Operational Structure
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
(1 Timothy 3:15)
Very little is ever explained about how folks should behave in the house of God or how specific churches operate. We seek to be transparent. Want a glimpse of how Remnant operates, how we think, and what to expect? Consider the following:
THE CHURCH
First Timothy 3:15 says the church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is the foundation from which we are to operate and the source of distribution for knowledge and understanding. These days, many consider the church to be a hospital, but God’s word never declared such a concept. Many also operate as somewhat of a country club or base of entertainment. At Remnant, we fully intend to respect God’s purpose — presenting church God’s way. We educate. We inform. We support. We do not entertain. We do not water down. The truth is preached and upheld. We value holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
THE LEADERSHIP
In accordance with Ephesians 3:11-16, Remnant’s church leadership strives to foster the unity of the faith, provide knowledge of Jesus Christ, maturity in the Lord, and the ability to overcome false doctrine and false prophets. We speak the truth in love (i.e., accurate, unadulterated content with the proper motives) so that all may be edified and enriched. We present the word of God with longsuffering and with sound doctrine. We honor and present men and women in leadership roles, never preferring one before the other. Truth is always the most important factor.
THE APPROACH
Our church services are structured after the model implied by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:26. Early church services were meant to be interactive (and not a performance). When we come together, some bring a song, some share words of exhortation and comfort, and some present a revelation for all to hear (and judge). We also offer several segments of services that provide a means for open floor questions and dialogue between the pulpit and the congregation. With this dynamic, edification abounds. As it was in the days of Moses, everyone is together. There is no “children’s church.”
THE GOAL
When we come together as a congregation, we pray. We worship. We study. We learn. We exhort. We instruct. We admonish. We reprove. We rebuke. We fellowship. We break bread. We forgive. We resolve conflict. We strive to know those that labor among us. We serve and honor one another in the fear of the Lord. All in all, no matter what we do, we strive to glorify the Lord Jesus. The pinnacle goal is edification AND to produce a rapture ready congregation. We know submission to God’s word and loving one another as He commanded is the road there.
THE WORSHIP
We are frequently asked about our choir. Our response? We are the choir. Each Sunday, our worship efforts are led, but EVERYONE joins in. There are no performances. There is no entertainment. Instead of being a slave to the rhythm or the beats being presented, we focus on singing to the Lord with understanding. There is no transferral of worship from the Lord to the person or persons leading the worship. We strive to sing unto and worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth and we encourage all to sing unto the Lord with His grace in our hearts.
THE ATTIRE
According to the book “Pagan Christianity,” dressing up for church didn’t become a practice until the establishment of the middle class in Europe. For many, wearing one’s “Sunday best” was a common practice. At Remnant a burden of dressing in a formal manner is not placed on the people. From the pulpit to the door, our attire is casual. When one comes to service, one only needs to have a pure heart and to be respectful, presentable, and modest.
THE FELLOWSHIP
Understanding the emphasis of fellowship in the early church, we provide such opportunities regularly with NO special groups, arrangements, cliques, or restrictions. There is ZERO entitlement or instances of privileged access. In addition to several outings throughout the year, each and every service begins with a period of fellowship. EVERYONE has an opportunity to engage, get to know one another, and sharpen iron. In so doing, we are better equipped to fulfill several of the Lord’s directives.
The true child of God is called to learn AND to be a doer of what we have learned through God’s word. At Remnant, we strive to present ministry in a way that truly glorifies the Lord Jesus and presents a vehicle by which we can present every man and woman perfect in Christ Jesus. Pastor Hood feeds the people with knowledge and understanding and the other leaders follow suit. We know the benefits of doing ministry Gods way and take great pleasure in upholding the models He has left for us to follow.
We also know and respect the consequences reserved for those who do otherwise. We know that God’s people are destroyed (Hosea 4:6) and go into captivity (Isaiah 5:13) when they have a lack of knowledge. Hence, it’s extremely important to not only attend church, BUT ALSO have a pastor after God’s heart. Only those people are able to fulfill God’s commandment to save themselves.
We love the Lord and love His word. We also know that the two can’t be separated. If you love God’s word, we invite you to join us at a service.