The survey that Paracleto Institute has applied in many churches sited on North Region of Rio de Janeiro city show strong dimensions of Church’s mission. Worship and preaching appears as more evident dimensions.
In Ancient church, apostles visited and evaluated churches. Apostles don’t plant churches alone. They establish a network among churches and their bishops. The purpose was to exchange gifts and resources. Today, we have independent churches with many struggles or churches without autonomy because excessive control. Few church leaders work in network projects.
The diakonia dimension is little learned and understandable to many church attendees. They want services available. They don’t want serve in church. One pastor from South Region of Brazil tells me that many churches exclude deacon office because associated problems. This is a cause and consequence of misunderstanding of diakonia dimension in church. The people need to feel useful.
If we study Acts chapter 6, we learn that deacons are leaders in action. They are choose among people through a criteria selection similar to election of bishops. The Paul’s letter to Timothy reveals the almost same criteria to deacons and pastors. The deacons must to be example to other people to serve.
Diakonia and Koinonia hold member in church. They want relationships and work as their gift and interest. Many churches reach good services because paided workers supply absence of much. It’s work while the people leave to other church.
Small groups network help to provide relationship in church but they will need to serve. In church, they worship God and hear God’s Word. The ministry of each christian move in right direction. The ministry helps to reach individual and corporative goals.
When John, the apostle, saw and wrote Revelation book, the Lord Jesus did an evaluation of churches inAsiathat he to care and knowed. Some expressions replay to every church. One of them is: ‘I know your works…”. Rev. 2:23 Jesus says: “I will give unto every one of you according to your works”.
If every member to learn e exercise his spiritual gift, he will near of good, perfect and pleased God’s Will.