hank: _Big_ problems...

Don: ...and _big_ mistakes lead to _big_ learning...

Hank: The more you learn, the more you feel the burn.

Don: The modern education system discourages mistakes and in doing so it discourages the greatest learning. It's why school can prevent people from thinking _big_ ... if you let it.

Hank: How do I overcome those obstacles?

Don: Well, what kind of food do you give your mind?

Hank: I don't watch too much TV. I try to read journals and research publications.

Don: That's your problem. You're mentally constipated because you're reading too much theory.

Hank: Is that stuff bad? Information is important.

Don: I look at information to help innovation and leadership of my widget company. But I don't fill my mind with other people's opinions about every detail. I try to look at as much raw data as I can. When I read someone's opinion, I don't want people who tell me the conclusions. I read authors who help me learn to see the conclusions on my own. I never read someone I don't agree with at least 80% and disagree with at least 5%. If I agree with someone more than 95% then they are either brainwashing me or I'd do better to talk to myself. If it's not necessary, don't do it. Keep it simple.

Hank: Wow. I thought that only PG-13 movies and soap operas where the bad influence.

Don: News can be also. Most news reporting is "bad" news and exploits the human addiction to negativity, "You should be afraid of everything in the world... keep watching out channel to learn why..."

Hank: I can see that. But I always thought that reading about ministry and Bible were a constructive benefit to my mind.

Don: The greatest benefit to your mind is reading Bible. God Himself wrote that. I prefer the best authors. And He is a kind of leader who helps us learn as we go, not just parrot what we've been told by others. Parroting is what most people learn from a large classroom setting where no one has enough time to ask their own questions. One-on-one, like this, is really great. Twelve people is ideal because we can also learn while watching people close to us navigate through their own challenges.

Hank: So, reading ministry journals isn't always best?

Don: Get the information if you need it, but don't assume that it's good just because it has "Ministry" stamped on the cover. Consider its use in your life... Does it help you to think or does it just jump to the conclusion and tell you what to parrot? Steer clear of teachers who give the right conclusions for the wrong reasons. There are a lot of G-rated movies that brainwash children. I'd keep your family away from those.

Hank: So, how do I help my board do the right thing?

Don: Honestly, it looks like the best thing you can do for them is abandon them. If they won't listen to you then call it what it is. That's what God does... and many people wonder why they can't hear His Voice in their hearts. That's also what I do with people. If someone's not going to at least _try_ what I suggest, then talking is a waste of time for both of us, regardless of who's right.

Hank: But I can't just _leave_. I have a family.

Don: That's what Satan wants you to think.

Hank: But it's more than that. I've poured my heart into this church.

Don: Satan likes to get us doing so many good things that we don't have time for what God called us to.

Hank: But what church will I work at? I can't just go to another church that easily.

Don: Who ever said you should go to lead another church?

Hank: Well, that's why my experience is in.

Don: Two things. First, you created this problem by getting a job that has a conflict of interest. It would be a lot easier to lead a board of elders if you were a business man who gives money wherever God so directs you.

Hank: But then _I'm_ making the threats. It's like saying, "If you don't listen to me, I'll stop donating." I don't want to be like that.

Don: No. I mean, as a business man, I have a local fellowship I'm a part of. I give money regularly. They ask me for advice. When they don't listen, I take a break from talking to them, but I still keep giving. That allows them to think about the way they do things. Maybe they need time to sort things out. But, as a full-time pastor, you can't give them the silent treatment because you let them hold a paycheck over your head. They own you. In other words, you let them do to you what you just said you don't want to do to them.

Hank: It's not like that, though. They are honest people. They don't threaten to take my paycheck. I'm just concerned about it, so I'm diplomatic. That's all.

Don: But you're still concerned about it. And they know it. Pastor, you need to consider who's truly running the show. It ain't you—it can't be with your current system. The problem is the system, not the people in it.

Hank: But this is the system we have in the Body of Christ. It isn't perfect, but it's what we have.

Don: Where would we be if Steve Jobs had said that?

Hank: I'm not Steve!

Don: No. You're Hank. And the world is waiting for you to be more dedicated to your own calling than to repeating someone else's history.

Hank: What can _I_ do?

Don: How about doing what the Apostle Paul did. Ever hear of a "Paulos" tent?

Hank: Here we go. He mentioned that.

Don: They were top notch. He did everything with excellence. Why else do you think he was able to travel all over Europe?

Hank: It seems like you're an opportunist.

Don: An _opportunist_ tries to make money where he's not needed. But I'm talking _opportunity_.

Hank: There's a difference?

Don: People everywhere in the world have needs. Two thousand years ago they needed tents. Paul wasn't afraid to help them with that. And they didn't mind paying him.

Hank: But I don't just want to think about money all the time.

Don: You're already thinking about money most of the time. It is what has you afraid of doing the right thing. You're just so lost in this world of "non-profit" ministry as your source of "income" that you are afraid to admit that people _want_ to give money to people who sell good stuff. That's _business_ and it funds your paycheck already.

Hank: I always thought business was a "necessary evil" and we pastors take money from business men and finally do something constructive with it.

Don: It's just the opposite. You're thinking about companies that aren't necessary, who leverage their power when no one needs them. That's _elitism_ and such are the kind of "rich people" the New Testament teaches against. But the Old Testament was filled with profitable businessmen and the Jews always believed profit was good, so long as it was based in meeting a _need_. That's why Paul said, "All things are permissible, but not all things are _profitable_." Maybe, if you thought like a businessman, you'd be able to help God's people better.

Hank: What's the core of business then?

Don: Innovation.

Hank: Huh?

Don: Don't be afraid to talk with someone about creative business ideas. There are people all over the world who sell the strangest things that you never knew people need... but it's true.

Hank: One guy tried to talk about a business idea with me one time. I was afraid he was going to get me into a cult.

Don: Don't be. Open your mind. Enjoy those conversations. Don't throw your money at just anything. But don't avoid new ideas either.

Hank: But people lose a lot of money when business doesn't work out.

Don: They can only lose money with any investment. But there are other types of business that don't need an investment.

Hank: Like what?

Don: Try pre-ordering, for example. I started making widgets a few years ago as a hobby. Then, they got to a point where people wanted to buy them. Only after that did I buy an office and hire employees. But even then you can lose.

Hank: How can you lose if you don't invest anything?

Don: I did invest, but it was my _time_ I would have lost.

Hank: They say time is our biggest asset.

Don: Time is only an asset if you make it give back more than it takes. But with you can lose _anything_ you invest. And that's my point.

Hank: Losing is your point?

Don: Exactly. Even in those times when you pour in years or thousands or millions of dollars... and you lose, those are learning experiences. They teach you a lot. That's your tuition and it's pretty low, comparatively.

Hank: You seek out those mistakes?

Don: Of course not, they'll find you. Do your homework. Don't go into anything blind. And it's best to make your first business venture a zero-money investment. If you can't make money without an investment, you probably won't know what to do when times get rough. Besides, a lot of people get scammed with "investment" opportunities.

Hank: How do you know what business could work and what investment plans would likely fail?

Don: Once you taste a banana, you'll always recognize a banana when you taste it. Make something work from nothing, then you'll know that it takes more than throwing money and pretty brochures at something to make it work.

Hank: That seems Biblical. Jesus talked about rewarding people who were faithful in the small things by giving them more to be responsible with.

Don: And make sure you keep discussing ideas with people. Don't isolate yourself when you are learning.

Hank: So, when someone has something that might be marketable, I can just ask him, "So, what are you thinking? Could we make a business out of this? I want to help."

Don: Yeah. I always think that people must have had those kinds of conversations with Paul.

Hank: Why would you think that? I mean, he never wrote on the subject of business.

Don: That's because he wrote letters to lead Christians. _Business talk_ and _new ideas_ reside in short conversations. You don't write letters about those things. That was part of their culture—something they just _assumed_. People don't write what they assume.

Hank: But, without it written in the Bible, how do you know that about Paul?

Don: I don't know for sure, but I make a pretty good guess from how he wrote to Philemon. There's a lot of businessman savvy he pulls out of his sleeve there. You don't learn that from school. You learn it from sticking your hand out and saying, "So, what do _you_ do?"

Hank: When did he have time to actually make the tents? I mean, did he carry his supplies with him?

Don: Well, I never asked him, but, if I were in the tent business back then, I'd just pay someone else to do it.

Hank: To make the tents?

Don: No. I mean _inventory_. He had the skill. He had the knowledge of materials. He could probably have explained to customers how tents work—what makes them strong or weak. Maybe he'd make custom designs. Every customer is different. Someone needs something, order the fabric locally. It's an easy mobile business for a mobile businessman. Preach the gospel anywhere and always have a roof over your head. Maybe that's not how it was, we don't know. But business is really simple if you just understand that money, technically, doesn't exist. It's those conversations and relationships you need to build. People are worth investing in.

Hank: But I don't know what marketable skill I have. I don't know what I can do. I feel like a Jack of all trades, but a Master of none.

Don: That's the very key right there!

Hank: What?

Don: As a pastor, you have so much knowledge of people, administration, vision, function, leadership, communication... Professional pastors are among the most skilled, passionate, and gifted people in the world. Why pastors keep doing what they do could only be from their passion, combined with being brainwashed into thinking that their system is necessary. You are all set to lead your own business. You only lack one thing.

Hank: And what might that be?

Don: You need to learn, in your current job, right now, to admit what is most unnecessary.

Hank: The dead vision of the elders?

Don: Their vision is only dead because you keep trying to push wet noodles. You need to move on.

Hank: But then I'll just find another church and they'll find another pastor and it will start all over again.

Don: THERE I have you!

Hank: What?

Don: Break that cycle. We need church workers, but as deacons—like the Bible said, not leaders in a complicated, politicized, financially inbred codependency with the elders. That would be a business administration model— not a plan for God's government. Take all your pastoral experience to the next level by completing your knowledge of what is _not_ necessary.

Hank: How do I learn that?

Don: You'll understand business when you _do_ what is needed. Learning is in _doing_. Your next step in this is to be honest with yourself that your own job is the most unnecessary. Act on that ugly truth and you'll be invaluable to the world.

Hank: That would take a step of faith.

Don: You've got to get out of the boat if you want to walk on water.

Hank: But what business will I do?

Don: You might not do business. You might go hungry. But, if you pray this through and you know the Lord leads you to that decision... is it worth being hungry so you can follow His leading?

Hank: Now _you're_ preaching the sermon. This is intense.

Don: Follow your God-given passions, stay true to your values, stick your hand out to say, "Hello," and opportunity will find you. If you will stand your ground and follow Christ wherever He goes, people will build a road to you. This is the part that isn't easy. The hard part is the part that most people get hung up on. Don't waste your life doing "good" things that God didn't create you for.

Hank: Wow. This is insane. I mean, you've got me thinking and all. But running the Church without this pastor position leading it... I mean, wow. Paul told me something about that the other day, but I can't imagine how it could work. I don't even know if it's Biblical. But, frankly, status quo isn't acceptable either. I mean, this can't be the best God intended for His Church. He's bigger than all this. So I'm left with no other option than to think about it. The Church is my passion. I'm a shepherd at heart. I want what's Biblical, no matter what form it may take.

Don: Well. Time's up. And I know just who to introduce you to for _that_.

Hank: Who?

Don: Oh, a friend from China.

Hank: China!? Is he Communist?

Don: No, he's Christian.

Hank: Hudson Taylor?

Don: No, Hudson's dead, but he was good at letting go of his own cultural stuff.

Hank: Yeah, and I thought Paul was dead to. Anyhow, if your friend isn't Hudson and if he's not a Communist, then what is he?

Don: He's a Christian. Besides, give me some credit. I'm a business man. I know a _lot_ of people in China.

Hank: Oh dear. That opens up a hot argument...

Don: I don't mean outsourcing jobs. We need to employ people in our own country. What I mean is, China needs businessmen like me sharing the gospel by _example_ , not just trying to proselytize oh-solo-mio and smuggle Bibles. The Chinese government actually prints Bibles for Christians, just to make sure that they are actually Bibles and not something else. I know this because the government and their businessmen respect me because of what I've _done_. Besides, their Church is the strongest and fastest growing in the world. If anyone can solve American pastor problems it's a Christian from China. I'll give him a call and we'll see what happens.

# **Scene 3: Watchman**

Watchman: Look out!

Hank: Ahh, well, hi there. Sorry. I almost plowed into you.

Watchman: It's okay. I was looking out for you. Everyone needs someone to have his back.

Hank: I'm Hank.

Watchman: Nice to meet you, Hank. I'm Watchman.

Hank: Watchman!

Watchman: That's me.

Hank: As in, you're a _person_.

Watchman: Last time I checked.

Hank: You're the person I was looking for.

Watchman: Oh, well, I knew I was looking out for _someone_. But it never occurred me that the _someone_ might be looking for _me_. So, Don told me about you. He enjoys introducing brothers and sisters in Christ. It builds up the Body.

Hank: He seemed to think that I should try to eliminate my own position in the church. He says I need to realize what is necessary and what is not. Then I need to act on it. But I have serious questions.

Watchman: Okay. Let's talk.

Hank: See, I'm a pastor and I'm trying to help my church as best as I can...

Watchman: That's good. We should care about the _entire_ Body of Christ.

Hank: ...And I understand that I myself am not the problem in my congregation. And I'm not angry with the elders like I used to be. I'm trying to wrap my head around this idea that it's the _position_ , not the _person_ , of "pastor" that's causing the problem.

Watchman: The administration in God's economy is central.

Hank: What do you mean?

Watchman: "Economy" comes from Greek, meaning "administration of the house". God's _economy_ is His _administration_. We must do things according to the economy He taught us. Christ is the head. We can't detach ourselves from His leadership. So, we must take careful notice of every structure He lays out. Even an administrative position itself can be a problem if it is not part of God's plan for building up His Local Church.

Hank: Okay, so, even though a pastor is a great person who loves God, the _administrative position_ can cause a problem if it's not in agreement with God's design. I'm starting to get this.

Watchman: We're all learning. This is why we must maintain regular fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all part of one Body and the Body of Christ must have circulation and communication, just like a physical, human body.

Hank: My hang up is with this idea that a pastor is a "function" rather than an "office". I suppose it makes sense. But is it actually _Biblical_ and even then, how could we possibly survive without pastors?

Watchman: Hank, I don't want this to sound like an accusation because it's not. But I must tell you the truth. Denominations like yours are barely surviving _with_ the clerical-pastor administration. _Surviving_ without that structure isn't the question. The question is: How much more would the Local Church _thrive_ without it?

Hank: What do you mean that we're barely surviving _with_ the position of pastor? We're doing quite well, actually.

Watchman: Not in comparison to God's economy.

Hank: Why do you say that?

Watchman: There are many fights among denominations. This comes from the fact that they operate with the position of a _pastor_ defined as a kind of _administrator_. That's not Biblical.

Hank: How so?

Watchman: Coming from a Chinese background, I was raised in a culture that understood the _struggle for power_.

Hank: Well, America. I don't think about _power_. I prefer to think about _freedom_.

Watchman: In China's history, we understand administration from a very simple perspective: One person at the top, no matter what his temperament or personality may be, will occupy decision-making power. Just by being there, he takes power from those under him.

Hank: Why are you so focused on "power"?

Watchman: I don't mean "power" the way they mean it in America. For example, the Bible talks about the _power_ of God. Every administration has influence and ability to cast the vision of an organization. In Chinese culture, with so many empires and civil wars in our history, we understand the dominating nature attached to the mere presence of a leader, regardless of his philosophy. China has had great turmoil throughout its history. Only in having a leader—any leader—was the "power" taken away from people who wanted to cause a disturbance. China isn't the freest nation in the world, but it longs for peace on almost any terms. For us, that happens with a strong leader. This is how we understand the word _power_.

Hank: And that's why America fears strong leaders. Too much power in the hands of a few people will corrupt, no matter how good their intentions are.

Watchman: Now you're getting on to the financial-business philosophy that China has only recently explored. But, you're also making the same point I was making.

Hank: Which point is that?

Watchman: The Communist government of China imprisoned many Christians. It's not because that government is atheist like the Russians. It was all about squabbling for _power_. Christianity has a belief system and that system itself took power away from Communism's ability to spread its ideas. Merely by existing, we occupy space. By occupying space, we occupy influence of some form or another. So, just how you Americans don't want the State to become too strong, so it is the same with all that decision making ability in the hands of one person, even if his title is "pastor". In fact, the more benevolent and soft-handed a leader's title is, the more dangerous it can be. For the last several decades, Korea was divided into two denominations—one of them controlled by a single man called a "Dear Leader". That's a very kind title, but a very dangerous situation. We shouldn't focus so much on the titles and we should look more at the actual power space a leader occupies.

