Christ is the Head of the church. He has revealed his plan for the world through the administration of the church, the household of God, according to Ephesians 3.
A local church needs to filter partnership with a parachurch organization through the lens of the household order of the church. Here are several rough guidelines that will follow then in working with parachurch organizations.
· The parachurch organization must recognize that they are not the local church, cannot function as a local church, or cause the local church to function as a parachurch organization. The parachurch organization is a manmade structure created out of response to a context. It is not an eternal organism as the church is.
· The parachurch organization must have a strong understanding and commitment to the gospel.
· The parachurch organization must serve the church as their high calling. This must not just be on paper, but in their practice.
· The parachurch organization exists to protect the church and its purity of truth and love by providing resources or opportunities that advance local churches rather than stifling them.
· The parachurch organization defers to the authority to the local church in issues that are the biblical missionary work of planting and establishing churches through evangelism, forming churches, and passing on the deposit to faithful men who will shepherd the local churches.
· The teams that work under the organization have been commended by the local church and its leadership.
· The parachurch organization defers to the authority of the local church and the local church, at the same time, recognizes that when the church participates with them, it operates voluntarily under the guidelines of the organization for the purpose of common ministry betterment.
A local church needs to filter partnership with a parachurch organization through the lens of the household order of the church. Here are several rough guidelines that will follow then in working with parachurch organizations.
· The parachurch organization must recognize that they are not the local church, cannot function as a local church, or cause the local church to function as a parachurch organization. The parachurch organization is a manmade structure created out of response to a context. It is not an eternal organism as the church is.
· The parachurch organization must have a strong understanding and commitment to the gospel.
· The parachurch organization must serve the church as their high calling. This must not just be on paper, but in their practice.
· The parachurch organization exists to protect the church and its purity of truth and love by providing resources or opportunities that advance local churches rather than stifling them.
· The parachurch organization defers to the authority to the local church in issues that are the biblical missionary work of planting and establishing churches through evangelism, forming churches, and passing on the deposit to faithful men who will shepherd the local churches.
· The teams that work under the organization have been commended by the local church and its leadership.
· The parachurch organization defers to the authority of the local church and the local church, at the same time, recognizes that when the church participates with them, it operates voluntarily under the guidelines of the organization for the purpose of common ministry betterment.
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