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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt - Web: <a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b>Tel:
253-517-9195 - Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b>March
1, 2010</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><u><b>APOSTLES
& JUDGMENT</b></u></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
In a sense, the entire second letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a
defense of his apostleship. This became necessary because of
false-apostles who came to Corinth following the founding of this
City Church by Paul. As one reads this letter of 13 chapters
carefully, a full definition of “false-apostles” becomes most
apparent. There is no doubt that some today who name themselves as
apostles - fall into this same category. Ask yourself - “How many
apostles do I know who walk in the spirit of Paul and Timothy and
Titus?' <u>This</u> is the standard, the <u>Plumbline</u> of the true
apostle. See especially 2 Corinthians 2:12-17; 3-5; 6-7; 10; 11-13.
This is practically the whole letter; but it takes this to receive
the true “standard” and “plumbline” for apostles of today.
Only <u>then</u> can church leaders become like the church of Ephesus
as commended by Jesus in Revelation 2:2.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
Some are concerned about the correctness in speaking words of
judgment on apostles today. Letters have come out doing this, and
causing concern.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
It ought to be understood that if judgment were necessary and not
utilized, then confusion amongst the saints would reign. <u>Yet if</u>
the judgment meted out is not according to scripture - that would be
an imbalance bringing us into the opposite ditch. Jesus in the Sermon
on the Mount does <u>not</u> forbid judgment! He merely states that
he who judges <u>must first</u> judge himself, so that his life is
pure in the areas in which he judges others. And I would add another
principle at this point: that judgment on this high level would be
better coming from a City Church leadership of Apostles and elders,
as in Acts 15, not from an individual. In the <u>multitude</u> of
counselors there is safety, not in the individual. The Holy Spirit
through Solomon stresses this at least twice in the book of Proverbs.
And Revelation 2:2 would seem to confirm this. It was <u>the whole</u>
church of Ephesus Jesus was commending in this respect, not just an
individual.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
Paul was not at all hesitant in exposing the false apostles of his
day, especially in the church of Corinth, and in the churches of
Galatia. As an individual in this case, he had the advantage of being
the apostolic founder of these churches. So as the mother or nurse of
these churches as it were - he had a personal connection and right to
defend what God had used him to found.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
I do not sense the Lord leading me to speak specifically on the
issues raised by many writing me; but I well realize that the
majority of you will be aware of the issues being widely raised.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
It is important to note that the OT prophets were led of God to
confront kings, governors and leaders in their respective times and
days. It seems that the majority were martyred for their
faithfulness. So if in both OT and NT, God confirms that judgments
are permissive - yet at the same time - they <u>must</u> come from
lives that are consistent in these very areas; that they are in
Spirit of God; and that they confirm to the contexts such as Paul
walked in as the founder of 14 City Churches. And where people judged
who were <u>not founders</u>, they did not do so unilaterally, but as
a <u>body</u> such as the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:2.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
I trust that these somewhat general observations, may help those who
under God like Paul and the leaders of Ephesus in Revelation, who are
required to speak out - do so by a correct Plumbline for judgment in
<u>our</u> day.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
In 1971, 30 Apostolic teachers at large met with 8 local 5-fold
ministry elders in Seattle for one week, and threshed some of the
above issues out for a week of closed sessions morning and afternoon
in June of that year. Derek Prince presented a one page guideline for
handling interpersonal problems between such leaders, which was
adopted completely and practiced for 2 years until the
“Discipleship-Shepherding” controversy erupted in the early
'70's. I am including it with my remarks as also being helpful for
leaders today to thresh out these parallel issues. J.A.W.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>COVENANT:
SEATTLE PRESBYTERY – JUNE 1971</b></u></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>HISTORY</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">In
1971 a group of Seattle pastors under the leadership of Dennis
Bennett of St. Luke’s – convened a conference composed of 30
North American traveling 5-fold ministries, with a core group of 8
local pastors.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">Father
Bennett had been ministering in Florida earlier in the year. As he
and Bob Mumford had fellowship, Bob mentioned a serious problem. Many
of these traveling ministries did not know each other, and found it
easy to bad-mouth one another behind the back of the one referred to.
This often took place both privately and publicly.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">It
was Bob’s belief, that if these men could meet for a week with one
another in closed session – it would then be more difficult to
speak disparagingly of one another in their absence.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">Dennis
told Bob of the Seattle pastors who were then meeting on a monthly
basis – some 30 or so in number. He felt they would take this
challenge, and play host for such a conference.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">In
January of 1971 the Seattle men unanimously accepted this challenge;
and believed God to meet a normal weekly honorarium for each of the
30 traveling ministries, plus their full travel expenses, as well as
their room and board while in Seattle.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">Morning
and afternoon for 10 sessions, Dennis chaired these closed meetings.
