Moderate Apostolics 2

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Moderate Apostolics desire to present and defend the Apostolic faith
from a sound theological perspective.  Moderate Apostolics recognize
that Apostolic theologians are dramatically influenced by past and
present theological trends and interpretations.  Moderate Apostolics
want to understand those trends and interpretations and not allow the
Apostolic faith to be held captive by them.  True to their Apostolic
heritage, moderate Apostolics believe that no one theological system
developed by man can encompass the greatness of the Apostolic faith and
define God for all men and all time.  Moderate Apostolics desire to use
the best in contemporary theological understanding to express the
Apostolic faith.  In so doing, moderate Apostolics believe their faith
will be intellectually credible, in dialogue with other Christians, and
intelligible to the world.

Conservative Apostolics believe that they possess the final theological
formulation of the Apostolic faith.  Conservative Apostolics have
uncritically adopted the Protestant Scholastic theology of  American
Fundamentalism and appended their doctrines of water baptism, the
baptism in the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and the "Oneness" of God. 
Conservative Apostolics reject all other theological formulations with
little or no examination.  They, and they alone possess the one true
Christian theology.  Conservative Apostolics chose to ignore the
influence of Scottish Common sense philosophy upon their faith.  They
also chose to ignore the fact that they are "modernists", using modern
definitions of scientific truth to present and defend their faith. 
Conservative Apostolics exist in isolation from greater Christendom and
world.

How can the Apostolic faith be best presented and defended in our
contemporary age?  Conservative Apostolics believe that they must
rigidly cling to their "traditional" theology, be uncontaminated by
current trends, and separate from other Apostolics, greater Christendom,
and the world. They have marginalized themselves and are unable to
influence the world dramatically for Jesus Christ. They want to be the
voice of truth crying in the wilderness.  But how can any one hear if
the voice that is speaking is in isolation and is not intelligible? How
could the Apostolic movement have started and been successful if it had
possessed this attitude?  The first Apostolics were in fellowship and
not isolation from other Christians.  The first Apostolics presented
their faith in a manner which was intellectually credible for their
age.  Can 21st century Apostolics afford to do less if their movement is
to evangelize the world?  

Moderate Apostolics are rising to the challenge of presenting the
Apostolic faith for the 21st century.  In the 21st century Apostolics
will see Apostolic theology presented from a moderate perspective.  This
theology will use the very best in contemporary theological
understanding to present and defend the Apostolic faith.  In so doing
the Apostolic faith will be justified before greater Christendom and the
world and the Apostolic Church will be better prepared to proclaim the
Gospel for evangelism.

Finally, moderate Apostolics seek to be culturally relevant.  Moderate
Apostolics understand their separation from the world as a separation
unto Christ.  This separation prepares moderate Apostolics for Christian
ministry and then thrusts them back into the world for Christian
service.  Moderate Apostolics believe in the importance of what has been
traditionally called holiness standards.   For moderate Apostolics
holiness standards are really spiritual disciplines.  Spiritual
disciplines are Christian practices which simplify the life of the
believer, keep him or her focused on Christ, unencumbered by the things
of the world, and prepared for Christian service.  Spiritual disciplines
are patterns of behavior learned from participation in the life of a
Christian community.  For the Christian community they are symbols of
the spiritual life, the dedication a believer has to Jesus Christ. 
Moderate Apostolics believe that spiritual disciplines should arise
dynamically from the heart of the believer.  They also believe that the
substance, the dedication to Christ, is more important than the symbol,
the particular spiritual discipline.  Different Christian communities
have different Spiritual disciplines.  The diversity of these
disciplines should be affirmed and a particular pattern of spiritual
disciplines should not be established as normative for all.

For moderate Apostolics spiritual disciplines do not create personal
purity, that was accomplished by faith in Jesus Christ and participation
in His great salvation.  Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting,
praise, Bible reading, time management, money management, simplicity in
dress, and moderation in lifestyle create  Christian attitudes and a
desire for Christian service.  Moderate Apostolics not only evangelize
and witness but are actively involved in inner city ministries feeding
and clothing the poor, visiting the sick in hospitals, ministering to
the aged in nursing and retirement homes, participating in school
mentioning programs, teaching in neighborhood schools, et.al. For
moderate Apostolics spiritual disciplines have one purpose, to conform
the believer into the image of Christ in life and ministry.

Moderate Apostolics are often perceived as challenging the spiritual
disciplines of conservative Apostolics.  "How can one be an Apostolic
and not practice traditional holiness standards?"   The question that
should be asked is, "How can one be an Apostolic and not acknowledge the
diversity of holiness standards and understanding which have always
existed in the Apostolic movement?"  Moderate Apostolics do not desire
for conservative Apostolics to abandon their holiness standards.  They
only desire for conservative Apostolics to understand the true nature of
these standards and not use them as barriers for Christian fellowship
and Christian conversion.  If the spiritual disciplines practiced by an
Apostolic are true, they will be practiced from a heartfelt conviction,
not from coercion.

Moderate Apostolics believe that spiritual disciplines must be
culturally relevant.  They must not impede the proclamation of the
Gospel and Christian conversion.  I have seen the look on visitors faces
when they walk into some Apostolic churches.  Sociologists call it
"culture shock".  Everyone looks, dresses, and acts the same.  They
speak Apostolicese, the native language of Apostolics unknown outside of
Apostolic circles. They stand up, sit down, raise their hands, pray,
praise, etc., on the authoritative command of a pastor. They sing
familiar choruses without providing guests with any words.  They assume
their visitors understand Apostolic worship, praises, prayers, sermons,
and speaking in tongues, and offer no explanation. They feel just as
strange and foreign in an Apostolic church as an Apostolic would at a 
Catholic mass!  Well, maybe not, many Catholic priests are now
explaining the rite of mass in detail as it is being performed.  Anyway,
is it any wonder that so many people visit an Apostolic Church only
once, and never come back? Is it any wonder that some think us cultic?

Moderate Apostolics believe that we need to take time to explain
Apostolic spiritual disciplines to others.  We need to allow time for
spiritual disciplines to be embraced.  We need to allow for a diversity
of spiritual disciplines.  The only conformity moderate Apostolics
insist on is conformity to Christ.  The symbol, spiritual discipline,
must not be confused with the substance, Christlikeness.

Moderate Apostolics are truly Apostolics. Conservative Apostolics are
truly Apostolics.  That which unites us is far greater than that which
divides us.  I pray that these two short posts will stimulate thought
not controversy that we might better understand the Apostolic faith and
proclaim it to the world.