Corinthian Elders [Paperback]

Jack Fortenberry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 21, 2008

Using a high view of the New Testament and the original Greek manuscripts Corinthian Elders examines the biblical role of Christian leaders in the church. The examination reveals a contradiction between Apostolic teaching and modern day practice with serious consequence. The book calls for a return to the New Testament role for elders while advocating house church assemblies in order to enhance our relationship with Christ.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...an important contribution to literature on this subject in a balanced and biblical fashion..." -- Dr. Tony Dale, co-author, Simply Church

"A continued step in the reformation of our Lord's church from a formal institution to the relational bride of Christ!" --Steve Atkerson, editor, House Church: Simple, Strategic, Scriptural

'...the book appropriately moves our focus from leadership to Christ as instructed in the New Testament..."

From the Publisher

'house church friendly'

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: Bridgepointe Publishing Company (November 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615262821
• ISBN-13: 978-0615262826
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,762,090 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CORINTHIAN ELDERS- RELEVANT FOR AFRICA TOO, September 2, 2009

By 

Jim Nduruchi (Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Corinthian Elders (Paperback)

CORINTHIAN ELDERS
This book, written by Jack Fortenberry, is a gem that each one of us, especially those in the business of pursuing true fellowship with the Godhead must get hold of and read. You cannot put it down after beginning reading it, especially if you've been sensitive enough to notice a bizarreness that upsets one's spiritual balance within the institutionalized church. Everybody has a right to think; we are entitled to our opinions, it's acceptable; BUT we all meet at the point where there's mutual agreement that something different about fellowship with each other and with Christ and the Holy Spirit has to be done, urgently. For there's an ominous visible void in people's hearts; a persistent yearning for more of the Word, more of love and less of clergy and less of interpretation of scripture, which calls for eloquence and consequently manipulation of God's people.

Here in Africa pastors have programmed morning devotions, and lunch hour services, evening sessions, deliverance services, and overnights and vigils and home cells, and revival programs and youth services, and missions even to the holy land etc, in an attempt to fill the spiritual void in their congregations, but this did not work. In fact Sunday services begin as early as 6:00 am and end at 8:00 pm in many churches here. but people return home tired and empty. On Monday they go back to their old lives- corruption and the rest.

All the Christian programming from the West- TBN, the God Channel and love TV and many more are aired here for free, featuring eloquent speakers and documentaries. But the spiritual wilderness in the hearts of African believers still stubbornly abide. "Church" is on 24 hours seven. Yet a glance at faces of people sitting on pews on Sunday morning and further glimpse over their lives at work and in their homes reveals a shimmering desire for spiritual fulfillment. Many "prosperity gospel" preachers have influenced great wealth creation among some members of their congregations, but this didn't quench that hunger for a true encounter with the Lord. Finally in the last few years, more and more people (especially the elite) are falling out of church, and the youth are most hit. There's mutiny in homes with young people getting into things unimaginable.

Jack Fortenberry has a revelation about where the problem is, and in his book "Corinthian Elders" he ably discourses with the reader's heart about returning the Christ into His rightful position of headship for His Church; removing human obstacles brought about by unscrupulous people trying steal glory that's not theirs; glory that belongs to a jealous God who says, "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images (Isaiah 42:8). These meddlers have upset the divine order between the LORD and his people. Jack Fortenberry rightly points out that elders are rarely directly addressed in most Epistles that emphasizes the one-on -one relationship we need to have with our creator. He takes us back to the Corinthian church and exhaustively explains the role of elders in the New Testament church and what happened when there was a deviation from what was rightly theirs to do. He goes on to marry this with what's going on in the contemporary traditional church that has found herself in the same situation. Paul had a stance about the steaming favoritism and confusion and said, "My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom (1Cor 2:4).

