NPPN: Describe the difference in perspective; how does a congregational leader think differently than a county-wide leader?
JT: Congregational leaders tend to focus primarily on their local church. County-wide leaders think about their congregations in context of the larger Church—the Body of Christ in their region They see the Church the way God sees the Church—One Church, many congregations. County-wide leaders see themselves as part of the larger Body of Christ and value the unique contributions of other local congregations, ministries and organizations in the community to the greater Kingdom effort.
NPPN: What does "One Church, Many Congregations" mean and, maybe more importantly, what are the implications of this principle for local church leaders?
JT: Throughout the New Testament, the Church is described in terms of cities—the church of Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, etc You get the idea that when God looks down on a region, He doesn't see individual churches---He sees One Church, His Family meeting in multiple congregations across a geographical area.
This is confirmed theologically in 1 Corinthians 12, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…the Body is not made up of one part but of many." Ephesians 4 states that "there is one Body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope, when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." Jesus affirms this spiritually in his prayer recorded in John 17, "Father, may they be one, as we are one."
Somehow Christian leaders think unity is nice, but not necessary. The reality is that we are called to a functional unity based on our spiritual unity in Christ and it is the basis for credible proclamation of the Gospel on a regional basis. Jesus prayed this for us in John 17, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me." God designed the Church locally and regionally to function as a body with all the parts working together in harmony. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12, "When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer; when one part prospers we all rejoice." This is the way healthy local congregations are designed to function individually and corporately.
NPPN: Transformation has become a buzz-word in city-reaching and collaborative partnerships. What defines or best describes the goals of a transformational movement? Is it possible to know if transformation has taken place? Is this just another fad or program?