Some dozen subjects came under scrutiny and discussion – but the
most important subject centered on interpersonal relationships and
problems – and how scripturally to address it.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">Derek
Prince presented a paper in 8 parts entitled “Covenant: Seattle
Presbytery.” After serious discussion, it was accepted and signed
by both the 30 delegates, and later by many other pastors in the
SeaTac Metroplex.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">In
the 1700’s John Wesley prepared 52 sermons to train his Class
Leaders of 8, who led some 70,000 at that time in weekly meetings in
the British Isles. Later Lenin copied the Class Meeting concept and
adapted it to Communist Cell Meetings. An English Sociologist of that
day – not a Christian believer – stated emphatically, that apart
from the Weekly Class Meetings inaugurated by the Wesleys – Great
Britain would have experienced in a similar fashion what took place
in the French Revolution of 1789.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">John
Wesley’s classic sermon on Matthew 18:15-17 was entitled, “The
Cure of Evil Speaking.” Here is his definition – Any person who
speaks of an absent brother in a derogatory manner, engages in “Evil
Speaking.”</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">It
is all too easy to use E-mails today in this manner, and thus violate
the first commandment that Jesus gave the church, and the one we most
often disobey and break</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">Following
is the article Derek Prince prepared for Seattle in June of 1971. (I
am reproducing this on “Word Processor” at the request of a
present day local pastor.) -- Jim Watt</font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>COVENANT:
SEATTLE PRESBYTERY – JUNE 1971</b></u></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>1.
We whose names are signed below believe that God has set us as
leaders within the body of Christ in our area. We will respect the
others whose names are signed below. (A: 1 Corinthians 12:12-28;
Psalm 133.)</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>2.
If at any time we have any criticism or complaint against any of the
others, we will take the steps prescribed in Matthew 18:15-17 to
retain the fellowship of our brothers: </b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>first</b></u></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>,
go to the person alone; </b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>second</b></u></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>,
if necessary, go to him with two or more witnesses; </b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>third</b></u></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>,
if necessary, bring the matter before the whole group. Thereafter, we
will abide by any decision reached by the whole group. (B: Exodus
23:1; Leviticus 19:16; Psalm 15:3; Proverbs 6:16, 19; 20:19; 26:20;
James 3:l-10).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>3.
If another person brings to us any criticism or complaint against any
of those whose names are signed below, we will direct that person to
take the steps prescribed in Matthew 18:15-17. If the situation
requires, we will be willing to go with that person as a witness. We
will not entertain any criticism or compliant against any of the
others whose names are signed below, except in the presence of the
one against whom the criticism or complaint is made. (B: above).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>4.
We will also respect all other leaders within the body of Christ in
our area, upon two conditions: </b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>first</b></u></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>,
that we recognize their lives and ministries as being morally and
ethically sound (C: 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; Titus 2:7-8);
</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><u><b>second</b></u></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>
that they show due respect for the scriptures (D: John 14:23-24; 2
Timothy 3:16-4:2; 1 John 2:4-5) the Lord Jesus Christ (E: John
5:22-23; 10:7-9; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 8:6; Ephesians
1:20-23; Colossians 1L18; 1 John 4:2-3); the Holy Spirit (F: John
14:16-17, 26; 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11); and the body of
Christ (G: Matthew 18:17; 1 Timothy 3:14-15; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17;
5:12-6:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24) in our area.</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>5.
We will likewise respect any ministries whom God may from time to
time direct to our area for the upbuilding of his body in our area,
provided that they fulfil the two conditions stated in paragraph 4
above. (H: Matthew 10:40-41; Acts 11:22-24; 15:32-33; 18:27; 1
Corinthians 4:17; 16:10; Philippians 2:19-29; 3 John 5-8).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>6.
If at any time we have reason to believe that persons are seeking to
minister or exercise influence within the body of Christ in our area,
who do not fulfil the conditions stated in paragraph 4, we will not
give our endorsement or support to their ministries or other
activities, and we will notify accordingly the other leaders whose
names are signed below, as well as any members of the body of Christ
in our area who look to us for spiritual leadership. (I: Matthew
7:15-23; Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 3:6-9; Titus 1:9-11; 3:9-11; 2
Peter 2; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 7-11).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>7.
We agree that any one of us will no longer be recognized as a member
of this group, if at any time: </b></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b> (1)
He voluntarily withdraws from this covenant;</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b> (2)
He moves to a place of residence outside our area;</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b> (3)
After fair and careful examination by the group it is decided that he
no longer </b></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b> fulfils
the conditions stated in paragraph 4.</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>8.
New leaders may at any time be added to this group, or former leaders
reinstated, provided that they fulfil the conditions stated in
paragraph 4, and that they voluntarily and sincerely accept the
commitments contained in this covenant.</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>(NOTE:
The above principles can easily be adapted for a local congregation,
especially where they apply. It would be hoped that local pastors
would recognize the discipline of their various local churches, and
stand by a brother pastor or leader when discipline has been applied.
Such a member should not be received by another local congregation
until the problem has been made right.)</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
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