Hank: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Watchman: And that is probably why you wanted to talk. You seem like a very good young man with lots of energy. But as long as you operate in a position of leadership that's not in God's design for His economy... well, it won't be very fun, especially for you.

Hank: But the American Church has done so much. How could it have done all this if it's not operating how God intended?

Watchman: God's Local Church has the Holy Spirit, led by the Triune God. Anything it does will always be somewhat effective. Even on our worst days, the Church will be far stronger than Satan's people. But God's people should not determine their achievement by comparing themselves to Satan's. God has a much higher standard and we are capable of great things that we won't understand until Jesus consummates His reign in the New Jerusalem, in the age yet to come.

Hank: But that's the next age. This is the here and now.

Watchman: The age we are in now must reflect God's economy in the New Jerusalem. We don't have all the fulfillment of God's promises, but we are the same household of God. His administration will be _expanded in_ the future, not _delayed until_ the future. We are His Body, even now—and we should act like it.

Hank: So, with all that the American Church has done, it could do much more if it changed its leadership structure a little?

Watchman: Yes. But that is a recovery work that you and I can't do by ourselves. The Lord must work that recovery Himself. However, we can work with Him if we recognize that _He_ is the head of His Body—not a pastor or any other administrator.

Hank: But moving away from a system led by pastors—as in a pastor being a point-man leader of a local congregation—that seems almost impossible. People _need_ a chairman—a master of ceremonies—someone to moderate meetings and beat the drum we all march to. We can't operate without that local leader.

Watchman: It is impossible, _by ourselves_. But in Christ, anything can be done. However, even with Christ leading us, and all that has been done, we can't move forward if we remain in disobedience. I've seen entire congregations depart from the pastor-centered system. They only do it because of their faith in the power of obeying God.

Hank: So, it's an "obedience" issue?

Watchman: We must stay close to the central line of the Bible. Many fights among the denominations arise out of people getting into discussions that lead away from the path outlined in the Scriptures. They fight because the one-man leaders of each fellowship have power positions to defend, even though they are very kind-mannered about it. That's why denominations don't fully agree: because they stray from the central line. Biblical Christianity was not meant to have non-Biblical positions of power. This is a waste and is not a part of God's economy.

Hank: So, the _glass ceiling_ , as it were... the problems we've had to learn to live with, the immorality rate, divorce rate, stagnation rate, all the hypocrisy, and the "agree to disagree" attitude between Christian leaders we've settled for—all of our problems stem from us having one minor idea _of our own_ for God's Church. Is _that_ what you're telling me?

Watchman: It could be just that. We must make sure that everything we do in the Local Church is found in the Bible. If the Bible doesn't teach it then it is not a part of the central line.

Hank: Wait. So, pianos aren't in the Bible. Are those okay?

Watchman: Of course they are. The Bible doesn't even talk about pianos. And the Bible never gives any description of what to do with music. That's a decision we are free to make on our own.

Hank: But you just said that we should only do what is in the _Bible_.

Watchman: Yes. The Bible is silent on the subject of music in the Church, though it talks about music in praising and worshiping God. But the Bible does, however, address administration. So, we should stick to that basic outline that God gave us.

Hank: Major on majors and minor on minors.

Watchman: You could say that. I like to view it as a "central line" because something is either outlined by the Bible or it isn't. Just remember that the difference between _majors_ and _minors_ , as you say, is not a spectrum, it's a _line_. God gave us His plan, the rest is up to us to determine. Denominations fail to understand this. That is why they are divided.

Hank: How so?

Watchman: They try to change the administrative structure that God gave them—unintentionally and with good motives, of course. Then, in the division that results, they develop theologies about problems that Scripture doesn't address and treat those issues as if they are even of _small_ importance—when they aren't important at all. Those groups will only experience the best God has for them if they stop comparing which things are more and less important and return to the central line that God gave us. Focus on the things that _exist_ , don't focus on the things that _don't_. If it's not in Scripture, it's a matter of preference.

Hank: Can't the pastor system be accepted as a matter of _preference_?

Watchman: Considering how much trouble comes from the clerical system? Even _diligence_ says the position should be eliminated and _pastors_ should return to their _Godly_ calling, not their man-made definitions of it.

Hank: So, what am I to tell people when they say, "You mean you think _pastors_ are bad!?" I'll lose all my friends!

Watchman: The first two people I shared Jesus with, in China, also walked out on me. Other pastors didn't like the idea of their own jobs not being necessary.

Hank: What happened?

Watchman: I forgave them, knowing that Christ is still in their hearts. I continued spreading the gospel, being as pure in Scripture as I could, trying my best to make sure we set-up no lasting systems other than Christ Himself. Eventually, our leadership was only a group of elders who held fellowship on matters before making decisions, but they kept as little administrative power as they possibly could. After the Communists took over, the American Church blacklisted us as a Cult. The Chinese government learned about that, focused on us especially, and many Christians in China died as a result.

Hank: So, it looks like America is your enemy.

Watchman: The same institute that told everyone we were a cult, years later, dedicated an entire Christian Research Journal edition to apologizing for mislabeling us. They corrected their mistake and wanted the world to know the truth.

Hank: Why would researchers so grossly misunderstand you in the first place?

Watchman: It's easy to assume that when other people don't follow your own customs that they are spreading a heresy.

Hank: Well, culture is not gospel. But we sure tend to think it is.

Watchman: Our Christian _practices_ are not the central line of the Bible, though we all tend to think so. Still, we mustn't be angry with people for misunderstanding us. The Truth Himself is very misunderstood, but He loves us all. We are the children of His household.

Hank: How many Christians died?

Watchman: What matters isn't how many died, but how many were saved. It was a blessing in disguise because the gospel exploded from that persecution. Christianity is not a religion. It's the Truth. So, persecution only reveals God's true work in us.

Hank: So, you've actually seen elder-led churches function?

Watchman: First, they aren't _churches_. There is only _one_ Church under Christ. But there are many localities. This is the picture we get from the Bible: the _Local Church_.

Hank: Okay. So, does it actually _work?_ How can a group of people operate without a single person at the helm?

Watchman: It works out very well because every locality knows that it's part of one universal Body of Christ. So, if a person attends a meeting in one locality rather than another, there is no conflict of interest. There's no pastor to lose money, so we have global fellowship all the time. That makes fulfilling the Great Commission a lot easier, and less expensive. Adjust your administration so you can _BE_ the Great Commission, don't just doll out money to missionaries to do it for you.

Hank: So, the gospel spreads faster among your fellowships?

Watchman: It works out very well. There's no pastor to be dependent on God's people _not_ traveling to blend with other localities in the Body of Christ. So, many more Christians make short missionary trips because "non-attendance" is encouraged. We call it "blending" with others in the Body of Christ.

Hank: But where is the drive to move forward? If you don't have a key, one-person pastor leading with a message every week, how does the teaching keeps its quality?

Watchman: Since one man doesn't occupy the gathering time with a long monologue, more people have time to share at the fellowship meetings. They also get better practice. So the room is filled with great teachers. Our teaching quality is excellent.

Hank: Do people actually take initiative to talk in the meetings?

Watchman: Of course they do. God put that excitement in their hearts.

Hank: So, you're saying that, since the meetings aren't dominated by one person, people can get a word in edgewise.

Watchman: Since they have time to talk, they _do_ talk. Since they _do_ talk, they prepare to talk. Since they prepare to talk, they study a lot on their own. They are among some of the most educated and dedicated Christians you'll ever meet. It's all because there isn't a one-person leader occupying a large power seat, taking up the meeting time.

Hank: ...kind of like some of the plants that grow in the desert. They grow far apart because even one plant takes all the nutrition out of the soil. The desert doesn't have much nutrition to offer, so, since each plant is smaller, this allows more plants to grow in one place. So, "smaller teachers" mean more good teachers in the Church?

Watchman: I'm not familiar with deserts, but that seems to make sense. I might mention that in a teaching some day if you don't mind.

Hank: Well, maybe we could say, "Super mom" does everything herself. So the kids never learn.

Watchman: An omnipresent mom will get worn-out because only God is omnipresent.

Hank: And burned-out. I've watched a lot of moms in my congregation make themselves tired by trying to be everything to their kids. Now I see, as pastor, I've been doing the same thing to my congregation. That's why I'm so exhausted.

Watchman: Do many pastors in the denominations have that problem? ...burn-out, I mean. I wouldn't know.

Hank: Yeah, they do. But what do you mean "denominations". My church is Independent.

Watchman: Yeah, but it's still a denomination. By having a statement of faith that addresses non-central line issues of the Bible, by having a _working definition_ of "pastor" that goes against the Biblical description of God's administration, and by being financially dependent on people _not_ making frequent visits to other parts of the Body of Christ, you have created your own version of a "denomination". Consider your own body. Allow the blood to circulate and your body will get oxygen and it won't be so hard to do something as simple as lifting your arm. But, if you cut off circulation to your leg, it will fall asleep and you can't even take one step without great pain in the rest of your body. The Body of Christ is asleep because of poor circulation. When we take a step forward, it causes great pain in the rest of the Body. That's because their administration is threatened by good _circulation_ —if God's people travel as much today as they did in the Bible.

Hank: Yeah. That's true. Physical bodies are very similar to the Body of Christ.

Watchman: That's why Paul described it that way. It's good to stick to the explanations given in the Bible. Try not to deviate from the pure teaching of Scripture—less of your own ideas and more of Christ's.

Hank: Okay, so I can see how a we _might_ work better without a pastor-centered system in leadership. But you still haven't answered me on the whole notion that the elder-based leadership model is Biblical.

Watchman: It's good that you are focusing on the need to follow the Bible.

Hank: That seems to be a problem in many denominations these days.

Watchman: No, it's a problem in _all_ of them because denominations are not a part of the economy of God.

Hank: So, how do you _prove_ it?

Watchman: We can look at Scripture to do that, but perhaps it's more important for you to consider your own method.

Hank: What do you mean?

Watchman: You're asking me to prove that the peer-elder method is Biblical, even though it's clearly the model of Acts and Paul's letter to Timothy. But what about the clerical system? Where is your Biblical defense of that?

Hank: Well, Ephesians 4 clearly says that God gave pastors. I was having a conversation with Paul the other day and he explained his Greek cliché—that it's actually a shepherd-teacher style he was referring to. Then he went on talking about _function_ and _office_ and God's government and all that. But the fact is that the concept of a pastor is listed right there in that passage. Pastors are listed in the Bible and Paul said that God gave them.

Watchman: God did give pastors. But you can't find one word of Scripture to suggest that the pastor should be over the elders. There is plenty of Scripture to support the elder-leadership administration. Scriptural defense isn't lacking for the elder system, it's lacking for the pastor-led administration. God's economy is the _Local Church_ , and that doesn't describe a person who behaves like a Chairman, even with the title _pastor_.

Hank: But a pastor is a shepherd. That's a leader.

Watchman: Yes, a _shepherd_ is a leader. But you don't have one line of Scripture to support putting that leader over the elders. When Paul spoke about deacons and elders there is nothing to suggest that his "shepherd-teacher" idea from Ephesians 4 was in an administrative position _over_ the elders he described in his separate letter to Timothy.

Hank: But we can't escape the fact that it's still in Scripture.

Watchman: Okay. Let's accept the idea that Ephesians 4 is defining _administration_ of the Local Church, rather than _callings given directly from God_ ...

Hank: Alright. Hypothetically...

Watchman: If that's true, then why do you only have _pastors_? Why don't you also have an _apostle_ in your congregation? Why not also an _evangelist_ appointed by the elders? Where does your denomination place the _prophet_ administrative title in relation to the _pastor_ title?

Hank: Some denominations actually _do_ have those positions. They make an _apostle_ something like a _bishop_. They tend to get a bit loopy, too.

Watchman: So, confusing Ephesians 4 as an _administrative_ plan seems to have opened-up quite the can of worms. How's that working for you?

Hank: Now it seems like you're being sarcastic.

Watchman: I'm merely asking a question that would be logical if I took you seriously. You tout _Ephesians 4:11_ to justify your own definition of _pastor_ , but you get selective with the other positions. Can't you see how much you are reading your own ideas into your interpretation of the Bible? Just because your English translation says, "pastor," doesn't mean that you or I have the right to define it however we want, then treat the other positions as items on an _a la carte_ menu.

Hank: Hmm... that's a thought. Now I have another question.

Watchman: Okay.

Hank: You seem to know a lot about Bible translation.

Watchman: Our fellowships have developed translations for nearly every language. Rather than pouring our time into developing theologies, we develop Bibles translations. Fulfilling the Great Commission is a lot easier that way.

Hank: What about Bible translation ministries? Can't they translate the Bible sufficiently?

Watchman: Sure, but so does the Local Church. We do very good with translation work. Name the language, we probably have a Bible for it. Though, we're still working on Bible for small tribes in remote areas.

Hank: I hear that Japan only has three main Bible translations, and some people aren't too fond of them.

Watchman: We've got the Bible in Japanese also.

Hank: Why? The Church is so small there?

Watchman: It will stay small without a good Bible. But translating the Bible isn't the only chore of Building up the Local Church. We must also translate the Bible into our Church administration. That administration barrier of the denomination-thinking is far greater than the language barrier.

Hank: How do you overcome the language barrier? That's always a challenge in the worldwide Body of Christ.

Watchman: When people are free to work in the Local Church, not having a small group of leaders doing everything _so well_ that others sit passively, only to _receive_ at gatherings... well, people work more when someone else isn't doing all the work for them.

Hank: That makes some sense. But you still didn't explain how you can _work_ in the context of so many languages?

Watchman: Many of our fellowship meetings are in multiple languages. By not having an unbiblical administration, by keeping to the central line of the Bible, and through elder-leadership, the people take more initiative. So, there is enough energy in the Body to have a truly cross-cultural economy in God's household. Language is no barrier for us.

Hank: That's something that the political leaders of the world can't even claim. They have to hire translators all the time.

Watchman: God's Local Church is capable of so much, if only we would keep to the central line He gave us. As Americans say, it's like sticking to the Constitution.

Hank: Wow. You talk big. Can you prove it?

Watchman: We have comprehensive numbers of all our gatherings...

Hank: How many are in China?

Watchman: ...except China.

Hank: Why?

Watchman: To prevent persecution. But there's more.

Hank: What's that?

Watchman: The Chinese government would likely see it as a threat. If we can demonstrate official records of how many people attend where, they might think we were trying to prove that their government is bad or something.

Hank: Is that a big problem?

Watchman: Well, in Chinese culture, _proving something_ would be the motivation most people have in reporting numbers. While keeping track of attendance is normal for most people, in China it's a _threat_. So, there, we just stay aware of whether we're headed in the right direction.

Hank: So, how are relations with the Chinese government?

Watchman: Over the last few years, the Communists have started to learn that we Christians don't oppose them. God's economy, through His Local Church, is not _of this world_ , so we don't seek a political revolution. We seek spiritual renewal— revolution of our _hearts_. As a result, many leaders in the Chinese government leave us alone when they learn about the Local Church. As Christians we are the most likely to obey the law and be honest. They aren't like other Communist governments who oppose religion. They just oppose whatever threatens their power. That's true of most East-Asian thinking... different from your American perspective which focuses more on philosophy of leaders rather than on administrative power itself. It's why the problem of the pastor-led structure in the Church snuck past your radar.

Hank: What do you mean?

Watchman: When you elect a politician, you ask about his opinion of _social issues_ ... or _the Constitution_ ... maybe you think one is more important than the other. In Chinese culture, we might ask some of those questions, but we also look at how much political power the person has the ability hold on to and what he will do in order to keep that power. In elections, you occasionally ask about _power_ questions, but not as much as we do. So, it's the same with your Church. You don't ask as many questions about _administrative power_ when evaluating your pastor. Instead, you ask about his theology, morality, work ethic, whether he is in favor of smallgroups, and, perhaps, what political candidates he votes for. When one of those few pastors starts to get power-hungry, you might complain a little, but it sneaks up on you much more easily than it would sneak up on us. By not thinking as much about _power itself_ , the influence of your leaders gets bigger and bigger right under your nose. Power tends to get bigger with all human administrations in any culture, but the difference is: As power grows, you aren't as sensitive to it as we are.

