The Village – A Brief Explanation 6-02-2010

What is the location and layout of The Village?

It is a 6 acre base in the mountains of Puebla, Mexico. Here is a map of its location: http://www.thevillageglobal.org/maps

The base has solar power for lighting and charging batteries. Wood and solar heated water heaters. Wood and methane fueled cooking. Gravity fed water from a mountain spring with water filters to ensure purification. We have a large multipurpose pavilion, a large kitchen, canal bathrooms that supply the methane digester along with animal manure and table scraps. We have dormitories with LED lighting, a chicken coop, a couple horses, 3 ducks, a cat and a dog named “Soldier”. We plant grains, coffee, and sugar cane on unoccupied land of the brotherhood and generous neighbors. We build facilities mainly by the support of the American church and friends.

What is The Village?

The village is a representation of what we believe the church is supposed to be. An enlightened, spirit filled body of people all working together for the spiritual, mental and physical good of our neighbor. The church was meant to be a universal body that has a universal care for all churches throughout the whole world. If we truly understand that we are one global body in reality, then there should not be (industrious) brothers extremely burdened with constant need while brothers living in an atmosphere that has inherited excellent social capital to produce abundance see no need to live sacrificially in order to truly fulfill our global communion stewardship, relieving the burden of our precious family. Though we see “success” in certain prosperous groups does not mean that these groups are conscious of their global communion “contract” with Christ Himself (His actual body on earth). There must be a true global church body communion lived out by every Christian who claims to be a true member of the body of the Lord Himself. Our “reasonable service” is to be daily living sacrifices not in word only but in deed and in truth (Rom. 12:1,2; 1Jn. 3:16-18).

The Village is not a “missionary compound” nor a “benevolence ministry” but a church. A church that implements all that is part of a working body. Though we do produce excellent “missionaries” and the benevolence that is bestowed on our neighbors more than likely supersedes many organizations of our size. A church that works hard and gives all, naturally fulfills and meets all the needs of the whole church. “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2Thes. 3:10). We do not produce numbers alone but godly fathers, mothers, pastors, laborers, missionaries, citizens and friends. We do not focus on evangelism alone but we focus on doing our part in the active body of Christ; which is highly effective at building a thriving, loving, united and growing church full of true disciples. We serve/love the whole man of our neighbor, which is spirit, soul/mind and body.

What is the vision of The Village?

We hope that our vision is greater than just supporter pleasing jargon but that it looks to the Lord as its ultimate judge. The vision first and foremost is to build the church globally according to the manifest will of Christ that was laid out for us in Scripture and sealed by the testimony of those who continued to write of and live by the global communion of the church. The structure we have chosen, which we believe to be God inspired, in order to accomplish this vision is as follows:

1. Church Government: As ordained by Christ and the apostles in Scripture. Upheld by those who “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude. 1:3/NKJV).

2. Strong Church Oversight: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Observed in that order of importance as originally laid out. Preferring plural eldership when more than one elder is able to govern and submit one to another. All working to uphold the apostolic constitution. Though having the oversight they feel it is sin to live in luxury and to use their influence to burden the body of Christ (Acts 20:17,18,28; Eph. 4:11; Phil. 1:1; 1The. 2:9; 1Tim. 4:14, 6:5-11; 1Pet. 5:1,2)

3. A Generous Deaconship And Stewardship: A dedicated and chosen group which dedicates their time primarily in tending with love to the many needs of the saints and assisting the elders. The resources of all saints is prudently deposited for this common stock and for the express purpose of meeting both local and global needs of the universal church body. As need increases so the office of deacon and its available resources must increase. This office is of no less importance and must be respected as such. (Acts 4:34,35; 6:1-7)

4. Church-Sufficiency: Mainly by means of agriculture, natural construction methods and all done by cooperative labor of the brotherhood. Though we are not totally against “commercialism” we have found that church-sufficiency, mostly by working with God's abundant natural resources, is the most efficient, caring and productive method of meeting the overwhelming demands of the global church body; especially in poor and burdened parts of the world. “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1Cor.12:26). Upon achieving basic sustainability we use the funds given to either start “little villages” in remote regions or to build another Village base. The strong bear the burdens of the weak.

5. Kingdom And Community Education: Basic education such as mathematics, science, literature, world history...for the children. Then as a child matures or a new convert enters the church, to the basic we add church history and kingdom science with a focus on pre-Nicene documents and Scripture.Also global and local economics and as consumers of God given natural resources, those who desire to be perfect as our Father (Mt. 5:45,48), must learn ethics of community, cooperation and efficient work methods along with practical, hands on training in agriculture, construction...

6. Church Diversity And Liberty: “Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1Cor. 12:27). As long as a member is laboring diligently, or at least doing their best according to their ability, then they are not burdening the church unjustly. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1Cor. 12:29,30). We flow with beautiful diversity and willingly accept our place however menial it may appear to those who lack kingdom maturity. All spiritual and practical giftings are welcome when they edify the communion of the body.

7. Church Communion: “The breaking of bread” is not communion ('koinonia', Acts 2:42) in and of itself, only a shadow of a much greater and realistic fellowship. “All who believed were together, and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44). “Those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own” (Acts 4:32).

8. Evangelism And Disciple Making: Everyone huddled up on a piece of land perpetually or everyone running around spreading seed without planting proper oversight for the new converts are both bad signs. A strong body will (eventually) have all the gifts present and at work to build a kingdom church. We see in Scripture that Christ was more concerned with quality than quantity. He often offended the goats and watched them walk away with no intentions of compromising His discipleship methods in order for them to remain. We will all one day pass our work through God's fire, His criteria. It is best to examine our fruit beforehand. Often, if we are truthful, we will find that the bulk of our quantity is wood, hay and straw (1Cor. 3:12). It is the responsibility of the laborer/architect to build the church that Christ died for. Nobody said it would be easy but we will give account to the boss for our work.

9. Whole Life Worship: Worship is much more than in song, prayer or with the lips alone but includes what we express in daily living. True worship is accompanied with obedience and sacrifice. We worship God in our labor, dealings with others, lifestyles, reaction to persecution and difficulty, daily sacrifice, love expressed to our neighbor, communion, resistance to vanity, diligence, excellence, creativity... For most Christians of the world there is no comfortable “atmosphere of praise” which often requires a good bit of money to “create”. The shrewd disciple is leery of associating comfort and beauty with worship knowing that it can spoil the beauty of worship in pain and suffering, the which all are called to daily bear (Lk. 9:23).

Conclusion

The Village hopes to partner with kingdom minded brothers. We desire true communion with those who can break free from the distant “drive thru” Christianity that is enveloping the prosperous nations and those who covet to mimic this illusive “success”. We are truly appreciative of all the financial support that we have received from friends and family (natural and kingdom). We have been able, within a year, to have most of the primary facilities and utilities built and installed with a lot of work and cautious spending on The Village. But our greater hope is that we can be one as the Father and Son are one. That the kingdom of the poor in spirit will connect us more than with your wallet alone. With love, The Village

“To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”

Ephesians 3:19