Airborne Ranger

7 July 1999

Adapted from the book: The Garden of God; to be released as funds permit.

Pronounced: Air-bon Rang-a; you got to use your best southern accent to swallow those last syllables. Literally, a soldier from the air, trained in close-range fighting and raiding tactics. Actually, they are the Army's equivalent to a jar-head, without the class. The highest form of achievement for both classes is how to pressurize a can a beer, so when you pop the top, it can be guzzled in 2.3 seconds. Air borne! I love the military, not when I was in it, but afterwards, it forever changers your outlook on life. Military people are probably mankind's most colorful community.

Through out the world and through out time, the military of all nations and cultures have been organized around Biblical principles. How is the church, God's army, organized? Into self-righteous, separate entities, better at wounding the brethren, than carrying the gospel to the nations. Let us look at the organization of the church compared to those Airborne Rangers to see if perhaps we can learn something, since in history, until recent times in America, the military has been looked upon as cannon fodder, it should not be too complicated. No rocket scientists, need apply.

Once you leave the hollow hallowed halls of higher education you will quickly learn that the management of fellow human beings and their institutions is not at all management science, but an art. In keeping with the level of art present in our culture today, it isn't very "high " art either. In this article we will briefly look at the management principles or theories of what I call Business Ecology as they relate to the institution or organization of the western (American) Christian Church. Our emphasis is to maintain a tension between rationality and mysticism. Since we do everything within our sinful natures to try to balance these points, you are ask to focus your attention to the other pole most foreign to your God given personality.

These two Business Ecology principles are really a restatement of the First and Second laws of thermodynamics. There are in the whole management system, five more principles for a total of seven, and four life style graphic curves to illustrate the cycles of life in nature and in a redeemed child of God. We may go into those remaining points, at a later date.

What was, is and shall be. God created it all, God is the designer and God is the artist. Maybe it is just me, I really can't see much design in the church today. It looks a lot like chaos.

John Wesley was a mediocre theologian, but was by far and away the finest organizer in the history of the church. Any effective organization present in the church today can trace its roots to Wesley's method. Basically, Wesley organized Bible study classes of about a dozen students, headed by a trained instructor. Wesley is often quoted as asking God for one hundred persons to disciple and Wesley told God that he (Wesley) would give him (God) England. Shortly after Wesley's death, God had given Wesley over one hundred thousand converts and Wesley's Methodist organization had given God not only England, but the developing American religion. As a first step, if the American church would get serious about Wesley's method, we would be well on the way to a God centered Renaissance, especially if mediocre Wesleyan Arminianism was replaced with sound Reformation essential doctrine.

The Bible speaks of the church as being the army of God, the armies of the Bible are organized much as the militaries of the world are organized. Really, worldly militaries are organized on God's principles because they work. It is part of the common grace that the world has adopted with great success. We should give God all the glory for the way we have been able to annihilate ourselves throughout history.

Organizational numerology of the Bible military are tens (roughly associated with Wesley's classes) fifties, hundreds, and thousands. This organization in the world's military are roughly associated with what the American military would call squads, platoons, companies, and battalions. In the church today we find small groups, usually poorly organized half squads, destined for failure because of lack of any other organizational structure, they eventually revert to self-centered piety.

The key to any successful military is the platoon. The platoon is the Biblical equivalent of fifties. Biblical fifties are associated with Moses, Samuel and Jesus for those seeking a rational typology. For sake of clarity we will call these self sustaining organizational groups a "community".

In a military platoon you have a couple of small groups headed by a low ranking NCO (noncommissioned officer - promoted through the ranks). These small groups in turn are headed by a higher ranking NCO and form the squad. Approximately four or five of these squads are formed into the platoon, the basic structure of effective combat. These platoons are run by the platoon sergeant (a higher ranking NCO with leadership potential) and possessing the power of God (the Holy Spirit) and a L.T. or Lieutenant (especially trained by the state for leadership and Commissioned by the state). He is bestowed by the state with the authority of God (Jesus) but must obtain his power from his relationship with his NCOs and personalities within the platoon.

Three or more of these platoons are formed into companies and a number of these companies are formed into battalions. This organization could be carried further, but the point is the church today lacks all formal structure. Everyone is supposed to come together, in the name of Jesus, all pious and humble and Jesus will help us live in harmony. We churches, companies, or battalions will not even associate with the company across the street, because they aren't infantry grunts like us. Man that company is the artillery. We could all get blown away with all that gun powder.

Peer groups or their equivalent are known in creation. They either grow after some sort of natural disaster, such as a fire, and are known in this case as pioneer species; or they are cancer. In either case they are a transition phase. Pioneer species slowly develop into diverse communities. As cancer, death results. In management of peer groups in the church is should be obvious which type of model is to be sought, in peer groups left to their own, cancer is inevitable.

Something should be said at this point about membership in the church community. The Protestant church usually points to membership as a means to differentiate sects from churches, (The scope of that discussion is not relevant to our discussion here.) and as a means to discipline unruly members. While discipline may at times be required, truly serious offenses that truly need disciplinary action are impossible because all the individual needs to do is to move down the street to a new location.