Hank: It's also why our government gets so big. Maybe understanding the Local Church could help us understand our own country's political leaders.

Watchman: But we don't need to focus on human government in this conversation. In our Christian fellowship here, it's best if we stick to the central line of the Bible. That's the best way to promote Christian unity in the Local Church.

Hank: So, we shouldn't discuss politics?

Watchman: When you meet to discuss politics you should.

Hank: But what if I talk about politics with my Christian friends and we start to argue?

Watchman: Ever hear of a term called _tabling_?

Hank: As in, " _Table_ that issue until tomorrow's meeting"?

Watchman: Something like that. Learn to focus on the central line without needing an instant opinion—one way or another—about every other topic that comes up. You've only got so many opinions you can address at any one time. Make sure that your fellowship time is effective. Then you'll have time to return to those discussions later—and it will be less divisive because, being stronger in your Christian unity, you won't be a loose cannon ready to fire an opinion at anything and everything.

Hank: You seem to know a lot about how to have Christian fellowship.

Watchman: When we don't have a single-point-man leader managing every meeting, we all take more responsibility to make sure the meeting is effective.

Hank: So, _no one_ runs your meetings!?

Watchman: No, _everybody_ does.

Hank: Who is the M/C?

Watchman: You mean "master of ceremonies"?

Hank: Yeah. Who fulfills that role?

Watchman: We don't have one. It's not part of God's economy.

Hank: But how can you possibly know what to do in your gatherings?

Watchman: With the big gatherings, of course, we have a person to keep the schedule on track. But that's _conference_. Even then, that M/C role constantly changes hands and keeps ongoing fellowship with the elders of the conference. In any Local Church meeting, whether an elder meeting or a Lord's table meeting, everyone runs the meeting together.

Hank: _How can that be!?_

Watchman: It " _be's_ " very well, actually. By knowing that we all need to share responsibility for our meetings to flow properly, everyone contributes to the direction of our meetings. If someone wants to talk, everyone else is quick to listen and slow to speak. Everyone knows how much we benefit from listening, so we are eager to share when it's our time—because it benefits others, not to draw attention to our own personal ambitions. Because everyone _works_ for the meeting to go well, it does.

Hank: Power in unity?

Watchman: Unity is more effective than oppression. This is God's economy.

Hank: Tell that to the Communists.

Watchman: No, stick to the central line of the Bible. Don't bash the Communists. That's not our fight. We are fighting a spiritual enemy for the hearts of lost souls who don't know where to find the Light of Jesus Christ.

Hank: But I'm not qualified to tell this to people. I never would have thought of all this on my own.

Watchman: I didn't either. That's why God told us. God's Local Church was not _our_ invention. It's _His_ plan _He_ gave to us. He will bless the world through it, but we need to actually follow _His_ plan, not our own.

Hank: Where do you suppose this idea of single-leadership came from?

Watchman: Well, that's not the central line of the Bible. But we do see it in Acts, when the men of Ephesus assembled to discuss Paul's controversy and a local clerk managed the meeting. It's an idea that did not come from the Bible, but, in the Bible, it did exist among the non-Christian culture that opposed the gospel.

Hank: But Israel had a one-man leader—a king.

Watchman: But a king like _other nations_ was a disaster. God's king, David, was established by God himself through the prophet, Samuel. Do you think that the Lord God called His prophet to pour oil on your pastor's head?

Hank: No, of course not. But as a pastor, I'm appointed by God, in a manner of speaking. I carry a Godly authority with me in that sense.

Watchman: No. That's merely a mantra inherited from the Roman Catholic system of popes. When a man says he has _Godly Authority_ he sounds just like a mini-pope. In God's economy, the administration is the result of our choice as the Holy Spirit leads His Local Church in fellowship together. When God Himself _appoints_ someone, that's a prophet or evangelist or apostle or shepherd-style teacher. Those are functions and are self-evident. Shepherds, like the rightful king David, are raised up only by God, they are not appointed by voting congregations. Paid positions are for _deacons_ and they are chosen by the elders in fellowship with the Local Church.

Hank: It's all confusing. I've not heard this before.

Watchman: You've heard it from the Bible, but you've heard so many other ideas that aren't part of the central line of the Bible that you've gotten confused. Stick to the central line of the Bible.

Hank: I'm trying.

Watchman: When the leaders in the Body of Christ know that their authority is merely _human_ , if it's _not_ appointed by God Himself, they can be more humble because their power is not cloaked as ostensibly being from "God" when it's not. When the apostles and shepherds and prophets and evangelists are seen as being a function that _God_ calls people to, then there's nothing to argue about and there's nothing to prove.

Hank: Do people in your fellowships actually call themselves _prophets_ or _apostles?_

Watchman: Generally, no. When God does it it's obvious and everyone knows. A tree is a tree. A frog is a frog. We don't vote on them—God makes them and it's obvious. That's Ephesians 4:11. People who talk about their position are actually suggesting that their supposed "calling" from God isn't obvious. I mean, we don't talk about obvious stuff... it's _obvious_ , after all.

Hank: How do you decide who the elders are, then?

Watchman: Deacons and elders—that's a different story. When we know that we ourselves decide who the elders and deacons are, we speak the truth in our hearts and there isn't room for secret pride in our positions of power. People know the difference between _God's_ authority and the authority He delegated to us.

Hank: One question... just curious. Is the Church in China really growing enormously fast?

Watchman: Oh, it's astounding. It's flourishing.

Hank: Is this elder-led method the reason why?

Watchman: Partially. There are many different forms that God's Church takes in China, just like anywhere. All of it will grow somewhat because Christ is still the head, even when we don't fully obey Him.

Hank: How big is your fellowship in China?

Watchman: I can't answer that. But I'll tell you it's a good large chunk.

Hank: Can you tell me how many groups there are? How does all that work?

Watchman: There are two main systems. The "Three Self" Church, which is approved by the government of China. It's very orderly, liturgical, and anyone can attend publically without being persecuted. But people also long for more than institutionalized religion can give them. They want something that's not so organized. So, there is also the underground Church.

Hank: That gets heavy persecution, doesn't it?

Watchman: It did before. But, more and more, the government just wants to make sure that the meetings don't get too large. Again, they are concerned more about crowd control. They don't mind Christian teaching, especially since we behave better in their country.

Hank: So, your fellowship is the underground fellowship?

Watchman: Not necessarily. It was before, but above-ground/underground isn't a clear difference so much anymore. There are many Christian fellowships. Some Churches meet in people's homes, others meet in large halls. Some underground churches meet in large gatherings, others in people's homes. Some small churches are led by pastors, some large ones are elder-led. It's all a huge mix.

Hank: _Three Self Church_ is an interesting name. I wonder where they came up with it.

Watchman: It's more important to remember not to use any special names for the Local Church. The Body of Christ is the Bride of Christ, in a manner of speaking. Would you put your own name on another man's _bride_?

Hank: Well, no, that would be strange.

Watchman: Then never put your name on God's Bride either. That was actually the main reason I left the denominations. They loved the idea of putting their own names on the God's Local Church. The _clergy_ issue was actually the second-biggest reason I left them.

Hank: Wait.. _clergy issue?_

Watchman: Yes. The clerical structure isn't Biblical. That's what I've been telling you.

Hank: I don't remember talking about that.

Watchman: That's because you are looking at the labels instead of the _working definition_.

Hank: I'll agree to that admonishment. But what when were we talking about it before?

Watchman: As I've said, we believe in _pastors_ , but they are different from _clergy_.

Hank: OH!! _Pastors_ , not _clergy!_ That's something I can explain to my congregation.

Watchman: Glad we cleared that up. <smiles>

Hank: So, God called _pastors_ in Ephesians 4, but He never said that they were to take on the role of _clergy_. It all makes sense now.

Watchman: It doesn't make sense to everyone. Any guess why?

Hank: Maybe our desire to make a name four ourselves led to our non-Biblical _clerical_ structure. It all starts some place.

Watchman: Names, theology, administration... they are all related. They either give glory to God or they give glory to ourselves. Watch to make sure that you don't have personal ambition or you'll become a false teacher. That is at the root of the divisive actions in the denominations. It's not the technical ideas that divide God's people—it's the power of the leaders.

Hank: I heard that the Church of China didn't like America theology books.

Watchman: Some of the underground fellowships gave those books the boot. God works in many ways and He always will. His Body is being build up by Christ, the Head. He is building a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly one. Jesus Himself will return and wage war, but only against unjust kings of the earth. But until Jesus does that _Himself,_ in the flesh, we Christians need to focus on setting as many people free in their hearts as possible. Eventually it will all be consummated in the New Jerusalem in the age to come. That's really the end goal we are striving for: the New Jerusalem.

Hank: Can you tell me more about the New Jerusalem?

Watchman: You should talk to John. He's the one who saw it.

#  **Scene 4: John**

Hank: Are you the actual, true, Apostle John?

John: You see me with your own eyes, don't you?

Hank: Wow. It's you. I mean, I can even touch you with my hands. [shaking John's hand adamantly with both hands and a wild look of awe]

John: Yes, and I'm going to need that hand back.

Hank: Sorry. There you go. It's just that I'm in disbelief.

John: Well, disbelief isn't exactly the best choice of words.

Hank: Yeah. I'm familiar with your work. You talk a lot about belief... and you saw so much.

John: Speaking of which, let's step into the light so we can see a little better...

Hank: What was it like actually being caught up into the Throneroom of Heaven? Did it seem unreal?

John: Heaven is _more_ real than this world. The spiritual realm is like that. More colors, denser-stronger material, lighter weight, and the waters and clouds don't growl in dark tones. A rushing river sounds like the song of angels' praise.

Hank: Why did God choose you, of all people, of all disciples—to show Heaven's Throne to you?

John: God has His own reasons for everything He does. And what is that for us to know or even care? But I do know that He loves me and He only reveals Himself and His plans to those who love Him back.

Hank: I was talking with a guy...

John: ...Watchman...

Hank: ...yeah, and he mentioned the New Jerusalem. I asked him about it, but he said I should ask you since you actually saw it.

John: What I saw was of things yet to come. And yes, I did in fact see the New Jerusalem. But I haven't experienced it yet. None of us have... yet.

Hank: What will it be like?

John: First, we need to pray for it to come. We must welcome it.

Hank: What do you mean?

John: In the beginning, the Word of God gave dominion of the earth to mankind. We fell into sin and Satan took up a power seat. We technically still have dominion over the earth, but, because of sin, we don't have the power to enforce our dominion. When Adam invited Satan, Satan gained the ability to remain—whether we wanted him or not.

Hank: And what's the solution? I mean, Jesus will come back, right?

John: Not uninvited.

Hank: _Uninvited?_

John: By inviting Jesus to come and have His own Kingdom here, in the earth, we invite Jesus into our domain, that is, we invite Him to bring His glory and justice to undo what Satan started. Jesus Himself is the solution to war and famine. But He will only come with our adamant invitation.

Hank: Why is it so important for us to invite Jesus before He brings His kingdom? Why doesn't He just give us justice now?

John: God loves us very much. And love knows when to let go and allow others to have what they want, even when what they want will harm them. Humanity chose sin. Because God loves us, He will allow us to reverse that decision, Jesus made it possible at the Cross, but He still won't force His way on us. That's why we must pray for His will to be done.

Hank: But I don't see how prayer relates to _God's_ will. I thought we pray about what _we_ want. You're saying that we have to persuade God to do what is good in the earth?

John: Prayer is not persuading God. It is _inviting_ Him. God already wants to do good, just, fair, and beautiful things that give abundant life to everyone.

Hank: Then why doesn't He already?

John: Because we must _invite_ Him. Prayer doesn't persuade God. In a sense, we could say that prayer announces to Heaven that _we_ have been persuaded. Our prayers are like a petition, asking Jesus to do what He already wants to do and what He won't do without our invitation. That's because He gave us dominion of the earth—and God is faithful to keep His promises.

Hank: It sure will be great when that finally happens.

John: When what finally happens?

Hank: When the New Jerusalem comes down out of Heaven.

John: It sounds like you're _waiting_.

Hank: Well, there's nothing else to do. We pray for it, but it happens when it happens.

John: No, you can experience a small piece of it even now.

Hank: What? You said you _no one_ had experienced it yet.

John: Not fully. But we can _in part_.

Hank: _In part?_ Now you sound like Paul.

John: We had fellowship. But, maybe _even now_ is a better choice of words.

Hank: So, _in part, even now?_ It still sounds like jibberish.

John: It's part of why Jesus came—to give abundant, eternal Life, _even now_. We don't have it fully, but we can have it _in part_.

Hank: Well, maybe as an idea to believe in and hope for, but you don't really mean we can actually experience it _now_ , do you?

John: Faith is the starting point for us. I explained that in my story on the Life of Jesus.

Hank: Oh yeah. The Gospel of John.

John: If that's what you want to call it.

Hank: You mentioned "faith" in that book more than the others did on their stories about Jesus.

John: They covered different issues and they did a good job. I saw the need to clarify that Jesus's Kingdom does not arrive by our work, it _expands_ by our work. We must touch with our hands and see with our eyes at some point. That's the goal. But it begins with belief. If you don't first believe then you can never _invite_ God to make it a reality in the earth and in your own life. If you believe, then you will already see by His Light in your heart and it will expand to your hands and actions to all you touch. Work is the goal— _He_ is the beginning.

Hank: What about us _becoming sons of God?_ You mentioned that early in your book. Where does it fit in?

John: We were pre-adopted based on His foreknowledge of who we are, even before He made us. But we must believe and accept it to have the _right_ to be called God's children.

Hank: That sounds like _predestination_. Didn't God give us a free will?

John: Free will is why He will not invade the earth to defeat Satan for us without our invitation. Nor will He invade our hearts without us opening the door. He only knocks.

Hank: But how can God pre-determine things for us if we have a free will?

John: He predetermines the knocking. _Believing Him_ —that He is good and that He is capable—is a Truth we must accept ourselves. These two are different. He unlocked the door for us and knocks. But opening the door is _our_ responsibility—and it's not easy.

Hank: It sure will be easy when we see the New Jerusalem ourselves.

John: The New Jerusalem will shine. The whole earth will be full of His glory and we will no longer walk by the light of the sun, but by the glory of God Himself. He Himself will be there and faith, having served its purpose, will fade into history.

Hank: How can we experience a piece of that Life even now?

John: It begins with faith.

Hank: What else is there after that?

John: Since He is the Light, our lives can reflect His glory. The way we meet, have fellowship, gather, pray... all those things are based on the New Jerusalem and the new earth and the new sky. By making the goal our standard _even today_ , we can experience more Life in the here and now.

Hank: Essentially, what is the New Jerusalem?

John: The New Jerusalem _will be_ God's house. It has many rooms, like apartments. It will host the business of Heaven and of Jesus's Kingdom.

Hank: What business?

John: The government will be on His shoulders. There, praise and law will develop in the same Throneroom. Justice will come from the source of Life Himself. These things seem distant from each other for now, and they seem vague to us, but God plans to reveal them as they truly are. But first, we must pray and set our minds on those things.

Hank: Just thinking about it all makes me want to tell other people. I have so many friends I want to be there with me.

John: Jesus also wants them there with you and with Him.

Hank: So, maybe we shouldn't sit around and think about this so much. We really should focus on spreading the message.

John: But thinking about it gave you that desire. Remember, work starts with belief. If you try to tell other people about a New Jerusalem that you yourself aren't familiar with, then they won't believe you. If you are familiar with God's plans, then others will flock to you for understanding. The world wants Truth, not partial information. People avoid you if you don't understand the New Jerusalem when you talk about it.

Hank: So, that's like slowing down, turning at the on-ramp, and getting on the express way to _really_ travel fast?

John: In your 20th century method of travel, yes.

Hank: Sorry, maybe you aren't familiar with cars.

John: In a resurrected body we'll be able to walk through walls like Jesus did. We haven't even seen what all He has planned for those of us who love Him back. So, automobiles aren't especially fascinating to me.

Hank: You're saying that by sitting around and thinking about how good it will be, I'll gain the knowledge to tell others and they'll want to listen.

John: No... You can't just "sit around". Your time must be with Scripture and in prayer. The New Jerusalem was not invented from our own creative brainstorm sessions nor our research on what surveys say God's Throneroom should be like. It was _revealed_.

Hank: So, how do we know how to envision the New Jerusalem accurately?

