OUR FOCUSES

In understanding Divergent, our constant aim is to create a healthy family of communities on mission. 

We believe the best posture for this is found expressed in Ephesians 4. 

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Allow me to first 'head off' some quick objections. 

Our goal in seeking the expression of the Five Fold Gifts as focuses is NOT positions. In actual fact, in Divergent Church we rarely use any Titles, we do not use 'Pastor insert name' nor any other honourific titles. The Apostles themselves did not do so and whilst we are to honour those in authority, the use of titles has become more connected with formality and educational credential over gifting and calling. There is something ridiculously cheesy about these titles on business cards. 

Secondarily, the objections to the Apostolic and Prophetic giftings are largely Protestant overreactions to the Roman Catholic Church, not drawn from consistent biblical exegesis. Some argue that the Apostles were only the 12 or those who physically saw the resurrection of Jesus, this is drawn from ... however it must be clear, we are not talking about the 12 but the MANY others listed in the New Testament and acknowledged throughout Church history.