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This Is Church: God's Blueprint for Healthy Church
The church is God’s plan – it is meant to look and act like Him. But does the church of Jesus resemble the Jesus of the church? Have we been shaped by Scripture, or by our culture? And is there still time to change? We are it, there is no plan B! We must get it right because if we do, the church will turn cities and nations upside down.
This is not a book of new ideas, because the church doesn’t need new ideas. The people of God need restoration, not reinvention; we need to rediscover what was always there.Whether dealing with leadership, accountability or discipline in God’s church, we have been given a blueprint, handed down to us in the Word of God and the example of New Testament churches. If we return to the pattern we have been given, the church will look like it should – a glorious reflection of God’s Kingdom on the earth.
Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 and ministers worldwide. Along with his wife, Emma, he planted Joshua Generation Church (JoshGen) in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1999 out of a desire to see Christianity lived out exactly as written in the Bible. JoshGen has since multiplied into an international multi-site church, with over 50 congregations. Through Four12, Andrew oversees over 800 churches in 23 nations, uniting hundreds of churches in its mission to restore the church.
In this book, he outlines the problems the modern church faces and takes a foundational look at how the church can be restored to health and reflect Jesus well by realigning with biblical principles.
Topics
Exploring Church TodayGod's Blueprint for Church The ApostolicChurch LeadershipAccountabilityWorshipDisciplineMarriageFinancesHeadship
This is not a book of new ideas, because the church doesn’t need new ideas. The people of God need restoration, not reinvention; we need to rediscover what was always there.Whether dealing with leadership, accountability or discipline in God’s church, we have been given a blueprint, handed down to us in the Word of God and the example of New Testament churches. If we return to the pattern we have been given, the church will look like it should – a glorious reflection of God’s Kingdom on the earth.
Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 and ministers worldwide. Along with his wife, Emma, he planted Joshua Generation Church (JoshGen) in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1999 out of a desire to see Christianity lived out exactly as written in the Bible. JoshGen has since multiplied into an international multi-site church, with over 50 congregations. Through Four12, Andrew oversees over 800 churches in 23 nations, uniting hundreds of churches in its mission to restore the church.
In this book, he outlines the problems the modern church faces and takes a foundational look at how the church can be restored to health and reflect Jesus well by realigning with biblical principles.
Topics
Exploring Church TodayGod's Blueprint for Church The ApostolicChurch LeadershipAccountabilityWorshipDisciplineMarriageFinancesHeadship
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2025
22 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Selley
2 books5 followersThe people of God need restoration, not reinvention. The Western Church has veered off-course, and God wants to restore her to His original design.
Together with my wife Emma, and the leadership teams of Four12 Global and Joshua Generation Church, we desire to see Christianity lived out exactly as written in the Bible. God has called us to empower the church to become a kingdom of priests, to follow a biblical pattern when building church and to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
In my first published book, I unpack God's blueprint for healthy church according to His Word and how we can better reflect His ways - all the while anecdotally reflecting on over 30 years of serving Jesus. Check out my book, This is Church, and share your feedback - I'd love to hear from you.
Together with my wife Emma, and the leadership teams of Four12 Global and Joshua Generation Church, we desire to see Christianity lived out exactly as written in the Bible. God has called us to empower the church to become a kingdom of priests, to follow a biblical pattern when building church and to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
In my first published book, I unpack God's blueprint for healthy church according to His Word and how we can better reflect His ways - all the while anecdotally reflecting on over 30 years of serving Jesus. Check out my book, This is Church, and share your feedback - I'd love to hear from you.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 13, 2025
This book is a reflection of Andrew’s life–marked by a deep love for Jesus and his people. As someone who has worked alongside him for many years, I have seen this firsthand.
The truths in this book are neither original nor new, yet they are radical. That’s what makes Andrew’s ideas so powerful—they follow the New Testament’s call for every believer to be an active part of the church, the body of Christ.
Reading this will help you understand the glorious wonder of being part of Christ’s body, your vital place in it, and how it is about much more than just showing up.
The truths in this book are neither original nor new, yet they are radical. That’s what makes Andrew’s ideas so powerful—they follow the New Testament’s call for every believer to be an active part of the church, the body of Christ.
Reading this will help you understand the glorious wonder of being part of Christ’s body, your vital place in it, and how it is about much more than just showing up.
November 12, 2025
Andrew Selley’s This Is Church sets out to correct what he perceives as the modern church’s departure from “God’s blueprint” for a healthy, New Testament community. While Selley rightly emphasizes corporate life, radical commitment, and spiritual vitality, a careful reading reveals several foundational departures from orthodox Christian belief, the early ecumenical creeds, and clear indicators of an authoritarian and potentially high-control ecclesiology. The most significant concerns relate to the sufficiency of Christ, the authority of Scripture, and an overemphasis on human performance. I will break down this analysis into three major sections: problematic theology, departures from historic Christianity, and indicators of manipulative/controlling/cult-like behavior.
I. Problematic Theology
Selley's core theological error is a functional compromise of Solus Christus (Christ Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), replacing them with a performance-based model of church health.