John: I wrote down what I saw. Read that. It's probably where God wants you to begin.

Hank: Begin? You mean, there's more?

John: It starts with belief—belief in the Word from the beginning. But after that, you'll have the Teacher who will guide you in all the wisdom you'll need... _if you invest time in prayer and conform your thinking to the Word_.

Hank: The Holy Spirit.

John: Yep. That's who I mean. Any Seven of them.

Hank: Wait! Whoah whoah whoah... Paul expressly said there is _One_ Spirit.

John: He was emphasizing unity among God's children and that there is only _One_ God whom we were all baptized into. But there are actually Seven Spirits of the Holy.

Hank: Why do you say that?

John: I saw them with my own eyes. There were Seven Spirits of God going out into all the earth. They affect the Seven Assemblies.

Hank: Wait... What's with this "Seven" stuff. There's only _one_ Body of Christ.

John: There is only _one_ Body of Christ, but there are Seven Assemblies in the Spirit. This is why different Christians tend to do different things.

Hank: That make some sense, I suppose.

John: Jesus is like a Vine with many branches. In _Him_ we are one, abiding in Him. Apart from _Him_ we are divided. Paul tried to explain that the Spirit is unified and that our differences are not to be a source of division. Rather, our differences were intended to be the government of Jesus branching-out into all the earth.

Hank: You seem to make a lot more sense out of these complex ideas when you talk with word-pictures.

John: I'm not talking in word-pictures—I _saw_ it with my own eyes. Seeing things as they are makes them plain to understand. That's why He showed me and that's why He told me to write down what I _saw_ , so you would know also. The highest truth is, itself, like a poetic painting of art.

Hank: Ya know, come to think of it... My grandfather passed on a few years ago. When it all had happened, my mother told me that, since he saw God face-to-face, grandpa knew more about God than Calvin or Luther or any theologian... just by looking at God.

John: That's what it was like, sitting at a table with Jesus. Even His character and personality gave us a huge theology lesson.

Hank: Actions speak.

John: If we are in the Light with Him then our work will shine for others to see. That's when they will believe the message you share. But if you don't have it yourself, then when you try to tell others they will only be irritated with your so-called "gospel".

Hank: A lot of people are irritated with evangelists these days and so many Christians don't like telling people about Jesus.

John: It's because they are spreading actions that are not rooted in their hearts. They don't _believe_ what they talk about. A "behavior" gospel message won't persuade people. Religions rooted in work, rather than _expressed_ in work from faith, was always of Satan's doing. Satan doesn't like things based on _faith_ because he can't offer the same thing. So, nothing he does ever works. You might say the only way Satan can appear to be a farmer is to glue fruit on the trees of his fields. He's cooked and processed all his seeds, so they can't grow. It's why he hates work that starts with faith... he can only fake it and he can't control the _real_ fruit in your life when you believe the Truth.

Hank: So, if there are Seven Spirits, which one do I have?

John: God never revealed any names to me. From what I saw, they are all Spirits of the Holy Lamb sent out into all the earth. But He did name the Seven Assemblies.

Hank: So, was that all literal or figurative... the Seven Churches were named after Seven Cities...

John: It's plain as day to Him, but maybe not to us. Most of those cities are gone, but the flame of their lamps burns ever yet. Don't try so hard to understand things that He has not revealed. There's plenty He _has_ revealed to keep us busy in our prayer time with Scripture and it's all we need to guide our way.

Hank: This all has me thinking... We go about our lives on the earth, we spread the message so people can believe and have the work...

John: ...and He is very familiar with all of our work. You can believe that.

Hank: But what about all those people that the message hasn't yet reached? It seems unfair that they can't be saved just because we didn't go explain it to them.

John: That's understandable. And I agree with you.

Hank: But how can you agree? We can't believe in One whom we have not heard about. And if we don't believe, we can't be saved. Just that fact alone makes me want to go tell more people, but we just haven't told them all, many people have only heard an incorrect gospel, so they reject a "straw-man" Jesus—a Jesus "in name only", and there are so many who never learn the truth... How can God give them eternal punishment just because we haven't properly gotten the message that far yet?

John: Where did you get the idea that God would cast souls into eternal flame merely because the message didn't reach them?

Hank: Well, without the message of Christ we all perish.

John: Abraham didn't.

Hank: Yeah, but that was _before_ Jesus, back in the Old Testament, before we could be saved by faith.

John: No, Abraham believed what God _did_ reveal to him and credited with righteousness by his faith. Salvation has always been by faith, even before the Law. That's what the Law was built on: _faith_.

Hank: But we can only be redeemed under the name of Jesus. If they don't know that, they can't be saved.

John: Abraham didn't know how to spell Jesus's name. He didn't even have the Ten Commandments. All he had was what God revealed to him. He believed it. That was all it took.

Hank: So, anyone can have eternal life, even without the gospel message?

John: You seem a bit confused. Let me clear some things up for you...

Hank: That's why I'm here.

John: Abundant, Eternal Life can begin in _this_ lifetime. It is a foreshadowing, a promise token, of what will be fulfilled in the future. Just like a seed has "promise" or "potential" of the tree it grows into. In this life, that seed is known as "faith".

Hank: We've established this already.

John: But you're missing the difference.

Hank: What difference?

John: In _this_ lifetime.

Hank: You wrote that we must _believe_ to be redeemed.

John: That was in my story on Jesus _earthly_ ministry. I never mentioned Salvation by faith in my fifth writing.

Hank: You mean Revelation?

John: In my Revelation from Christ, I wasn't shown earthly redemption, but _Eternity Life_.

Hank: They are different?

John: Very different, yet connected. We are in the earth and we will be with Him in Eternity Future. He always was in Eternity Past and always Will Be.

Hank: But how does that relate to salvation?

John: In terms of Eternal Life entering our temporary lives here on earth, we can only _believe_ it because we don't yet _see_ it with our eyes and _touch_ it with our hands. But the Salvation for all Eternity comes after the Second Resurrection and in lieu of the Second Death.

Hank: _What's this about...?_

John: You are confusing the salvation of _faith_ with salvation _from the Second Death_. Faith is our best salvation in this evil world, without Jesus physically reigning on His earthly throne, and in our sinful bodies. But that's not what was revealed to me on Patmos. Salvation from the Second Death is the end-all Judgment. That's the Salvation I described in my fifth book, the book you call "Revelation".

Hank: So, what is the difference? You're saying there are _two salvations?_

John: Salvation in the Eternity Future, from the Second Death, will not be by _faith_. It will be by _Book_.

Hank: By _Book!?_

John: When I saw the Final Decision from the large White Throne, the books were all opened. God knew all of our hearts and minds from the beginning, but He will render to each of us according to our _work_. After that, another book will be opened—the _Book of Life_ , from the Lamb. When I saw it, wow! It was a moment to behold. Every mountain had been removed. There was no place to hide. No one could even speak against the Book of Life. Something about it was remarkably credible and it struck fear into those who knew they could not stand against its records.

Hank: Any guess as to why?

John: I remember they kept commenting about the Book of Life, that the names in it had already been written _before_ the foundation of the earth.

Hank: Paul mentioned _foreknowledge_.

John: Yes. Jesus's pre-adoption of us was based on His prior knowledge of _something_.

Hank: But isn't that merely knowledge of our _faith_ in Him—faith we have when we hear the gospel message? Jesus knew that we would believe eventually, so that's why our names were written before.

John: No. The fact that it was written _before_ the Beginning means that the relevant facts, whatever they were, originated _before_ we even walked the earth. This is the logic of timeless Eternity. I was glimpsing the Future as it spoke from the Past in the Future. So, every event had ramifications and implications that go beyond mere chronology. If the vital part of that Book was based on something that we did in our earthly lives, then Heaven would have mentioned that, but no one in Heaven did. They only said that the names were written _before_ the Beginning. From God's Eternal vantage point—that means that whatever happens _after_ the Beginning could not affect what had already been written. If our earthly choices affected the Book of Life before the Beginning, it would not be the indisputable witness for the things which will follow. What we do in our lives of the temporary earth, at best, _reflect_ what was written _before_ the Beginning and foreshadow what will result _after_ the Second Resurrection. We will be awarded according to our _work_ —and that is within our complete control. Belief in the End without working for it is dead belief. That's what Jesus always told James.

Hank: So, does that mean that Jesus's work on the Cross only redeems people in the temporary earth, but the Book of Life redeems people at the Second Resurrection?

John: That's a gross misunderstanding. The Book of Life is a _record_. Those who have their names written in it could not, in any way, even hope to be saved in either the temporary earth or at the Final decision without the work of the Cross. But the Cross is applied in the sinful world by faith and, in the Final Judgment, according to the indisputable records in the Book of Life.

Hank: Why is that indisputable record so important?

John: I never suspected Judas for three years. Only Christ did, and He didn't merely suspect. He _knew_.

Hank: Why?

John: The Book of Life is _His_. He knew that Judas's name wasn't written in the Book. That's why He chose Judas.

Hank: He _chose_ Judas knowing he was a liar?

John: Someone had to betray Jesus and hand Him over.

Hank: No He didn't. Jesus could have handed Himself over if He'd wanted.

John: But if He'd done that, it wouldn't have been according to a _natural_ flow of things in the temporary earth. Betrayal was part of the story. Satan betrayed God. Judas betrayed Jesus. Traitors don't win, in Heaven _or_ in the earth. It all had to be in the earth as it already was in Heaven. This way His Kingdom can come to earth—that's what He was doing. And, Jesus had to suffer God's wrath at the Cross. If that hadn't happened then He wouldn't have had victory at the Cross to become the Worthy Lamb who could open that Book. The Cross gave power to the records. The Book of Life kept records for the powerful Cross to enforce redemption, even in the face of the Accuser.

Hank: I still don't understand why the record is so important.

John: We always have a level of uncertainty as to who truly is a follower of Jesus and who isn't. Even Judas had us fooled. Sometimes God sends people away from us to prove that they were never truly a part of us in the first place—but He doesn't always do that. The Book of Life clears up all of this at the Final Judgment. Once it's opened, all questions will be answered.

Hank: So those who believe in Christ, even if their names are not written in the Book—what about them?

John: People only have faith in Christ if their names were written in the Book of Life, but not everyone with their names written in the Book of Life will be reached with the gospel in the earth, unfortunately. But, if the gospel can reach all of those people on the earth at any one time—every last one—that's when Jesus will return. You may remember Matthew's explanation—that the gospel must be completely preached _first_.

Hank: That's when Jesus was talking about the End.

John: God must end what was written from before the Beginning in order to have the End begin.

Hank: How do we finish it?

John: The gospel must be preached in all the earth. It's that simple. His people must, by consensus, welcome His return.

Hank: How do we know who they are?

John: We don't, nor do we need to. At any point in time, there are thousands upon thousands of people living on the earth whose names were written in the Book of Life. If we preach the gospel, without favoritism, without laziness, without complacency... without division among us... it will reach all of the people whose names are written in it.

Hank: If we preach the gospel to everyone, then everyone who was written in the Book of Life will accept it...

John: But it must be the _real_ gospel. And we must pray and read the Word to know the real gospel so we can preach it. People whose names were written in the Book of Life will only believe the gospel if it's _real_. Then, those in the Book of the Life will reach a consensus about Jesus Christ. Then Heaven will come to earth.

Hank: And we'll have more than Salvation in the End, we'll have some level of salvation also in the earth.

John: I saw the End. You don't want to live only for that End. There's much we can have in the earth now. Jesus even lived that Life in the earth. That's why He healed so many and had the strength to win victory at the Cross. The gospel was always intended to give power _in the earth_ for those whose names were already written before the Beginning. The gospel is not just for the End. It's also for the Middle.

Hank: What happened before the Beginning?

John: I didn't see the Beginning, I only know that God was there in the Beginning. I saw the End. I didn't see the Book of Life written. I saw it opened. And when it was opened, it was the indisputable witness. In the End, the last Word was the same Word that existed before the Beginning.

Hank: So, there is an answer after all.

John: For what?

Hank: An answer to that question... what about the little boy who grew up and never heard about Jesus.

John: Oh, yes there is. But the answer is _not_ to claim that all roads of Religion lead to Jesus—they don't. Only Jesus is the _Way_. Satan-made Religion all leads back to Satan, though Satan would have us think he is Jesus. In glory he wanted the angels to think he was _God_. No, the people who never hear about Jesus miss out on a _lot_ ... a LOT. They can never see the Hope of what is to come. They can't be healed. They can't be delivered of demons. There are many things they can't have in the here and now—because they can't believe because no one has told them. But there is an answer about God's Justice for the unknown "would-have-believed-if-we'd-told-them" children in the End. Though, that answer is not Pluralism. No. The answer is found in the Book of Life.

Hank: This is hard for my feeble mind to absorb.

John: Jesus alone is the Worthy Lamb. No one else had the legal rights that He exercised when He opened the seals. But don't allow that fact to distort the salvation that begins by faith.

Hank: What do you mean?

John: If you think that salvation based on faith is the basis for the End-All Eternal Salvation from the Second Death, affecting God's special knowledge written in the Book of Life before the Beginning... You'll really mess yourself up thinking like that.

Hank: How so?

John: Such matters of Eternity Past and Eternity Future even elude what I saw. But don't ever think that Christ's salvation is so weak that entry to Heaven is some sort of "spelling test".

Hank: I never said it was a spelling test. Salvation is by faith.

John: In this life, yes. We can't have Jesus's miracles, we can't have restoration in our relationships, we can't find inner joy unless we can call on Him. And we must hear about Him in order to believe and call on His name. But that's because He gave us domino and He keeps His promises. Faith in the here and now is about our _dominion_ in the earth, it's not the basis for a spelling test at the entrance to Eternity. God is not so foolish as to eternally condemn one soul forever in flame merely because a missionary might have been disobedient. That wouldn't be Justice—and many non-Christians even know that. It's why many of them reject a so-called spelling-test "gospel".

Hank: You seem to have learned a lot from your time in the Throneroom.

John: I still don't know everything. But I don't need to. The Book of Life determined the final salvation and it will not be disputed. I can rest easy in that. I suppose, if we could fully understand why it has the Last Word on the matter, well... it wouldn't be so powerful if we could understand it in this lifetime. We bear witness to the Light, and the Darkness can't understand it.

Hank: So, we don't need to spread the gospel?

John: Do you want to see this world become a living hell-hole, covered in Darkness? Or do you enjoy what I wrote about seeing in the Throneroom? Do you want as much of Heaven in the here and now as you can possibly have?

Hank: Well, yeah.

John: As I said, the Spirit and the Bride say, _"Come!"_

Hank: That sounds funny to me.

John: What?

Hank: Saying that Christians are the "bride" of Christ.

John: People thought the same of Jesus's cousin, the baptizer.

Hank: John the Baptist? What's _he_ got to do with this?

John: He used the _marriage_ illustration early in Jesus's ministry. Jesus also used _wedding, bride,_ and _bridegroom_ illustrations often.

Hank: _Illustrations?_ What do you mean?

John: _Body_ of Christ, _Bride_ of Christ... Illustrations help us understand Him.

Hank: Oh, I thought you meant something else by it.

John: Like what?

Hank: I don't know... you know some of these groups can get crazy and think strange things. "Bride" is a strange word to throw around.

John: Jesus said it. I wrote about it. Jesus's cousin, John, said it. We had a pretty strong relationship with Jesus. How strong is _your_ walk with Him?

Hank: Well, it's not that bad. I lead my church, after all.

John: Wait. _Lead?_

Hank: Yeah, I'm a pastor.

John: No one led us but Jesus, though, there were many who had the same pastoral-shepherding manner as He did.

Hank: Well, someone has to lead the Church without Jesus here.

John: Yeah. We called them _elders_. But they are peers—all equal to each other in leadership.

Hank: _Someone_ has to be a _lead elder_ , though.

John: There wasn't a _lead elder_ in Heaven. The elders sat in a circle and the Lamb was in the center.

Hank: But that's in Heaven. Jesus was there, like you said. Without Him, _someone_ must take the lead.

John: No one did in Jerusalem after He went up. We just spoke in turn as the Spirit led us and we respected each other.

Hank: But you had Jesus personally leading you for three years, so you could do that.

John: In those three years, He told us many times that the Teacher, the Spirit, who would come after Him would lead us even better. And that's what happened. It wasn't our just our memory of Him that allowed us to work as equals. You've got the same resources we did when the Spirit first showed up.

