In his letter to the Roman Church Paul says in chapter 10 “how will people believe if they don’t hear and how will they hear if we don’t preach and how will we preach if we are not sent ?” Here he is highlighting the importance of sending preachers, and preaching.

But If we look closely at Paul’s letters to his churches Paul never takes credit for the salvations that resulted from his preaching. He attributed their new faith to the Spirit drawing and revealing himself. He also left them alone to be led by the Spirit after a time of discipleship, he didn’t try to rule them himself or through one of his representatives.

He saw himself as a bondslave, he saw his own life as over. As just one worker in a long line of workers. He did not see himself as some brilliant minister saving the heathen with his skilled ministry techniques.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters IS ANYTHING, but only God who gives the growth.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:6-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Paul never puffed up his his planting over Apollos’ watering. His work was in a long line of tasks in cooperation with God who is giving growth.

Father Metaphor

Paul once referred to himself as a father of the people in the bodies of Christians that he planted. That wasn’t a title he claimed but a description of their relationship. We know this because Jesus taught that we were not to call one another “Father” and Paul lived his life for Jesus Christ.

Also, looking closer at the father metaphor, a father does not create his children. They emerge from him. He and his spouse just cooperate with what the Lord has already created in them and the result is children.

That’s how to be a father in the faith we simply cooperate and yield to what he is building, then we raise the children as best we can for a time, then we leave the children to the Lord.

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Follow me as I follow Christ” Is not in the Bible!!

1 Cor 11:1 says “imitate me as I imitate Christ”

I’ve heard many pastors misquote this verse, what many are using this verse for is an ask for is personal loyalty.

Loyal followers are necessary for leaders to lead.

But to look at what Paul was saying, a Christian cannot IMITATE a pastor without being a pastor. To be a pastor like we see in modern churches requires an institution and hierarchy and status in an organization.

I can’t just get up and share in a church without permission and sanction from the guy in charge.

That’s NOT how it was in the NT churches.

To be an imitator of the apostles (and Jesus himself) we behave and produce fruit as the Lord acts through us.

In other words, any Christian can imitate an apostle, they just need the maturity that comes from the Holy Spirit and a surrendered obedience.

A real ecclesia will be ok with the freedom of ANYONE to imitate the apostles within the meetings to speak and share and proclaim Christ.

Don’t believe me? Try to imitate Christ or Paul in your church for the next few Sunday’s, see what happens.

Jesus would stand up in synagogue and share a passage of scripture then sit down, now you try that. If it’s well organized you’ll get talked to … quickly. If it’s poorly led they’ll drive you out if you keep it up. And it won’t be pretty.

Paul would encourage his church in Corinth to one by one share something from the Lord, try that in your church.

My point is the churches that some of us assume are pleasing to the Lord are probably more loyal to tradition than they are to Jesus himself.

If that doesn’t bother you I don’t know what will. And let me introduce you to the living Jesus Christ. The one Christians know as Lord.