Contrast the rantings of this "young, restless, and reformed," Emergent type on his ideals for "doing church" with this treatment of the marks of a true church by Dr. R.S. Clark.
There are three marks of a true church:
1.) The whole counsel of God is preached (Law and Gospel).
2.) The sacraments are faithfully administered.
3.) Discipline is enforced among the membership.
The YRR guy may claim compliance to the first two marks, but his 8th point leaves more to be desired as it relates to the third mark:
"8. If you think this will be a nice little church that stays the same size, where everybody knows your name and you have my cell number on speed dial and we have a picnic lunch together every week (By God’s grace, we want to grow)."
How can discipline be enforced in the form of submission to the rule of elders, as these elders dispense of their God-ordained duties, when anonymity is encouraged and accountability frowned upon? He says they want to grow? By growth it seems is meant the bursting at the seams in terms of population when genuine fellowship then proves impossible.
He does get one thing right, though: I certainly wouldn't want to join his church.
I agree with you. This is something that has concerned me as my fiance and I have been attending an A29 church for the last year. Before that I was going to a dispensational fundementalist church, and doctrinal disputes aside, the reason I went there was because they were strong in church discipline. As a young man I know that is something I need, and I feel that many churches could do with a stronger doctrine in this area. That being said, I also think it is a problem that can be fixed with a bit of tweaking. Anytime something is getting off the ground it is going to have its flaws, it keeps us humble :). If we are going to criticize, which we should as it is a criticla part of self-examination, we should make sure it is constructive criticism. Why not come along side these churches, and try and help them figure it out? (This is more of an open inquiry than an acusitory question).
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