In the "Corinthian Elders" the author notes that just like believers in Corinth and Colossae shared a desire to pursue Christ but lost their connection to the vine by not trusting His love and indwelling, we too become worldly if after experiencing the revelation of His character and the veracity of his word we again rely on men to lead us into spiritual truth. He emphasizes the need for fellowship with one another as believers by asking the question, "Would our relationship with other believers be described as in unity? If not disunity, or even apathy, is evidence our eyes are not on Christ alone for salvation and edification. "The one who loves his brother abides in the light (Christ) and there's no cause for stumbling in him." 1 John 2:10 (page 18). He goes on to say, "The point is simply that we are guilty of not loving each other as were those brothers in Corinth which indicates we are not looking to Christ." (page 21). Jack deciphers the calling and importance of "elders" in the Corinthian versus our traditional church. He gets into issues of favoritism for the clergy in the assembly, church governance (governing by consensus), ...not by majority vote of a congregation but by consensus of everyone who is meeting together." (Page 50). He masterfully brings it all together, pointing the reader to the Cross of Christ and says, "Complete in Christ." Wow! What a revelation!

Every believer should seek after this well-researched and prayerfully laid out work. It has answered a lot of questions that have perplexed my mind with regards to `going to church' versus `being the church' and understanding my rightful position within the assembly of believers. After reading the book, my view about church and fellowship has really been sharpened. Now I know this to the truth: Colossians 2:18-19 "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize... and not holding fast to the head (Christ). Please find time and read this book. It will sharpen the revelation that the Spirit is pouring unto many souls around the world, that Christ is preparing His pride for the rapture and it's time she embraced Him and not `middle-men' in fellowships and all dealings with Him. Kudos Brother Jack Fortenberry for this great, inspired piece.

Brother Jim Nduruchi
Kenya

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pithy, Focused and Powerful, February 15, 2011

By 

B. Breen "Canuckster1127" (Sterling, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Corinthian Elders (Paperback)

Jack Fortenberry has written a book that while short (92 pages), packs a powerful punch. In a time where the exodus from institutional churches is growing and simple or organic church is growing in its impact and profile, there's a need for many people not only to learn what the Bible has to say about important subjects, but in some cases there is a need to "unlearn" the conventional knowledge or wisdom that carries out of the institution.

The fact is, eldership as a servant role in a non-hierarchical environment, although that was the way the early church operated, seems counter-intuitive when you look at it today. Eldership to many people means power, decision-making and a position to be striven for by people looking for respect, influence and public profile. So many look at the Bible through the lens of existing church hierarchy, to where when they see the term "elder" they immediately think of that word as it functions today in institutional contexts and those assumptions become circular and self-fulfilling.

Corinthian Elders approaches this situation with two important messages. First, as noted above, "eldership" is a function and not an office. Second, the traditional form generally known and accepted today in an institutional context is not only not Biblical, but it is also counterproductive to a healthy church body.

Using the Corinthian Epistles, Fortenberry moves through many of the issues that had arisen in Corinth and then weaves in other passages helping the reader move through the fog of institutional "conventional wisdom" and toward an understanding of what an elder was (and is) in the past before the term was co opted by a position within the institutional church that bears little likeness.

In a very direct and efficient manner referencing scripture and using some basic reference tools to provide clarity for the original language, the book progresses through some very basic and very fundamental understandings of what the function of elder is all about. The warnings found in Corinthians serve as a framework and a surprisingly timely and current message for today.

Jack has provided a tool that can serve the needs of both individuals with questions or even a group study for a beginning simple church or organic fellowship. I was reminded while reading this work of many of the insights offered by Frank Viola in some of his longer works. This provides many similar insights but in more targeted and direct manner.

I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read this work, and I appreciate the courtesy of the author providing me a copy to review. That said, my evaluation of the book is independent and no promises were made in return for this review.

I recommend this book enthusiastically.

5 stars.

Bart Breen

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh Air, September 2, 2009

By 

Brenda Weltner (San Luis Obispo, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Corinthian Elders (Paperback)

Having been a churchgoer, pastor's wife and someone with 'inside knowledge' as to how churches operate, I was blessed, encouraged and heartened by Jack Fortenberry's explanation of healthy, scriptural church leadership. Though this book is relatively short, I found there was plenty of meat to chew on! If you've ever felt oppressed under the present 'church-as-usual' ecclesiastical hierarchical structure, you'll find Jack's words and insight a breath of fresh air. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who is on a search to discover clarity and simplicity in their 'church' experience.