I am listening to a set of audio messages by Brother Scott Brown. Here is some writing that I have done based on my notes of his message A Biblical Case for Family Integrated Discipleship.
The pattern for ministry being used by the majority of churches today is not found in scripture. It has become so interwoven in church culture that it is considered sacred by many and any question raised regarding it is usually thought of as unorthodox. By following the pattern of age segregation it conforms itself to modern secular ideas of education which are firmly rooted in philosophies of Godless men like Plato and others. Had we held fast to the patterns in scripture we would have something very different.
Is the scripture alone sufficient to give us understanding of the gatherings of God's people? Will we value scripture more than the traditions of our current religious climate? Are we willing to allow the scripture to both govern and limit us? Or will we be inventors of creative ways of gathering, making the church subject to the will and whim of Man? Will we follow scripture alone or allow our own imaginations to govern us?
9 data points regarding the age integrated philosophy of worship in the O/T.
- Deut. 12:10-12
- Deut. 16 The feast of tabernacles.
- The psalms of ascents were sung by families.
- During the recitation of the covenanted Deut. 29:11.
- During the time of Joshua Joshua 8:34-35
- Ezra 10:1
- When Jehoshaphat prayed for the deliverance of the Lord.
- Ezra 12:43
- Joel 2:15-16
Age integration is not only an Old Testament concept.
- Jesus at the age of twelve was participating in the religious discourse of his day.
- Children were present when Jesus taught.
- Matt 21:15
- Jesus preached to whole Families. (sermon the the mount, feeding of the 5 thousand etc.)
- Rhoda was a girl.
- Paul's nephew and the 40 assassins (which proves nothing but is interesting).
- Children were present during the meetings of the early church which met in homes. Uticus
- Children were present in the church services in the book of acts.
- Children were present in the church gatherings in the churches of Emphasis and Colossae.
- Women are exhorted to teach the younger women in the church.
These set forth for us a pattern of children participating together with adults in the worship of the Lord. Nowhere in the scripture do we find any reference to age segregated ministry. No Sunday schools, no children's churches, and no youth groups.
What do we think of the patterns of the word of God? Do we love His word and value it enough to follow the ideology found in it? Do we desire to live out the commands and patterns of the Bible? Will we approach the scripture with a heart soft toward the Lord, or stiff necked in our own pride? Our approach to the scripture is the battle ground.
But some may ask, “Don't the Godless come up with good ideas in the area of education sometimes? Didn't Dewy, Roseau, and Darwin have some good ideas?” To whom I would simply respond, Do you want to be a child of Dewy or Roseau or Darwin or do you want to be a child or God? Choose you this day whom you will serve.
Let us shed the dark cloud of vain human philosophy and seek to please the God who has bought us. Let us not only believe in the inerrancy of the sacred text but also hold fast to it's sufficiency as our guide, committing ourselves to follow it's patterns diligently.