Hank: But _someone_ needs to lead so people know what to do!

John: Why are you _really_ saying all this? Are you worried about how you'll feed your family, trying to justify your own job? The Great Commission has _lots_ of money flowing in and out and people try to capitalize on it all the time. One couple were in cahoots together and the two of them dropped dead in front of Peter. There were so many of them, we eventually called them "Christ mongers". That was after I got back from Patmos...

Hank: ... _NO_ , I'm not thinking about money...

John: Okay. I believe you.

[awkward pause]

Hank: What's wrong with a leader, though? Does it really matter anyways?

John: You seem to think it matters. We must model our earthly administration after the administration of Heaven. That's how we'll see His glory. If we don't follow after Heaven in our Christian fellowship, then no one—neither Christians nor non-Christians—will want to listen to us. Then you'll think you always need to read books on how to "do" church, because it will feel more like a chore you enjoy than an easy sprint.

Hank: Well, I suppose that makes some sense. I enjoy my job as a pastor, and I always loved working as a Bible study leader before that... and it's a "fun chore"... but still a _chore_. Something's always told me that things can be better... _somehow_ ...

John: ...But we were talking about the bridegroom illustration. You still didn't answer my question about your walk with Jesus.

Hank: It's good. I'm very confident in Him and He means _so much_ to me.

John: Then you shouldn't have a problem using the same Bridegroom illustration we did. Don't you want to see Him return soon?

Hank: Yeah. That'd be great.

John: Then invite His Kingdom, which you're a citizen of. We don't want to live apart from that glory any longer than we have to. I saw it with my own eyes. Speak for yourself. But knowing Him is my motivation to know Him more. Being in His Presence was all it took.

Hank: This is very different from what I've been told before.

John: I speak merely from what I can testify of.

Hank: So, why are you so passionate about these things? Where did you get it from? Is it your personality?

John: I beheld the beauty of Holiness Himself. That does something to you. You can't go back once it's truly taken root in your heart. My passion comes from one simple thing: As beautiful as the New Jerusalem was, as valuable as its golden streets and their dust, as big as those oysters must have been to make the pearl gates... the greatest treasure lived in the Center. God Himself is our reward. And from the way He looked at me. From the look in Christ's eye, I began to understand...

Hank: Understand what?

John: While God Himself is the greatest reward I look forward to at the resurrection, that wasn't all. Looking back, seeing the way Jesus always looked at us. Yes, He is my reward, now and in Eternity. But I always wondered why He did it... why He created us in the Beginning—knowing that He'd need to write down our names because the Accuser would dispute them... knowing that it would take the Cross for Him to redeem even me... It's clear now... _We are His reward also._ We were always going to be His reward, even from the Beginning. That's what makes Him different from the others. His disciples are disciples whom He _loves_.

#  **Scene 5: William**

William: Hank, come on in.

Hank: You've got a humble office. I was expecting something that looks like the bridge of the space trek enterprise.

William: Why's that?

Hank: It's kinda' how your church looks from the outside.

William: Everything's gotta' look like _something_. So, maybe "out of this world" fits.

Hank: Is your goal to impress people?

William: Never. Our goal is to have the most excellence that God gives us the grace to grasp.

Hank: Isn't that so you can impress people?

William: It will only impress the people who also want excellence. If we don't do our best at everything we do...

Hank: ...even in God's Church...

William: ...especially in God's Church. If we don't do our best then we will drive-away the people who want God to do His best in their lives. You have to take care of your own life before you can ever help others. Jesus taught us that.

Hank: How is that different from trying to market yourselves just to draw more people?

William: Because what we do is _selective_.

Hank: You mean that you pick and choose which people you want to come here?

William: No, we express ourselves so clearly that others can easily choose whether they want to follow Jesus with us. Some people don't want the truth—not on any terms. We want them to figure that out sooner rather than later. By doing our best, they know who we are quickly and they can reach their own decisions about us faster.

Hank: I thought you were seeker-sensitive.

William: We _are_ seeker-sensitive. We aren't trying to attract people who aren't looking for something. We are looking for the people who are looking for us. We are sensitive to _seekers_.

Hank: How do you find them?

William: Communicate in a clear, understandable way and don't compromise who you are.

Hank: But I always heard that "seeker-sensitive" was about watering-down the gospel.

William: How could a diluted gospel message attract people who want the pure, transforming power of Jesus in their lives? If we dilute His message then the people seeking Him will walk right past us and not even know it.

Hank: This isn't what I came here for, but now I'm curious. I thought the seeker-oriented model was based on trying to get as many people as possible.

William: That would be _non-seeker_ oriented. We only want people who are _looking_.

Hank: How do you make that work, though?

William: It's the same in _any_ organization. Of course we'll need a vision. It starts there. Then, we _communicate_ our vision to the world, which is different from _conforming_ our vision to the world. Once people know about our vision, that vision is what people will come to us for.

Hank: That seems obvious.

William: It _is_ obvious, but it's not easy.

Hank: Why not?

William: Anyone can theorize about vision, but living it out is the hard part. Most all of us get scared when it's time to be ourselves.

Hank: That makes sense. I had a sales job in college and I was scared spitless, even though I believed my product was the best.

William: That's sorta' the same thing. If we sell buckets and someone comes to our business and says, "Do you guys sell buckets?" we'd better not say, "No." But, more often than not, we start off our careers saying, "Well, maybe we sell buckets. Does that offend you?" We're so worried about other people rejecting us that we don't step out to help the people who want what we have. That's an organization that will quickly go under. Never apologize for being who you are.

Hank: Okay, you've got the confidence thing put well there, but what's so difficult about communicating?

William: It really comes from the same fear. We usually don't take the time to pause and ask how we come across to other people. Someone asks what buckets we sell. Then, we start using "bucket jargon" that only us bucket businessmen know. We're so scared that we forget to use words other people understand. That's why communication begins with listening.

Hank: Listening... ah, yes.

William: Listen to what the other guy says you sound like when he listens to you. Focus on him more than your fear of him. Then you can love people and they'll go to you when then need what you have.

Hank: I thought people generally keep their opinions to themselves.

William: They do, which is why you need to ask. Stick out your hand and go across the street to have dinner with your neighbor—just to get to know him. If you don't understand people outside of the Church then you'll never know how people outside the Church perceive—and _mis_ perceive—you. You're a pastor. Do you do that?

Hank: I usually don't have time. I'm so focused on meetings and the duties of the ministry.

William: Think about how much more productive you'd be if you know what the outside world sees when they look through our stained glass windows. That's one of the reasons we don't use stained glass windows here. They tend to taint and warp the outside perspective of what we do.

Hank: You sure are misunderstood by a lot of pastors.

William: Sure. And we don't criticize them, but it would be nice if they would take the time to understand other people, whether they are pastors or if they don't even go to a church.

Hank: They way you talk almost sounds like marketing—with communication and vision and all.

William: Marketing isn't just about perfuming the pig. It's the substance that sells. Think deeper than chrome plating—be _useful_. "Stickiness" is useless unless you have something worth sticking.

Hank: You seem to know a lot about marketing.

William: My father was a business man.

Hank: That explains a lot.

William: Your best education comes from the dinner table.

Hank: So, some of these ideas came from your dad?

William: He always ranted about how too many people get stuck on appearances and call it "Marketing". That's why many people think we water down the gospel here at our church. They think _we_ only look on the surface because _they_ only look on the surface. The only shiny stuff they've ever offered anyone was chrome plating. We offer solid gold and they assume it's fake and complain about the color.

Hank: For example?

William: Many preachers confuse "Biblical teaching" with "big words". Only five people understand what they say on Sunday morning. CS Lewis wrote to children and theologians alike. Why can't pastors do the same? If people think that _bigger words_ equals _more truth_ , they'll think that we hate the truth just because we're understandable. Big-worded preachers assume that we watered-down the gospel when we actually just watered-down our vocabulary to be more clear.

Hank: Isn't the truth a mystery, though?

William: Yes, but that's why God came down to be among us, so it wouldn't stay that way.

Hank: If you try to be understood, misunderstandable leaders will misunderstand you.

William: That's one way of putting it. Many people mimic our methods by watering down the _truth_ of their own messages. Then they claim they learned it from us and that gives us a bad name.

Hank: Do your messages ever offend people?

William: Seekers understand us well enough that they sometimes get more angry at the truth spoken here. In other places, communicating the gospel is too complicated to be understood, let alone offensive. Non-Christians can't be offended by preaching that they don't even understand. Preachers who depend on big words might feel threatened by the fact that we are so understandably offensive.

Hank: I'll attest to that.

William: Just make sure that, if you ever offend someone, it's because you clearly communicated answers to questions _they were asking_.

Hank: _Questions they were asking?_

William: Everyone asks questions about God. If you ignore their questions and shout from your own soapbox... well, you'll make people angry, but it's not from what you say... it's because you don't listen to others like the Bible tells us to.

Hank: Is that about the whole "relevant" thing?

William: You could say that. But, these days, a lot of people use "relevance" as a guise to throw out ideas that _should_ offend people who don't want the truth. I just stick to: Be quick to listen. If someone asks you a question, _answer it!_ Don't just talk about whatever _you_ want.

Hank: That's why so many Christian leaders don't understand you—you answer questions asked by non-Christians, rather than questions asked by seminary professors.

William: Being understood by some people means being misinterpreted by others. We've chosen to be understood by the seekers. That can apply to ministry and business just the same.

Hank: Do you let business practices direct you?

William: Only the business practices that Jesus taught.

Hank: He taught business practices?

William: God wants His people to prosper. Do you know how many of Jesus's parables addressed masters and stewards and paying people for their work?

Hank: Well, you have a good point there.

William: You might understand better if you saw the difference between secular vs. Biblical business practices.

Hank: Hmm...

William: We don't bring Satan's business philosophy in these doors. No-sir. We bring the teaching of Jesus into _all_ aspects of our lives, including business. That's why we get a lot of businessmen: We believe that Jesus has something for each of us. What many people think are "business" practices are merely principles of _stewardship_ and that's what Jesus taught about when He addressed things we relate to business.

Hank: So, do you advise businessmen?

William: We advise businessmen, yes. We also advise parents, single mothers, college students, children, high school and junior highers, the elderly, government leaders, politicians... In fact we advise anyone who wants to learn what Jesus taught. That's what we do. We are a local church. Jesus's teaching relates to every walk of life.

Hank: But something is different about what _you_ do. I can't put my finger on it, but it's something...

William: We re-evaluate ourselves constantly. If we sing a worship song, we make sure that people can understand why we do it. We don't want them to think that we are earning our way to Heaven with liturgy. That's why we must put our actions into words.

Hank: Don't you mean, "Put our words into action"?

William: No. I mean put our _actions into words_.

Hank: That seems kind of backwards.

William: If your _talk_ comes from your _walk,_ then you solve the problem of hypocrisy.

Hank: Only teach what you yourself have _done_. I can agree with that.

William: But there's more to it.

Hank: What?

William: Finding the right words to explain what we do isn't easy.

Hank: But you don't need to have the exact, perfect words for everything.

William: On the contraire. I don't mean niggling over someone else's choice of words when you know what they mean. This is about making sure that other people can understand your own ideas. To do that, you need to think carefully about your words.

Hank: Is this your father speaking again?

William: In a way, yes. That's what fathers do.

Hank: _...what father do?_

William: Fathers teach their children by giving words to explain how life works. Why is the rain good? What's the difference between a sidewalk and a street? Why are rivers different from lakes? And, why don't other people like it when we treat them unfairly? All of these things need explanation... a _father_ to explain them to us.

Hank: I can see that. So many people who had a bad connection with their fathers can't seem to understand the most simple things—and they resist whenever someone tries to help them.

William: And that's why we must learn to put our actions into words. We need words so we can understand life and talk about it with other people. That's why it meant so much that Jesus taught us gently, like a shepherd. His teachings explain stuff we'd never figure out on our own. And it's why God is a Father to us when He gives us laws—to protect us, such as _Love your neighbor as yourself._ And, it's the same with a vision and mission statement.

Hank: Mission and vision relate to parenting?

William: Of course. Many founders start an organization and simply _do_ stuff, but they don't take the time to pause and put their own actions into words. As a result, the people in their companies and ministries don't know what it was that brought success to the organization in its early years—and they don't know how to continue after the founder leaves.

Hank: So, being a good role model for my family requires that I pause to think about my own actions, then take the time to explain it all to my kids?

William: Exactly, and the same goes with your ministry and your business. Figure out what it is that you're _really_ doing. My grandmother used to remind me to think about my younger cousin, "There's a little shadow following you, watching everything you say and do."

Hank: That's a lot of pressure...

William: Writing something down doesn't make it true. The dirty little secret is... If most organizations _actually_ wrote their _true_ mission and values, they'd realize that they are not fully honest with themselves.

Hank: Is that for ministries or companies?

William: Both. A church may say they want to fulfill the Great Commission while it's obvious that they just want to _impress people_. A company may have a sign that says "Adapt" above every door, but their employees know that the leadership hates change. The key to crafting a good mission statement isn't hiring a consultant or reading a book—you have to _want the truth_.

Hank: So, don't surround ourselves with "yes men".

William: You should know that already. I'm saying that _you_ shouldn't be a "yes man" to yourself. Psalm 15 talks about being a man who, "speaks the truth in his heart."

Hank: People are afraid of truth, even though it sets us free.

William: Giving words to our actions helps us break through the glass ceiling, so we can reach our full potential.

Hank: _Glass ceiling_ ...kind of how being _good_ keeps people from becoming _great?_

William: Yeah.

Hank: It's funny. My father always said, "Now, son, don't let a little success get in your way."

William: Many times, a company succeeds, but they never find a good explanation as to _why_. And they think that, because they succeeded, they are the experts. They don't need to ask why they had success. The organization starts to fail a few years later. That's because their team found unity and success _on accident_ , still not knowing the words to describe their _unspoken_ mission and vision. It's not easy to know... to _truly_ know what your mission is.

Hank: Where did you learn this? From a business class?

William: No way! School is a place to learn _theory_. Putting actions into words requires knowledge of _reality_. I learned this from my father and other mentors in my life.

Hank: Now you're starting to sound like a businessman I met earlier.

William: The Bible carries the same truth for all of us—if we would just pause to think past the mere words and _listen_ to the meaning behind them...

Hank: And now you're starting to sound like the Apostle Paul.

William: Paul was both a businessman as well as a leader among many local churches. He was also a public speaker and I have tried my best to learn from his example. It would have been great to meet him.

Hank: I actually did meet him.

William: You're a trip. I like you.

Hank: So, how do you help people see the connection between business and Bible? I mean, a lot of people think the two are in conflict.

William: My father was a businessman. Besides, as a Dutchman, my doctor once told me that my blood cells have little dollar signs on them. I asked him for clinical evidence.

Hank: You're a "show me" kinda' guy. That's probably why seekers like you.

William: But, in all seriousness, everyone's a businessman. We just don't like to admit it with our _words_. You sell yourself to your employer. A father must constantly re-evaluate his relationship with his family so he doesn't get buried in a rut. And I always have to sell myself to my wife every day or love will grow cold... and it's a tough sell, believe me.

Hank: It's probably not as tough of a sell as it is with my wife.

William: Things aren't goin' so well?

Hank: It's the church board. I feel like I have to either compromise the truth or else sacrifice food for my family. The congregation doesn't want to hear what they need to hear.

William: What makes a leader effective?

Hank: Diligent work ethic... and keep people from killing each other in the organization?

William: [chuckle] Sometimes I think that's what it is, but it all begins with something.

Hank: What? Belief? The books I read?

William: Maybe you can understand leadership by knowing what kinds of leaders fail.

Hank: Tell me.

William: It goes back to vision. Don't just articulate it, but stick to it. Actions-to-words... but then don't change your actions. Stay consistent.

Hank: What about getting along with people?

William: Sure, we need to cooperate with each other, but that comes from seeing the common goal. God didn't create us just so we can get along with each other.

Hank: So, get rid of the non-team-players?

William: No. Make the truth crystal clear so people can understand it—and keep your actions and words in agreement. Then, the people who don't want your goal will identify themselves.

Hank: It almost sounds like you _want_ to make enemies. You're just being friendly about it.

William: No. Just we just make sure people understand us.

Hank: So how do you make them like Jesus?

William: We can't "make" people like Jesus—that's their choice.

Hank: That sounds offensive.

William: Christ can be offensive to people who don't want to hear the truth.

