Spirit Church versus a Word Church?
I have been reading an interesting interview between Adrian Warnock and Wendy Alsup, who is a member of Mars Hill Church Seattle led by Mark Driscoll. Wendy is a mother of two, and Deacon in charge of Women's Theology and Training.
She says some interesting things about a church being a Word church versus a Spirit church.
Adrian
Clearly it sounds like the Bible is highly valued at Mars Hill. It is often said that many churches seem almost as though they have chosen between being a "Word" church or being a "Spirit" church—do you feel that is true in the case of your church?
Wendy
H-m-m-m-m . . . That's curious. That's really a very unbiblical concept. When Christ first instructs on the Spirit's coming, He says the Spirit will not speak His own, but will bring to remembrance the teachings of Christ. So the evidence that the Spirit is at work is that Christ, the Logos, is lifted up—which means a true "Spirit" church must be a "Word" church. I think the Spirit is working mightily at Mars Hill because I see Christ's name lifted up and lives transformed, and I know that only happens through the Spirit's quickening.
2 comments:
That's a good interview.
When I first read that quote about the "Word" being Christ as the Logos, it made me a bit nervous. Surely if a church identifies itself as a "Word" church, it is referring to an emphasis on the Word as the Bible, not the Word as in Christ.
But I agree with Wendy, that it's an unbiblical concept to believe that a church can have the Word (Scripture) without the Spirit. And equally unbiblical to believe that one could have the Spirit without the Scriptures.
I love the Scriptures, for they are the very words of God, showing the glory of Christ. And I love the Spirit, because without his illumination, simple words on a page would never penetrate my wretched heart!
good word Wendy.
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