Since Lynda and I have been in ministry, I have been asked several times if I would ever consider being a pastor or starting a church.  My answer is that, even though an apostle can operate in any of the other ministries (prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, etc.), I am currently doing the work of an evangelist.  Also, there are already too many churches.  In most places, you can find five or six churches of the same denomination within a couple of miles of each other.  They are divided over non-doctrinal issues or issues of minor import.  They are using more resources with less effect by maintaining separate buildings.  It is a misuse of God's resources.  For this reason, I am making the following proposal.

If ten churches within a five-mile radius will agree to shut down and consolidate themselves into one ministry, I will pastor it.  Out of the ten, the building with the greatest seating capacity would be retained until a new facility could be constructed, if necessary.  The best of the resources of the ten churches would be kept and used in the new consolidated ministry.  The rest would be sold off and the proceeds used for several specific reasons.  Examples of these uses are:

	Clearing all remaining debts
	Construction costs for the new facilities (debt-free)
	Set-up costs for food bank, clothes closet, homeless shelter, etc.

What, you may ask, will become of the current pastors, board members, etc.  While many things would be determined on a case-by-case basis, the pastors would take positions as elders.  These elders would not govern the ministry, but would confer together with me concerning ministry issues (Acts 15:22-29).  The elders who desired to do so would still teach, since I would be away most of the time.  However, I would still be overseeing the ministry.  We would clear away all traditional doctrines that do not line up with the word and focus on perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry by teaching principles of faith and personal evangelism (Ephesians 4:11-12).  This is the end-time.  We have too much to do to be bickering about things that just don't matter.

If this proposal sounds good to you, there is one more thing that you might want to consider.  The meetings would be a little different than what you're used to.  You see, the early church did not meet in pretty buildings with steeples on top, sit in rows of pews and listen to a preacher.  They went from house to house, breaking bread together and ministering to one another according to their gifts (Acts 2:41-47).  Since we can expect that the combined congregations of ten churches would not fit in most people's homes, we would, by necessity, have to have a facility that would accommodate a group that large.  In that facility, you would find tables and chairs instead of pews and all meetings would center around a meal.  As a Christian family we would break bread together while we learn about the kingdom of God.  All would be welcome since, as you know, you can't out-give God.  And while there would certainly be elders who would teach kingdom principles, there would also be occasion for orderly worship as described by Paul and the Holy Spirit would be in charge (1 Corinthians 14).

Well, those are the basics.  Anyone who would like further information concerning this proposal is welcomed to contact me.  I will be happy to discuss it with you.  Just return to the home page and use the contact information listed there.

God Bless You,

Bill Willis
Apostle