The more universal or catholic definition of membership is that individual membership is a sign of commitment. Not only to the cause of Christ, but also to the community group to which that individual makes that commitment. The sticky point is however, to be effective, the community by accepting that membership application also must make the commitment to the individual to give them a place to belong, to be loved and nurtured as a sinner saved by grace alone. This commitment from the community must go well beyond the "I'll pray for you", which is all most evangelical churches feel obliged to do.

Well Brother Jerry, we would like to help more but we just don't have the resources. Garbage! The reason that the resources are not available is because no one has ever attempted by faith to see what God would provide. After all the church needs that new something or other, or we need these funds to perform this outreach, ad-composting. In many of these instances, the church community is more selfish (or could we say sinful) than the elders perceived wrongs of the person in need.

Just as "I'll pray for you" is a cop-out, to a certain extent so is "Where God leads, God provides". While that is true in the ultimate sense, God created the church to be a community in Christ, and the church door must sometimes swing out to the individual and to the larger community. Many times people in need can't hear our verbal witness because our living witness testifies of the same western individualism present throughout culture. In this situation however, it just manifests itself in corporate elitism.

Everything eventually runs out of gas. The moves of God run out of gas just like everything else in this fallen world. Instead of us seeking continual renewal directly from God, which he has promised to do. We continually move off in our own flesh and develop our own programs based upon our own individuality and sins. Most of our denominations, seminaries (founded to promote our specific holy revelations), and other religious parachurch organizations, should be shut down or at least allowed to die a peaceful death. But by God, if he was here once, we should be able to call down the glory by our religious experiences, either rational or emotional. Hallelujah!

If there truly is a personal God who created all things and seeks a personal relationship, provided through Christ, with mankind, created in God's image, he sure should be able to do what he wants. After all God not only created nature, he created the natural laws and common grace that runs the show. Periodically, in the Bible and throughout history he has overcome understood natural law and performed absolute miracles. There is no evidence that he is still not in control and cannot do as he wishes. We do however, now have the complete canon of Scripture by which we are able to discern the imposter and the magician. An everlasting God centered renaissance, I believe is one that encompasses both rational and mystic possibilities.

Next time we will begin to look at pulling these last three weeks messages all together in some sort of consistent, creation base management system, centered about a Diversity Restoration Rendezvous, for an everlasting renaissance. These were after all the communities that the church utilized to reach the world in apostolic times. A thought for your contemplation (homework?) Hidden under our current organized structure of the church, is the work of the Lord in bringing his chosen people to salvation and community fellowship, still taking place? And is that part of our mandate as stewards of his creation (Genesis 1:26-28) or are we just to let it all happen by the work of the Spirit. The question being, is it the work of God's Holy Spirit or our lazy slothfulness.

Rewords Response:

I know there's a lot of talk today about "Revival". But it's my humble opinion that the church today is in severe danger. Some would agree by saying,

"I know, all this revival stuff is too fleshly & dangerous!"

But the danger I'm talking about is with those of us who are so threatened by the whole thing.

Nowadays, when many pastors even dare mention the need for us to be revived, (or mention the word "revival") there's a hush in the congregation. Perhaps we're shooting ourselves in the foot though. We condemn the, (so-called) things of the "Holy Spirit" as not being of God, but when it comes time for the church to be equipped about the "filling of the Holy Spirit" we're too closed up to the whole thing. We quietly sit in our chairs, looking at our watches, knowing full well we don't really believe its that important to our lives. We yawn, as we think to ourselves, "I've got the Holy Spirit already." Sad. That well meaning preacher will invite his flock to "receive" this gift that God is so longing to give. But... there's no way. We've already done the damage, and the people now are on-guard. We've shot their toes off. But now they're wise- you see. And they'll never be fooled ever again.

But, where are the mighty travail-ers of the church today? Those mighty intercessors, who call out to God with groanings too deep for words? Could it be that even if they were to "give birth" they'd end up throwing out the baby with the bath water anyway? The sad reality in many of our churches is that we're simply content. The only excitement, (or emotion) that we know of is when we feel the blood coursing through our veins as we hear some sincere brother condemning another ministry or church.

While many earnest believers are crying-out for revival, still there's another army, (just as earnest) sitting under their pomegranate tree wheezing out, "SURVIVAL!"

Robb Gorringe

gorringe@kalianet.to

Calvary Chapel Tonga

Prayer plants:

The last week has been extremely oppressive. Praise the Lord that he kept the top on the pressure cooker, so all I did was just go around pressurized and cooking till tender? I have three real needs to be able to convert these chronicles into something that actually takes place. One is help, another is money, and the third is facilities in which to work/live. Number three was the one that was really the hot button. My bags have been packed for the last 14 months, but the Lord has given me grace to bear this situation, hopefully for his Glory, but my real desire is to move on. I thought that circumstances were working out so I could remain here until such time as, the thing would all come together, but the powers to be have failed to act so I can only assume that God will answer my long standing request.

Therefore all these things are in his hands. Please plant your portion to those ends. Now that some summer weather has finally arrived in Seattle, perhaps God could turn off the burner. Thanks.

May the grace of God the father and the fellowship of the Living Redeemer of your soul, strengthen and protect you until he comes again.

Jerry