Hank: So, how do you make sure you don't offend the wrong people?

William: If you use big words that normal people don't understand, they may get offended—at _you_ instead of the truth.

Hank: That sounds great and all, but as a leader, I have trouble making it happen.

William: Teach a few _mechanical_ _how-to's_. Few things are as inspiring as seeing an actual _way_ to make your goals happen.

Hank: But how do I do that in my own church?

William: If you want to know the _how-to's_ , you can't just read books. You must be _involved_... In seminary, they call that _field work_.

Hank: Speaking of that... I have a question.

William: You mean you haven't asked your question yet?

Hank: You said so much good stuff, I wanted to let you finish.

William: Am I going to get a bill for these complements?

Hank: You'd be a good comedian.

William: No, someone writes my jokes for me.

Hank: Does he need more clients? My congregation says I'm as bland as a French fry.

William: Is that what's on your mind? Your church? Is that your question?

Hank: I recently met a businessman who said that I could do well in business and lead the Church better, but that it started with me seeing that pastors aren't necessary.

William: What? Some of that makes sense, but the last part threw me.

Hank: And, Paul seems to say the way we do "pastors" and Church leaders today isn't what he and Timothy did in the New Testament.

William: Well, I'll have to look into that a little more. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but we always want to check back with the Bible. We _are_ prone to trying things our own way rather than God's way. Maybe I missed something. But, now you've got _me_ curious... _"Pastors aren't necessary?"_

Hank: It makes sense, sort of. I'm starting to see a distinction between _pastors_ and _clergy_.

William: But, God called some to be _pastors_.

Hank: God called some people to be _pastors_ , yes, but the New Testament never does show a paid pastor leading over the elders.

William: But what about "pastors" described in Ephesians 4?

Hank: "Pastors" aren't _described_ —"pastor" _is_ the description.

William: Huh?

Hank: Pastors are never defined as _clergy_. Look at the Greek words Paul uses: _shepherds and teachers_.

William: That's a good point. Ken Taylor once told me about the purposes of different Bible translations, "If we want to study the words, we have to have the words."

Hank: Keep it simple. And make sure people understand.

William: That's what we do here at Mitchell-Williams Creek.

Hank: You named the church after _yourself?_

William: No. That name came from the auditorium we first met in. The name just stuck. It's a pure coincidence.

Hank: It's some coincidence. But I guess it makes sense to name the Church after the location.

William: That's how the New Testament Church did things.

Hank: Both in naming the Local Church, but also in its administration. So, I'm starting to think that pastors shouldn't be at the top of its leadership structure...

William: Well, you've got me convinced to look into it a little. No one's brought this to me before.

Hank: I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I'm still wondering what to do with all this myself. Paul was hard to "read" that day.

William: Paul is always hard to read. I can only wonder what a conversation with him would have been like... probably all over the map...

Hank: Oh! You have no idea.

William: But if you're asking my opinion about this _pastor v clergy_ thing, I really can't say now. I need to see more from Scripture and then it needs to be tested. We know something is Biblical only if it has Biblical results. Do you think it's practical? I mean, can it work?

Hank: I talked to one guy who says that he's seen it working for quite a long time, especially in China.

William: Really? Well, research and testing are important. We've got to try our theories before we truly know if they produce good fruit.

Hank: He says their Church fellowship keeps records also.

William: That's good. We did our own research before starting our church here.

Hank: Find anything interesting?

William: The number one reason people told us that they didn't go to church was, of all things, because of the greeter at the door.

Hank: Huh. Funny, we found the same thing.

William: You mean you did research too?

Hank: Of course. I'm a numbers man.

William: Well, that's good. Numbers don't lie. Just don't get lost in them. Numbers represent souls, remember.

Hank: Do you aim for big numbers?

William: I just aim for a big party in Heaven. The more the merrier.

Hank: I'm with you on that. But what do you think about all this non-pastor administration stuff? I was hoping to ask you more than explain the idea.

William: It may very well be Biblical and it could be what the Church needs right now. But just remember. God's Church is the Hope for the world. It's His Plan A and there is no need for a Plan B. No matter what form His Church has, it will always be at least somewhat effective. If anything changes drastically, it will require Him to be behind that change. But I'll be the first to admit that God's plan usually surprises me. So, you've definitely got something to think about.

Hank: A lot of ideas seem Biblical, but... how do I make them work? Yah know?

William: For now, all I can say is, here at Williams, we did what God showed _us_ to do. Now, if we can learn from each other, that's great. I'm all about staying associated with other things happening in the Body of Christ. If it works and someone can show me... great.

Hank: So, should I try this or not? I wouldn't even know how to start.

William: If someone else has done it, look more closely at what they did. Learn from those who have gone before you. You can avoid a lot of mistakes that way. But don't necessarily copy them exactly. God leads different parts of His Body to do different things. He wants us all learning from each other while we each stay unique—that's _community_. The more we communicate with each other, the more we understand our own stories.

Hank: Well, I believe that some kind of change is in order. I just want to make sure I'm not crazy.

William: The only thing that will make you crazy is if you try to be a leader who compromises. Staying afloat while poking holes in your boat is enough to make anyone crazy, or at least act like they're crazy. Compromise is as sneaky as it is dangerous. You usually don't know you've compromised until you're in over your head.

Hank: Is there a way to know if I'm starting to compromise?

William: You'll start to sink. Always keep honest truth-tellers around you. Don't surround yourself with yes-men—yes-men are _dangerous_. And don't be a yes-man to yourself. And always check the methods against the results.

Hank: So, the end justifies the means?

William: Technically, yes, but you have to see the Eternal End to truly evaluate that. For now, though, the end will usually tell you if the means aren't working. Someone may have a great idea for how to lead an organization, but only results can prove whether it's a good idea. Jesus said we know people by their _fruit_ —He didn't say, "paperwork." So, as son of a businessman and a preacher myself, fruit of the harvest is what I'll always look to determine whether the farmer made the right choices in the summer. Oranges don't grow on apple trees nor does a farm yield good crops without proper care.

Hank: Joe Stowell, Sr. once said to me, "If people are coming to Christ, you can't argue with that."

William: You met the President of the Southern Baptist Convention?

Hank: I've met a lot of people. We're all alike and all unique. Jesus was, by far, the best. It would be great if we all could understand each other more. Maybe that'll be easier if pastors are less busy with administration and more focused on just connecting with people.

William: Let me know what you come up with. Whether we can lead our congregations by continuing our system or lead them by downsizing our own positions or doing whatever the Lord is leading us toward... God's will be done. He loves the Church more than we ever could. No one in the next life will say, "Know God," because everyone will know Him. Ultimately, the goal of all pastors is to work ourselves out of our jobs. That's leadership. So, I should be glad _when_ that day finally arrives.

#  **Scene 6: Michael**

Hank: What is this place?

Michael: You're in the House of the Lord.

Hank: But it just looks like a normal room with chairs, a small platform, and a lot of musical instruments.

Michael: Yeah. That's 'cuz were here to pray.

Hank: What's music got to do with _prayer?_

Michael: Where do you get your prayer model from?

Hank: _Prayer model?_

Michael: Yeah, how do you pray and why do you pray that way?

Hank: Um, well, ahhh... usually I fold my hands, bow my head...

Michael: Why?

Hank: I don't know. That's how we pray.

Michael: That's not an answer. We already know that a lot of people pray that way. And you just said that _you_ pray that way. But the fact that you do something a certain way is not a good reason for _why_ you do it.

Hank: Okay, well then how do _you_ pray?

Michael: This is how I pray... me and the others here. See, they are all praying. But you still didn't tell my why you do what you do.

Hank: Now that you mention it, there are a lot of things I do and I don't know why I do them the way that I do them. I suppose I pray that way because that's how I've always prayed.

Michael: Now you answered my question. You got your _prayer model_ from history. You got it from other people.

Hank: Okay. That's fair to say. So, where did you get your _prayer model?_

Michael: Revelation.

Hank: John was talking about that the other day.

Michael: John G. Lake!?

Hank: No, a different John.

Michael: Who? John who?

Hank: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Michael: Oh, believe me... I've heard some _strange_ stuff in my days. But it doesn't matter.

Hank: So why do you get your _prayer model_ from Revelation?

Michael: That's where God most reveals His House.

Hank: You mean the New Jerusalem?

Michael: Well, in the early part of the book, we only see the Throneroom. The New Jerusalem is seen at the end. Regardless, Revelation shows us how humans and angels pray in Heaven and we want to model that here on the earth.

Hank: That makes sense. We will pray to God in Heaven, so we might as well follow Heaven's way of doing things in the here and now.

Michael: And we pray for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done... _in earth as it already is in Heaven_.

Hank: But I don't think they had a room full of chairs and a small stage and I don't think it was exactly set up like this.

Michael: It's not the architectural layout we follow. After all, we aren't pretending to build a Throneroom for God with our own hands. It's the _prayer_ model we follow.

Hank: Um... I don't see that connection either.

Michael: Did you see the elders in Revelation?

Hank: Well, no, but John did and he wrote about it.

Michael: _THAT_ John!? You talked to _that_ John?

Hank: [looking at floor] Yeah...

Michael: No, you're right. I don't believe it.

Hank: Told yah.

Michael: Man, I have heard some wild stuff in my days, but that tops it all.

Hank: Kinda' like what I'm hearing from you... You talk about praying the way they pray in God's Throneroom. I mean, basing an entire model off of just that?

Michael: I'd rather base my prayer model on a clear revelation of how God is worshiped in Heaven than to pray the way everyone else prays just because they've always prayed that way.

Hank: I can't argue with that, though it's still hard to believe.

Michael: You're the one who says he talked to John the Apostle.

Hank: Hey, it wasn't _my_ idea.

Michael: Neither was prayer _my_ idea—or yours for that matter, nor the people's of history. Prayer was invented by _God_ and He's the one we should learn from when we do things He invented.

Hank: So, how do you pray, then?

Michael: In Revelation, each of the elders held a harp, which is a musical instrument, and a bowl, which offered up prayer of the saints. Music and prayer are together in Heaven. That's it.

Hank: Oh, is this that "Harp and Bowl" thing I've heard about on the blogs?

Michael: Oh, dear. What are people saying now?

Hank: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Michael: Touché.

Hank: Is that it, then? You just sing your prayers?

Michael: You could say that. The point is that worship _in song_ and petition _in prayer_ must go together. You can't ask from God without praising Him and you can't praise God without requesting more of His good desires to invade your life.

Hank: _Invade!?_

Michael: I don't mean _physical force_. It's just that God's love and blessing are so foreign to us that when we first see them, it actually feels like an invasion. But we don't experience that level of God in our lives until our _praise_ and _petition_ become _one-in-the-same_.

Hank: [shaking finger in agreement] Now that just makes sense.

Michael: God's not so crazy, yah know—except for the fact that He's crazy-in-love with us. But that's another topic altogether.

Hank: I get the prayer and worship concept, so, go ahead. I've not often heard people express God's love for us by saying His love is "crazy".

Michael: I'm sure you know the term "madly in love". That's what I mean. He's really, really in love with us.

Hank: You seem interested in this topic of God's love also, not just prayer.

Michael: I'm interested in _Jesus_. You can't pray to Him unless you love Him.

Hank: They go together... sure.

Michael: Love and prayer are a package.

Hank: I thought this was a prayer ministry, specifically. That's why I came here. It said something about "prayer" on the sign out front, across from a 24-7 pancake shop. After breakfast, I figured I'd stop in. You have a coffee shop next door. Chairs... Revelation. Now you're talking about _love_. What _do_ you specialize in?

Michael: We specialize in facilitating prayer just the same as that pancake place facilitates pancakes.

Hank: ...so, you and the pancake shop are similar because you are both... _really good_ and _around the clock?_

Michael: [pauses to think] ...yeah. We're open 24-7, just like them. And we like that about them. Sometimes we need pancakes at a strange time of the day. You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Hank: Trust me, I've heard some crazy things in my days.

Michael: Including God's _crazy_ love for you?

Hank: That too. But I want to know the one thing that's most important to you.

Michael: You mean _love_ or _prayer?_

Hank: Yes. Which one is more important?

Michael: The two are, actually, one thing. Our focus is facilitating a place for prayer, the _house_. But, prayer, worship, love... all of us will do those things into eternity and beyond. You can't separate them any more than you can separate loving God from loving people.

Hank: There's this one church that talks a lot about _social justice_.

Michael: We're all in favor of charity. One of the big things we do here in this ministry is give to the poor...

Hank: Wait, you said you were a _House of Prayer!_

Michael: And so we are. And the poor are part of God's family. You can't pray, worship God, love Him, and _not_ love people.

Hank: But wouldn't it be better to work with an organization that specializes in that?

Michael: If we start compartmentalizing our walk with the Lord we'll get corrupted.

Hank: _Corrupted?_

Michael: Once you say, "Helping the poor is someone else's responsibility, so I'll just give them the money and they will do it _for_ me," that's when people start stealing money and doing back door deals. Charity is something we should _all_ be involved with.

Hank: So, you shouldn't have special staff just to help the poor?

Michael: I'm not saying there shouldn't be staff and volunteers, but every group of believers needs to know that helping the poor as part of their responsibility. The same is true of worshiping the Lord as well as praying for the people we help.

Hank: I know of a lot of non-Christian organizations that help people.

Michael: But think about it, how much of a _lasting_ difference do they make?

Hank: _Lasting difference?_

Michael: If you volunteered for one of those organizations, would they allow you to preach the gospel?

Hank: Not all of them, but that's not so important. We shouldn't give people food and water just so we can try to get them into our little religion.

Michael: I'm not trying to "get people" either. I really believe this stuff. Jesus changed my life. I can't help someone with food and water and not tell them about the water of _Life_. That just wouldn't make sense.

Hank: It makes sense when you say it like that. Charity and Jesus—going together?

Michael: And they go together better when they are part of the local Body of Christ.

Hank: Wait! The _local Body of Christ!?_ Now, what are we talking about!?

Michael: It is. Where do you think the local Body of Christ meets?

Hank: Um... _church!_ Dah.

Michael: Wrong.

Hank: How can you say that?

Michael: Where does Scripture say that Christians should meet in a _church_? Christians _are_ the Church! You don't meet in yourself.

Hank: Okay, now you're going to tell me that I only think Christians should meet in "church" because that's what history says... "We've done it that way because we've always done it that way and that's how we've done it and that's why we've always done it the way we've always done it..."

Michael: ...something like that. Do you know what Scripture says about God's House?

Hank: God's Kingdom isn't here yet? So, it really doesn't matter where we meet?

Michael: Wrong again. God did explain what His House would be.

Hank: His _House?_ You mean the New Jerusalem?

Michael: That too, but I mean even in the _here and now_.

Hank: God has a _House_ here and now too?

Michael: Sure. If I asked people in your church fellowship who owns the building you all gather in, what would a lot of them say?

Hank: Well, the accountant would say that the 501c(3) owns it, but most people would say that it's _God's_ House... wait. That's what I said. The church building is _God's House_.

Michael: You're getting there. First, I just want you to see that God has a house in the here and now, even before Jesus gets back. That "house" _houses_ or _hosts_ our activities as His children... _in His Household_. It helps us keep warm in the winter so we can do stuff... and keep our stuff dry from the rain... and stuff like that. We need a building for stuff. That building is "God's House".

Hank: Okay. But it seems like we're splitting hairs. We all know about the building... usually a church... which is "God's House" for gathering. Where were you going with all this?

Michael: Isaiah 5... 6... 7...

Hank: Three chapters?

Michael: No, I just wanted you to remember. Isaiah 56:7. "...My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all people." God has a name He wants us to use for that building we meet in: _House of Prayer_.

Hank: Okay. I get it now. This is the local Body of Christ and you call the building a _House of Prayer_. So, actually, this place is like a church?

Michael: No, there's only _one Church_ —the Church of Jesus Christ. We are a House of Prayer for the Church in our locality.

Hank: Locality?

Michael: The location. The place we are in.

Hank: So what are you called?

Michael: The House of Prayer.

Hank: That's it?

Michael: We're the House of Prayer in our city.

Hank: Other people can't build more houses of prayer in this city?

Michael: They can build more buildings and we'd love to help them. But there's only _one_ community of Believers in the area. We can meet in _this_ building or _that_ building.

Hank: That sounds okay. Do you teach here also?

Michael: We are Christians and this is God's House. We do everything Christians do.

Hank: So, can I join? I mean, that would be cool to be a _member_ here.

