Platform Standards

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by jfrog

So how do platform standards lead or point people to god?

You didn't get it the first time. Will repeating it really help?

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

You didn't get it the first time. Will repeating it really help?

Maybe it's cause I didnt really get an answer the first time

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

The issue, I think, isn't standards. No one argues the idea that believers ought to be presentable to the general public. None of us would advocate a pastor preaching with his shirt off, or a woman in her undergarments singing a special.

So, all churches by default, need to have some level of standards, to keep things decent and in order. We can argue round and round about how far to take things, but that is useless.

The main issue is the "platform". A church without a platform doesn't need to have special standards. Only churches that have a laity/clergy distinction create standards for the clergy while allowing the "laity" to hold to a lower standard of appearance, apparel, and etc..

Churches that follow the New Testament model where all believers are priests and ministers unto God don't have platforms, and therefore, don't have specially arranged standards introduced at the whim of one or a small select group of people.

Churches without a laity/clergy distinction allow the bearded man in the back row with his farmer's tan and boots on just as much right, being full of the Holy Spirit, to minister, pray, sing, and preach, as much as the sharp dressed man or woman stepping off of a yacht, who is likewise just as full of the Holy Spirit.

So, if ever this laity/clergy distinction would disappear, and we all could truly be one in the Lord, all operating as priests, all ministering under an unction from the Holy One, no one would look twice and compare brothers to brothers, sisters to sisters and etc. They'd be too busy being a blessing to God and man. There wouldn't be time for it and no one would care.

So excellent my Brother! So excellent!

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

The issue, I think, isn't standards. No one argues the idea that believers ought to be presentable to the general public. None of us would advocate a pastor preaching with his shirt off, or a woman in her undergarments singing a special.

So, all churches by default, need to have some level of standards, to keep things decent and in order. We can argue round and round about how far to take things, but that is useless.

The main issue is the "platform". A church without a platform doesn't need to have special standards. Only churches that have a laity/clergy distinction create standards for the clergy while allowing the "laity" to hold to a lower standard of appearance, apparel, and etc..

Churches that follow the New Testament model where all believers are priests and ministers unto God don't have platforms, and therefore, don't have specially arranged standards introduced at the whim of one or a small select group of people.

Churches without a laity/clergy distinction allow the bearded man in the back row with his farmer's tan and boots on just as much right, being full of the Holy Spirit, to minister, pray, sing, and preach, as much as the sharp dressed man or woman stepping off of a yacht, who is likewise just as full of the Holy Spirit.

So, if ever this laity/clergy distinction would disappear, and we all could truly be one in the Lord, all operating as priests, all ministering under an unction from the Holy One, no one would look twice and compare brothers to brothers, sisters to sisters and etc. They'd be too busy being a blessing to God and man. There wouldn't be time for it and no one would care.

This is wonderful. Just wondering.. in your local assembly, do you have body ministry in place? Is it just wishful thinking on my part that there are assemblies who recognize the need for plural leadership, and body ministry, as was present in the NT church?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Maybe it's cause I didnt really get an answer the first time

No, you even read my answer and responded. Maybe its because you are focused more on argument than you are on understanding?

[shag]

Originally Posted by jfrog

So how do platform standards lead or point people to god?

By letting them know that His Son not only wouldn't (wasn't ) be fitting to be on their team, but neither would they?

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

No, you even read my answer and responded. Maybe its because you are focused more on argument than you are on understanding?

Sounds like you are. There is no defense for platform standards having a use in the church today and they do not point people to God.

Comparing them to culutral standards doesn't work.

Comparing them to salesmen strategies doesn't really work.

So your post, while it was a response, doesn't really qualify as an answer to the question of why even have platform standards at all nor how they can possibly help point someone to God.

Platform standards arent about not offending someone, they aren't even about trying to sell the gospel, instead they are just there to disallow people with a certain appearance from representing the church during church. If it was about offensive appearances the platform standard would be preached for even outside of church. If it was about trying to sell the gospel the platform standard would be preached to apply even outside of church since that is where the majority christian-sinner interaction happens. In fact, if theres any use of a particular standard for the platform then there is just as good of a use to have that standard apply everywhere else as well.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

So excellent my Brother! So excellent!

Thanks, Michael.

This is how I see it (from my own experience).

Whenever I've had people over for fellowship and Bible study, or have gone to one myself, what do I see?

All in casual dress (sometimes even with women in *gasp* sweatpants), sitting together on the couch or floor, sharing and receiving, speaking and teaching, ministering and being ministered to, and on it goes. Kids on laps, or playing or coloring, husbands and wives snuggling up, and etc. It is, dare I use the word, glorious?

But when I attend an "official service" at a church building, with clergy present, almost all of that goes away. The razors come out, the suits and ties come out, the whatever comes out for the purpose of personal beautification and other outward adornment reasons.

In a home, people are eating and preaching, swallowing their food and reading along in the Bible at the same time, and God is there.

Go to a service, and food isn't even allowed in the "sanctuary".

For what? Why? For the liturgy and so the platform people can do their thing while the Body sits and watches.

To me, when churches operate like that, they are but a crib, to keep the babes in the Lord safe. But the crib gets pretty small for the growing saint after awhile. They need a place to stretch out and grow. It's then that the home, and not some other building (which hosts a platform, clergy, and laity) becomes the best place for them to be.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

This is wonderful. Just wondering.. in your local assembly, do you have body ministry in place? Is it just wishful thinking on my part that there are assemblies who recognize the need for plural leadership, and body ministry, as was present in the NT church?

Thank you, Kept.

It is present, but not yet in its fullest sense. We are moving that way, though, and have been for a while now (I would say we are at about 70% of the way there). I have been one of the main instigators. Some changes take time, though.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Sounds like you are. There is no defense for platform standards having a use in the church today and they do not point people to God.

Comparing them to culutral standards doesn't work.

Why?

Comparing them to salesmen strategies doesn't really work.

Why?

So your post, while it was a response, doesn't really qualify as an answer to the question of why even have platform standards at all nor how they can possibly help point someone to God.

It doesn't qualify because you say so?

Platform standards arent about not offending someone, they aren't even about trying to sell the gospel, instead they are just there to disallow people with a certain appearance from representing the church during church.

From representing the church? To who?

If it was about offensive appearances the platform standard would be preached for even outside of church.

It is in many churches but we are talking about someone preaching the gospel...

In fact those same churches often apply that same standard to people who go out and knock on doors to witness and invite people to church.

If it was about trying to sell the gospel the platform standard would be preached to apply even outside of church since that is where the majority christian-sinner interaction happens.

See above

In fact, if theres any use of a particular standard for the platform then there is just as good of a use to have that standard apply everywhere else as well.

Most churches do. Some just have a slightly higher standard for those in the Ministry

Even the bible stresses a higher standard of conduct for Elders. Why can't a church do the same?