Michael: Well, you are.

Hank: I am?

Michael: You're Christian, right?

Hank: Yeah, but I mean actually _join_ , yah know.

Michael: We're hiring staff if that's what you mean.

Hank: No, I just mean participate. I was thinking about resigning as pastor... _maybe_ ... and I was wondering where I would go. See, my old church, God love 'em... I think they don't want to listen to what I say. So the best thing for me to do is to love and leave. I may need a new church family.

Michael: So, what are you trying to ask me?

Hank: How do I become a _member_ here?

Michael: You are one. You're Christian. And there's only _one_ Church in the world.

Hank: But I mean, after I put in my papers with them, explaining that I'm _not with_ them anymore. Then I can begin the process of joining here, going to the classes, signing, promising to give money...

Michael: You can give money wherever God tells you and our classes are for anyone. The way you use the word "member" is a little different from how we do. To us, "member" doesn't mean that you can't participate with your other Christian friends in their fellowships.

Hank: But where I come from, it's a problem if people start getting mixed-up about where to tithe their money and all.

Michael: That's if we are building mankind's kingdom. There is _only one_ Body of Christ. If we have any structure—even an administrative structure or financial structure—which keeps people from having Christian fellowship as the Lord leads, then that structure isn't from God. He doesn't contradict Himself and a House divided against itself won't stand.

Hank: What are you talking about? The Church _has_ to stand. The Bible says that the Church won't fall, but that it will prevail against the Gates of Hell. So, anything that destroys a Christian fellowship is God's enemy. One of the greatest works of Satan is all the churches he destroys with Christians blending their fellowship time across different congregations.

Michael: You and I _can't_ destroy the Church. When a so-called "church" collapses, it's not really God's Church, though it may have been a temporary structure God used in the past. When we hang on to something God only used for a season of time, it becomes a human construct—an empty shell... a _house_ with no love. God's _true_ household isn't against itself. Human constructs, however, tend to get territorial.

Hank: _Human constructs?_

Michael: It happens over and over. God does something, then people build a monument to it. The Lord does a new work and people cling to their old way of doing things. They miss out on all the Goodness the Lord offers. Finally, they let go of the past and accept God's new work—usually after many tears. They finally enjoy the new work God wanted to offer them years before, thinking that He restored a mess someone else made—when _they_ actually made the mess by clinging to the past. Then, when it's time to move on again, they start building monuments all over _again_ ... and it just keeps cycling on.

Hank: So, you're saying that my church isn't part of God's family?

Michael: No, I'm not going to go there—having an opinion on this group or that fellowship. I'm just saying that I want to press forward into all God has for us. I'm not going to give up Eternal Joy for Eternal Nostalgia.

Hank: How do you do that— _practically_ I mean?

Michael: We avoid doing things in ways that invite a divided household. People can come and go. You're welcome here. You can pray and worship with us, we'll welcome you _in_ the name of Jesus and if your friends don't know Him then we'll welcome them _to_ the name of Jesus. If you go to another fellowship on Sundays or Friday afternoons or whenever, we won't bother you about that.

Hank: I like that. Can I join and help build one in another city?

Michael: Heaven's no!

Hank: What's wrong with helping other cities with the same thing?

Michael: Nothing, but we're not building an empire!

Hank: Can't other places follow the same ideas? They came from the _Bible_ after all.

Michael: Exactly. So do it! You don't need to _join us_. Others don't need us creating some organization-imperial overhead to manage them. We are completely managed by the Christians in _this_ locality. If someone else wants to do the same thing, great! They can call us, talk to us, email us, visit us, ask us questions... We'll love them, visit them, maybe ask them to visit and help us learn more. That was the New Testament and that's not a household divided against itself.

Hank: But couldn't standards slip? I mean what if someone goes off in the wrong direction and it becomes a disaster?

Michael: As painful as mistakes are, it's far worse to build an empire in the name of preventing the natural mistakes of learning. Empires beg for corruption and attract a hunger for more and more power. We want to let young, budding ministries be free to flourish without us getting our fingers in the way.

Hank: So, how would another city start one of these things? It looks like it takes a _lot_ of money and people... and a calling.

Michael: It starts with prayer. People who were with us three decades ago came to prayer meetings four times every day for 15 years—that was before we had anything you see here.

Hank: _FIFTEEN YEARS!?_

Michael: Yep. God's House of Prayer must start as a desire in our hearts first.

Hank: Wow. How did you ever think that up?

Michael: We didn't think it up. This isn't the result of creative brainstorming or market research.

Hank: Isn't market research important?

Michael: Sure, but not for designing the actual model _itself_ for God's House. He already revealed it in Scripture. Prayer in our hearts and on our lips, worship and intercession going together, helping the poor, and taking a stand for the truth even when it's not popular... we didn't invented those, nor can we change them.

Hank: There are a lot of great ministries out there, though.

Michael: Sure there are. We have friendships with a lot of them. But only the House of Prayer is rightly called _God's House_. If it's not a House of Prayer, it's not _His_ House, it's _our_ house.

Hank: Is it bad for _us_ to have houses?

Michael: No, just don't confuse your house with God's House. And when planning the administration of God's House, follow His design.

Hank: And what is that?

Michael: We already talked about it: _Do in the earth what is already done in Heaven._

Hank: You're really focused on that.

Michael: God is worshiped in Heaven, even right now as we speak. It never stops. Prayer constantly goes up before Him.

Hank: Yeah.

Michael: That motivates me. I want to see it here.

Hank: He'll come in good time.

Michael: But I don't want to wait any longer than I absolutely must. I want to see a glimpse of God's Kingdom of Heaven here in the earth, even now.

Hank: So, we should just sing and pray all the time?

Michael: Well, it would be best if _someone_ was praising and praying at every hour of the day. Then the spiritual forces of evil will have no rest from God being praised, neither will God Himself.

Hank: But God rested on the Sabbath.

Michael: But we still praise Him every day and He didn't rest from being praised. He rested from His _work_.

Hank: Okay, so, we praise Him. But at some point we have to do actual _work_.

Michael: Praise and prayer is where it begins. When we do that, helping the poor, knowing how to speak the truth in love... all the rest of it falls into place. But we can only begin to bring God's Kingdom through His _House_. And we build His House by maintaining an undivided _Household_ that is run the way _He_ wants it run.

Hank: But in terms of each daily step, day by day, how do you know where to go? Do you do research?

Michael: We do research, yes, but the numbers don't tell us everything we need to know. Neither can our creative juices interpret the numbers well enough to tell us what Heaven's Kingdom looks like. In order to have an effective vision in the local House of Prayer, we must operate in the _Prophetic_.

Hank: Okay. I knew it. I heard about the Praying Prophets. You seemed like a nice guy... but now you pull this out on me. Look, pal, I'm not gonna' roll around on the floor laughing and I won't pay money for you to predict my afternoon lunch.

Michael: Good, because if you did those things I'd probably call for security.

Hank: That's encouraging. I think Holy Rollers should be rolled-up hauled-off.

Michael: I don't mean that. "Security" isn't like a swat team, here. But we discourage people from acting crazy even when their expression of worship seems to pull them there.

Hank: So much of that stuff is _fake_ ...

Michael: I know. I think 80% of it is fake. But people need room to grow. And we don't get much of that because we encourage people to consider others and not put on a show. We pray to God and worship Him because of our love for Him, not to fit into some culture of weird craziness. The only thing crazy here is our love for Jesus, which He finds in our hearts, not our demeanor.

Hank: So, if you guys aren't crazy, what _did_ you mean when you said that you need to operate in the _Prophetic?_

Michael: God leads you moment by moment throughout the day, doesn't He?

Hank: Well, kind of. But I really don't understand all that. Sometimes I don't hear Him correctly, so I don't like talking about it.

Michael: You'd be more likely to understand God's daily leading if it you _did_ talk about it.

Hank: Look, I'm not going to start blogging about how the world is going to end or start asking for money as an itinerate prophet.

Michael: You seem to _me_ , as if I'm saying a things that I'm not saying. Are you listening?

Hank: Yes, of course I am, but you're starting to sound crazy with where I think you are going.

Michael: Don't confuse your speculation with what I actually think. Don't do that with God either. Listen carefully so you understand what others are saying when _they_ talk.

Hank: What do you mean?

Michael: You thought you knew what I was _going_ to say, even though I hadn't said it yet. Then you started arguing with what you thought.

Hank: But every time other people start talking about this, that's where they end up. It's all this _ooga-booga_ _holy-rollie_ stuff.

Michael: I don't know how many people you've actually talked to...

Hank: Well, there was this one lady. Then, one time I spoke for five minutes at a conference with a guy...

Michael: Sounds like a lot of experience. But even then, I'm not those people. You need to _want to_ understand others if you want to understand them.

Hank: That sounded redundant.

Michael: The Bible is often redundantly redundant and we still don't get the message. The same thing happens when we misunderstand God's leading.

Hank: Huh?

Michael: People _think_ they know what God is going to say and they don't distinguish between their own speculation and God's actual direction.

Hank: Well, that makes sense, I suppose, but it seems so hard.

Michael: It is _very_ hard. But it's more difficult going through life _without_ knowing His daily leading. Don't make up a voice in your head and call it "His Voice" just because He seems silent. That will _really_ confuse you. Be still and _listen_ to others. Don't just recognize what they say, but also what they _don't_ say.

Hank: I can try harder not to put words in other people's mouths. But when I _think_ God is speaking to me, how am I to act on it without making a train wreck out of my Life? How am I to know if it's Him or not?

Michael: First, don't be afraid to say so when you _think_ God may be leading you. Use words... sometimes. Second, you need to spend time with Him in prayer and worship. That's what a lot of people are doing here in this room.

Hank: Oh, so that's what draws people to this place.

Michael: They don't like misunderstanding God, who is madly in love with us, so, they spend more time with Him here or at home and as they go throughout their day. Coming together makes it a little easier to stay focused. But praying at home and on the road also have their advantages.

Hank: I get the whole prayer thing, but using words to describe how I feel when I think God leads me... that went over my head.

Michael: If you think God may be telling you something, don't be afraid to say that it was a feeling you got form Him.

Hank: But I don't want to run around claiming, "Thus saith the Lord," everywhere I go.

Michael: We don't either. We only have three per year.

Hank: What!?

Michael: The Lord started to speak to a lot of us the more we had prayer meetings. There were so many, "Thus says God..." statements, it got insane. So, we made a rule: Each person can only claim, "Thus saith the Lord," three times per year.

Hank: That seems strange.

Michael: It was _very_ strange. That's why we made the rule.

Hank: I mean the rule seems strange.

Michael: It's not as strange as the problem it solved.

Hank: Did it actually solve the problem?

Michael: No problems will be fully solved until Jesus comes here and settles our disputes Himself. But, yeah, it did seem to calm things down.

Hank: I don't get why it's so important to talk about God's leading in my life. That's personal.

Michael: If you don't have some kind of vocabulary for God's leading in your life, then you can't talk about it with others. Then you're in a world of your own. That can lead you to some strange ideas. Christian fellowship requires words.

Hank: But do I have to claim that an angel came down and talked to me every time that happens?

Michael: No, just describe whatever it is. Maybe you have an impression on your heart. So, go to your accountability group or cell group or whatever and say you had an _impression_. Describe it. Ask for understanding. Talk about it. Explore it. Don't leave that part of your walk with God in disrepair or it will turn into a disaster. That's where the bad prophecy nonsense comes from. People try to "do" the _Prophecy_ thing without talking about it among their Christian family. Iron swords sharpen each other as do Christians, even in terms of knowing what God is telling us.

Hank: I didn't know that this is what you meant when you said _Prophecy_.

Michael: Listen to people to understand people, listen to God to understand God. _Time_ and _talking_ help us know each other. That's why God wanted a House just for that purpose. This is where all that fellowship gathers together under one roof and so God moves among us all... together.

Hank: But why do you call it _Prophecy?_

Michael: We have to call it something. Otherwise we can't talk about it and learn how to follow His daily leading _Biblically_. That's the difference between us and other fellowships. Even Cessationists try to follow God's leading. We merely use words to learn more about it, rather than it being some mystical, nebulous, vague thing that we try to do, but don't understand... and then being afraid to talk about it for fear that someone will think we are adding to Scripture. Trust me, I used to be like that. It's not fun—trying to get direction from God while thinking that He doesn't talk to us anymore...

Hank: But isn't Prophecy an attempt to add to Scripture?

Michael: Absolutely _NOT_. Even Scripture says that God gave some as prophets.

Hank: What does that mean then, in Ephesians 4? Paul and I didn't quite get to that point.

Michael: Oh, so you talked to the Apostle Paul too, I take it.

Hank: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Michael: Trust me, I've seen some crazy stuff in my days.

Hank: And from the House of Prayer you seem to even have caught a glimpse of God's _crazy_ love for you.

Michael: Right on—and that's what Prophecy is.

Hank: Prophecy is about _love?_

Michael: YES. Prophecy is the clear message from God _today_ in terms of His _daily_ leading. Most prophecy is for the individual. Sometimes it's for others. And on once in a while, it's for a large segment in the Body of Believers. But in every case, prophecy always— _always_ —leads back to love. It's why God even wants to talk to us in the first place, even if it's to correct us from our self-destructive behavior.

Hank: So _the Prophetic_ isn't adding to Scripture?

Michael: It's _not_ adding to Scripture _because it is Prophetic_. The Bible is for all time, that's _Scripture_ ... 2 Tim 3:16-17. _Prophecy_ is just for special times and special people. We say _Prophetic_ to clarify that we are _not_ adding to Scripture.

Hank: But I thought... Wait. I assumed what you meant when you use the term... I should have listened more carefully.

Michael: Listening is where it begins. After that, surrender to the truth.

Hank: But a while back you mentioned "bad" prophecy.

Michael: Today, it seems that there is an entire, so-called "Prophecy" genre. People blog and write these pie-in-the-sky ideas. They use cloudy-flower words and add a lot of superlatives and adverbs that make it really hard to understand. And they call it "Prophetic". Sometimes, I just think that they write from their own creativity. I'm all in favor of creativity, but Beloved, we need to know the difference between our own creative writing and God's Prophetic daily leading. God's not as verbose as a lot of those so-called "prophets".

Hank: How can we know the difference? There's so much of that, _some_ of it must be legitimate.

Michael: Learn to discern His leading in your own heart. That makes things so much easier. Pray in the Word.

Hank: That makes sense. If I know God's Voice in my own life, it'll be easier to discern whether He is truly speaking through another person.

Michael: God's Prophetic leading isn't merely for our entertainment. And talking to yourself creatively isn't going to fill your desire to have a close connection with God. If God has a direction for you or the local Body, you and I aren't going discover it through conjuring our way past w _riter's block_. And when He _does_ give us a direction, we need to take it seriously. Maybe people misunderstand what God wants them to say, but still, when we think a word might be from the Lord, we need to seriously ask if it's from Him and then act accordingly. We ought never treat His Word as entertainment and _never_ ask people to censor a word that they think may be prophetic. If it can be improved by a person, then it's not prophetic. If it is prophetic then God doesn't need us to be His editors. So, keep asking whether something is genuinely a leading of the Lord, then, if you're convinced it is, take it seriously.

Hank: What about Scripture? Shouldn't we take that seriously too?

Michael: I can't emphasize this enough, Hank, _EVERYTHING we think we hear from the Lord must be weighed against Scripture_. If we don't do that then we're in hot water—or something else that's hotter than water.

Hank: But what if someone says "Thus saith the Lord," and he is wrong? Doesn't the Old Testament say to stone him?

Michael: Well, under the Old Covenant, God said that if a prophet is accurate in his _predictions of the future_ and then teaches people to worship other gods, that person should be stoned. But He also said that goes for _anyone_ who teaches false religion. That's in Deuteronomy 13.

Hank: Why was God so harsh against false religion?

Michael: Because false religion of that day involved human sacrifices. Were it not for such strict laws three thousand years ago, the world today would be an unimaginable Hell on earth. God's Laws are _always_ a grace, to give us a path that delivers us from evil.

Hank: Not a high-fisted hammer for the smallest transgression.

Michael: Exactly. That's the spirit of prophecy also. So, when someone's trying to connect with God from a pure heart—even though every prophet will always have room to learn—it's okay to make mistakes.

Hank: So it was _sin_ that God said to punish, not being wrong about what we think He tells us.

Michael: Just because a prophet can perform signs and wonders and predict the future doesn't mean that we are to swallow everything that person teaches. In Deuteronomy 18 God said almost the same thing as 13, but added that He Himself would enforce a prophet's words, and also, that if a prophet is merely wrong, claiming, "Thus saith the Lord," presumptuously, you don't need to be afraid of such a prophet—as long as he's not teaching false religion. You should read those chapters. They may help you navigate through many situations today.

Hank: What about prophets telling the future?

Michael: Prophecy can be _foretelling_ of the future or _forthtelling_ of God's daily leading. Don't make it too technical or complicated. If you want to know more I'd recommend some good books for you that you can take home and keep notes in.

Hank: I'll check those out, but what do you think the biggest challenge is for Prophetic stuff in the fellowship here at this House of Prayer?

Michael: Probably _boldness_. Many times when we say _Prophetic_ , we mean _boldness_.

Hank: _Boldness?_

Michael: Boldness marked the character of every prophet in the Bible from Beginning to End. God won't lead you if you don't follow boldly. Boldness can have a huge price to pay. But the rewards are also huge.

Hank: How are the rewards huge?

Michael: The rewards are _people_. Our reward is each other, the greatest reward we have is God Himself.

Hank: I can see how a good relationship with God can be a reward from boldly communicating with Him... prayer and daily leading. But _other people too?_

Michael: We prophesy because we love people as well as the Lord who was crucified for them. If you don't clearly communicate the truth, then the people looking for it won't need you. You'll also waste a lot of time with people who don't value the same things as you... eventually ending long friendships that amounted to nothing beyond the superficial.

Hank: I've heard a few other people talk about _sticking to your guns_.

Michael: For a while there, we started to tone down our own message about the importance of prayer and worship in the life of the Believer.

Hank: How did that go? Not good I take it?

Michael: The whole ministry almost collapsed. When you water down your vision, you're no longer necessary because you're no longer yourself. It's most difficult to maintain the stuff that's most important. But the Lord showed us what we were doing wrong and we turned it around. It's a good thing we kept following His daily leading or we might not have seen it until it was too late.

Hank: Was it hard, I mean, being told that you were wrong?

Michael: When God tells us we're wrong, it's hard to get offended. He's trying to help us. We're the ones who stand to lose out of we ignore Him. It's easy to remember that—when we stay in touch with how much He loves us. To do that, we need to _listen to Him,_ in the Word and in prayer.

Hank: So, if I feel the Lord leading me to tell someone something that they might not want to hear... should I try to get to know them and build trust before telling them?

Michael: If all that is part of the Lord's leading, of course. Usually, we find that when God gives us an insight, there is usually some instruction that follows, but you have to keep praying and listening for the rest. Don't start to hear Him speak, then assume the rest. A lot of prophetic problems come up when we don't keep listening. But, generally, if the Lord's laid something on your heart to share, don't make a big deal out of it. Just share it.

Hank: But I don't want to sound crazy.

Michael: It doesn't matter what the other person thinks of you, whether he agrees, disagrees, is offended... Don't try to persuade people, just be the messenger. Keep it simple, be yourself, and know that, often times, the prophet is the one who learns more than the recipient. After that, deliver the mail and move on. No big deal.

Hank: I'm a "prophet"?

Michael: It's not an office in the Body of Believers like an _elder_ is. It's just a function. If God has a small idea for me and He wants you to tell me, in our conversation, well, _you're_ more or less the "prophet". If one of us is the prophet in that situation, it's certainly not _me_ —it's the person with the message.

Hank: Okay. I see. You're saying "prophet" not to sound high and mighty, but just because we have to call it _something_ so we can talk about it.

Michael: I think you're getting it.

Hank: Well, I just have one other question, then. I heard some people talk about a "marketplace apostle." What's that all about?

Michael: An apostle is just another function. It isn't a paid position and we don't have an office of "apostle" on our property or in the building. An apostle is just someone who operates in a broader spectrum.

Hank: It's not some high, glamorous job?

Michael: Apostles aren't better than others. They just seem to be really effective at doing stuff that quietly makes a big difference in leadership rooms and other places. Sometimes they even have a public ministry, but usually someone who operates in the function of an apostle is most effective in quiet conversations with decision makers—a friend helping them navigate through larger choices of leadership. And often times, the _influential_ people aren't the most famous. We see some of that with the New Testament apostles writing letters that made a big difference.

Hank: Okay, but what's a _marketplace_ apostle?

Michael: Thanks for bringing me back on track. I tend to rabbit trail... at least that's what my friends tell me. When I give a speech I usually keep an outline so I don't get lost. Even then I don't always follow it...

Hank: You're even rabbit trailing now. Were you trying to give a demonstration?

Michael: ...anyhow, you get the idea of what an apostle is. So, a _marketplace_ apostle does a lot of that work _outside_ of the walls of the House of Prayer, not only inside. In other words, their "apostolic" ministry is in the _marketplace_.

Hank: Do they have _any ministry at all_ inside the Body of Christ?

Michael: Usually, but the point is that they also operate significantly outside. Joseph and Daniel were such people, though, there weren't "apostles" at the time since it was in the Old Testament. Still, the marketplace was their primary ministry.

Hank: But they were in _government._

Michael: In Biblical terms, there is ministry inside the temple, and the rest may be considered the _marketplace_. It's not an economic distinction we're making. We've got to call it _something_ , otherwise we can't talk about it.

Hank: So, they work in business or government or other parts of society?

Michael: Oh, for sure. And they work with a lot of people in the House of Prayer who feel a similar calling—or merely to help people understand the outside world better. They also help with decisions of local elders. A _lot_ of wealthy businessmen gain their wisdom from their parents. Through Christian discipleship, people who come from a less-wealthy background can still learn how to be good stewards, from their new family in Christ.

Hank: Hey, there was this one wealthy Christian I spoke with. He seemed a lot like what you just described.

Michael: We have a lot of such people right here in this stream of fellowship. You're welcome to meet some. They love to talk to anyone who wants to listen.

Hank: Listening, eh. I think I could stand for some more of that.

Michael: I believe it.

#  **Conclusion**

All characters in this book are fictional. Some of them are composites whose archetypes were informed by significant voices from this past century. In doing so, preference was given to ministries and fellowships and their _founders_ , as well as other ideas in the Body of Christ which fall along similar lines of thinking, respectively. These composite characters do not represent any one stream of fellowship, but rather some main _ideas_ in the Body of Christ which are unlikely to cross paths today. This was intended to help introduce those ideas to different Christians within the Body of Christ—and to do so on a wider scale—by summarizing some of what I find to be among their more unique contributions. In no way is this any intention or claim to officially represent any specific organization or individual or group of individuals. At the same time, in crafting this set of dialogues, journalistic respect is paid to the idea that these archetypes were objectively composited and summarized, with limited artistic license taken for core ideas, from a realistic foundation, not invented out of mere imagination. Creativity was reserved more for flow of conversation, tone, and truthful mosaic-melting-pot-style blending to contrive realism in the composite personalities.

Dialog from one scene to the next was laced by having each of the characters address the most controversial idea presented: a non-clerical system for Christian fellowship. This was primarily a literary device, though, admittedly, being how unusual this idea is for Western-influenced Christians, it could, arguably, use the extra treatment. So, the composite characters did not always address that question directly, since the movements and ideas that influenced their archetypes have been largely silent on the matter. Rather, this controversial question was used as an opportunity for these characters to represent other ideas which may relate to adoption of a non-clerical system, _if hypothetically presented with the idea_ , partially informed from what has been opined by various like-minded fellowships and movements.

Paul and John are intended to be an applicable dialog, based on their writings and actions in Scripture. Some writers may have a different take than I. These were intended to highlight some Biblical elements that the modern Church seems to have overlooked.

Many movements in the Body of Christ are easily mislabeled as "cults" in their early stages. In particular, the Local Church, led by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee, was even published among cult watchdog lists. This error was corrected in the Christian Research Journal Vol. 32, No. 6, 2009, "We Were Wrong: A Reassessment of the 'Local Church' Movement of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee". Because of this, we might consider how easy it is for effective leaders to be misunderstood and how dangerous it is to pass on opinions based on second-hand impressions.

The Communist government in China persecuted and martyred many Christians based on America's assumptive accusation against Watchman Nee. While an apology can't bring people back to life, it also shows the power of reconciliation—that Christian leaders have met with living relatives of those affected in the Local Church movement and were received with loving arms. Would you forgive those whose misinformed publications led to your family's death? Watchman Nee's fellowship did. Will history repeat or will we take heed in the future to avoid rush judgments?

Two other influential Christian streams in America, which have been, at one point or another, mislabeled as "cult like", are the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri, and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. For all three fellowships, it was my knowledge of Scripture, combined with my personal encounter with the Christians within each fellowship, which convinced me that they stood on Biblical ground, _long before_ reading any literature that had been published about them. As Jesus told us, "Ye shall know them by their fruit." It's hard to know someone's fruit if you only learn about them in magazines, classrooms, radio shows, and libraries. We need _fellowship_.

I hope that you can humbly and openly consider the ideas reflected here. I spent many days, hours, miles, and tears becoming acquainted with people in order to understand them. We can't grow to know people or their fellowships in the Body of Christ through books and critical work. It takes time and dialog. This is my way of sharing their fellowship with you. People misunderstood me as I chose to drive the miles, rather than occupying the same pew every week. Writing this was not my intent in doing so, however. I was originally driven by unexplained passion for unity in Christ's Body. But, afterward, everyone seemed so fascinating that I felt the unction to at least _try_ and introduce you to each other. Perhaps, some day, others might do something similar and knowing each other won't seem so strange.

Credit is owed to an elderly and wise, gold-haired saint, Helen, who has prayed for revival in her community with relentless perseverance. It was she who invented the word "Churchianity" in a love-based outburst as she grasped for words to describe what, she felt, kept Christians from being where the Lord called us to be, two thousand years ago. I think she was right.

It was a friend in college who supplied the word for Act I: Bapticost.

" _I am a Bapticostal. While I'm conservative in my communication of the gospel, there is nothing the Holy Spirit has to offer that I'm not willing to yield myself to."_

– _Anonymous_

# **Epilogue**

Carl: Helen, it's been a long time.

Helen: Hank's told me a lot about you.

Carl: Yeah, ever since I retired and started the next phase, we developed quite the friendship.

Helen: He's a good young man.

Carl: What do you think about all those ideas from the people he talked to?

Helen: It's just as I told him. God does a new work every day. It's not just new in every generation, but _constantly_. Don't get stuck in any system. I've watched so many good ideas come and go. But God's still in all of it— _He_ is the only one who never changes.

Carl: So, even though you're, well...

Helen: I'm eighty-four.

Carl: ...you can accept new ideas?

Helen: Not about the eternal truth, Heavens no! But day to day stuff? Sure. Don't get too attached to your socks, they'll smell by the end of the day.

Carl: When you put it like that...

Helen: I'll tell you—and I've seen it all—but I'm convinced He's about to do something way bigger than before.

Carl: Do you think we'll see revival in our day? I mean, do you think it could all happen?

Helen: Oh, I've seen many revivals, and my grandfather talked about the ones before that.

Carl: What were they like?

Helen: Well, they always begin with just a few people who keep praying. That's why I walk all up and down the streets, asking God to just come down and bless us. I know it won't be easy because the people don't want it. But, well... _somebody's_ got to pray. So, I didn't argue with Him. I just obeyed. The rest is up to Him.

Carl: Is that how it happened before?

Helen: Oh yeah. Speakers would come through and stop by our little town on their way up North. The crowds would gather and so many people got saved. Goodness, even the workers stopped cussing from one story. Their mules only knew commands with cuss words. The workers stopped cussing and so they couldn't get the mules to work... It didn't make the local businessmen happy. That's for sure.

Carl: People oppose revival?

Helen: Oh, of course they do! It upsets the apple cart. Even some religious people, as well as government.

Carl: Government?

Helen: One church in the city nearby had revival meetings that went late into the night. I played organ. I thought, "Hey, that's my music you're complaining about!" The city shut it down. Something about a Sound Ordinance or something. Anyhow, people shouldn't be sleeping, they should be praising. Maybe they have to go to work the next day. Anyhow, that was only the beginning, though.

Carl: The Sound Ordinance couldn't stop God's revival, eh?

Helen: Are you kidding? No ordinance could get in _God's_ way. The church leaders decided to have the meetings here in our little town. That's when it really got started. We met in the park. But, after a few years, it seemed to just fade away and that was it. But, boy, I'll tell you. God sure worked while it was happening. And you could see it in the happiness that people took to their homes and families and jobs. Jesus wasn't just alive in the church... goodness! We met outside! He was working everywhere.

Carl: But you keep praying. Do you think it will happen again?

Helen: Oh, yes, dear. I know it will. This time it's gonna' be really _big_ too. I don't know when, exactly, but it'll be soon. God's already working among the people. I've prayed and prayed in my own city. I stay involved in my own church also.

Carl: Are they listening? I mean, do the people here care?

Helen: Well, it's hard. They don't always want to. It's frustrating sometimes.

Carl: What is?

Helen: Oh... one leader has his luncheon with the businessmen, but they don't really do anything. They won't even cancel their lunch for a _prayer meeting_. We have to pray if we want to see revival. Then there's the choir, they don't even talk much about the danger of sin in Sunday School anymore. I said, "Why even teach the kids if you'll sit by and let them destroy their lives with sin?" Oh, dear me. She didn't like that. It really irks me. They just don't see what God wants to do.

Carl: What keeps them from it?

Helen: They think that their programs and activities can change the world without praying first. They'd be so much more effective if they'd add "oil" if you know what I mean. But they are so stuck in their _Churchianity_ that they don't see the blessings Jesus has for them! So, finally, I just left one place. Now God has me somewhere different.

Carl: And it looks like Hank did something similar.

Helen: Well, God will bring all of us together again, at least if we want Him to, that is. He'll let _anyone_ into Heaven who can stand it.

Carl: Could God make all these changes happen? I mean, it's a lot of shake-up for the old systems. People don't like change.

Helen: You can't do it, but God can. Watch... God will do it by putting a new kind of emptiness in the hearts of His people. They'll be discontent, somehow, but they won't know why... when, actually, they're just hungry for the next thing God wants to do. That's how He often makes a big change among his people. I'm old enough to have seen it more than once. But you boys are young. Me, I don't know if I'll live to see this one. I saw two revival seasons in my day and that was just after another big one with Moody and Whales and those guys. You'll see it. Just don't forget to pray. That's where it begins.

###

# **Theatrical Permissions**

Permission for theatrical dramatization of all or any part of this work is granted by meeting each and every of the five following criteria: 1. that actors and/or the presenting organization possess one legally owned publication (both eBook and paper versions accepted) of this work per person actually performing a role, 2. that no admission is charged for the event in excess of $5 per person, or more in the case of fundraisers, 3. that any and all scenes be performed each in their entirety, except in the case of talent shows where the performance is introduced as "...an excerpt from Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity by Jesse Steele" 4. that no performance demonstrate, imply, or suggest a purpose of disrespect or satire of the work itself, and 5. that some form of credit is given to the title and author of this book for the understanding of the audience, with proper spelling where printed, such as, "...presents: Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity, by Jesse Steele." Obvious room for reasonable artistic license is expected, but must not misconstrue the intent of the author. Home videos of such events are permissible and in-house recording may be used for the purpose of showing excerpts in a "best of" review within the presenting organization, but no video, audio, or other reproduction of such theatrical displays of this work may be redistributed for sale without written consent of the author. If you wish to resell such reenactments of this work, you may contact the author for inquiries relating to that purpose.

# **About the Author**

Jesse Steele is an American writer in Asia who wears many hats. He learned piano as a kid, studied Bible in college, and currently does podcasting, web contenting, cloud control, and brand design. He likes golf, water, speed, music, kung fu, art, and stories.

Jesse owns various brands, occasionally teaches writing and piano, and preaches the evangels of Linux, Open-Source, and Jesus.

Today's news, yesterday.™

Email:  books@jessesteele.com

JesseSteele.com

**Other Books by Jesse Steele**

Bapticost: At the Crossroads (Act I)

Mere Theology

The People's Party: A Blueprint for American Political Revival

Clergy Don't Shepherd: God 101

Game On: A Christian Strategy Guide for Noobs

The Four Planes

Memoirs of Ophannin

Monkeys in the Jungle: Why Some Trees Just Won't Grow

The End: A Bible Translation of John's Revelation