Compromising the Sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice (Solus Christus)
Andrew elevates the believer's sacrifice to a foundational level, subtly diminishing the unique and finished nature of the Atonement. Andrew says, “The church is built on the sacrifice of Jesus. But it is not just built on His sacrifice; the church is also built on our sacrifice” (Chapter 1). This blurring of Christ’s unique redemptive sacrifice and the believer’s sanctified response is deeply problematic. Furthermore, interpreting Colossians 1:24 (Paul's suffering) as "fill[ing] up in his body what is still lacking" in the work of God’s plan is an affront to Christ's redemptive work which is absolutely complete, requiring no supplement from human effort or suffering. Allow me to explain.
It undermines the finality and sufficiency of Christ’s redemptive work
The interpretation of Colossians 1:24—where Paul says he rejoices in his sufferings for the church, "and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church"—is one of the most highly debated verses in the New Testament. I cannot find Selley’s interpretation of this verse supported by literally any academic source which is publicly available. Selley's reading of this verse, is a serious theological problem because it undermines the finality and sufficiency of Christ’s redemptive work (Solus Christus). His interpretation is problematic, because it does not square with 2,000 years of historical Christian understanding of the Atonement. The issue lies in confusing two distinct categories of suffering: redemptive suffering and ministerial suffering. This leads to three distinct problems:
The Assault on Redemptive Sufficiency
The central dogma of historic Christianity, particularly emphasized during the Reformation, is that Christ's work on the cross was fully sufficient, finished, and unrepeatable (Telesai). The New Testament teaches that Christ’s death completed the atonement for sin (Heb. 10:14). It was His singular sacrifice that purchased redemption, righteousness, and eternal life (Rom. 5:1). Nothing is "lacking" in the efficacy of the sacrifice itself.
The problem with Selley’s view is that he interprets Paul's statement to mean that the plan of salvation requires Paul's suffering to "fill up... what is still lacking" in God's plan, he implies a deficiency in Christ's redemptive work or the divine effectiveness of the cross. This elevates human suffering to a necessary, foundational component of the Atonement, thereby making the church's ultimate salvation or spiritual health dependent on human performance rather than the finished work of Christ alone. This is an affront to Solus Christus.
The Misunderstanding of the "Lacking" Afflictions
Two thousand years of orthodox exegesis rejects the idea that the deficiency lies in Christ's saving merit. Instead, the "lacking" refers to the necessary quota of suffering endured by Christ's body as it proclaims His finished work.
Paul is saying that he, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, is joyfully taking his turn to endure the persecution necessary to establish the church—the suffering that is guaranteed to the disciples of Christ (2 Tim. 3:12)—for the benefit of the body. He is not completing the cross; he is completing his apostolic service to the church.
The Practical Abuse of Power
Theologically, misinterpreting this verse opens the door to abusive leadership practices, as seen in This Is Church:
Enforcing Performance-Based Ecclesiology: By suggesting the church is also "built on our sacrifice,”, the leadership can demand extreme and unsustainable levels of sacrifice (time, finances, personal ambition) from members. The underlying message is: Your suffering is necessary to complete the plan.
Justifying Organizational Extremism: If the completion of God's redemptive plan depends on the suffering of the members, it justifies the "apostolic leaders" in making unlimited demands. This turns Christian duty into organizational necessity, reinforcing the high-control system where the individual is indispensable to the movement's success, generating guilt and fear.
Undermining Sola Scriptura (The Authority of Scripture)
The book's entire premise rests on the discovery and enforcement of a specific “blueprint” or “God’s ways” that the vast majority of church history has supposedly missed. Selley describes church history as "the sad story of a gradual move away from God’s blueprint." (Chapter 1). This Restorationist hermeneutic claims a unique or revived understanding necessary for genuine Christian life, effectively making the modern "apostolic teaching" the practical authority over historical, systematic, and confessional theology. It elevates Selley's structure and vision above the historical tradition and the clear authority of Scripture alone.
Exclusionary Ecclesiology and Means of Grace
Selley co-opts language traditionally used for the visible church universal to enforce conformity to a specific local structure, strongly implying that those outside the structure are outside of God's normal means of salvation. Citing the Westminster Confession, he states: “‘Outside of the church, there is no ordinary possibility of salvation’” (Chapter 1). This is immediately used to argue for absolute obedience to the local church’s structure. While I affirm the visible church as the locus of the means of grace, this quote is deployed to instill fear regarding separation from Selley’s specific movement (Four12/JoshGen), making submission to that organization a conditional factor for receiving God's ordinary grace.
II. Departures Historical Christianity
The core theological doctrines affirmed in the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds—the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, and the historical reality of His saving acts—are not directly denied. However, the book's fundamental error concerning sacrifice constitutes a functional undermining of the focus on the finished work of the Son. Scripture clearly proclaims the sufficiency of what Christ has done. Selley’s theology suggests a practical deficiency that believers must supply by their own sacrifice and obedience to the "blueprint."
Additionally (and perhaps more importantly) Andrew Selley, confuses the unique, authoritative office of Apostle (held by the original Twelve and Paul) with a continuing spiritual gift of apostle (or apostolic function) at work in the church today. This confusion is then leveraged to functionally grant modern men equal authority to the original Apostles, which is an abuse of leadership and a severe theological departure from Sola Scriptura.
Distinguishing Apostolic Office from Apostolic Gift:
Biblical Christian ecclesiology, maintains a critical distinction between the foundational office of Apostle and the ongoing function and gifting of apostleship. It seems that a brief explanation is needed:
The Foundational, Authoritative Office (The Original Apostles)
This office was unique, unrepeatable, and foundational to the New Testament Church.
Feature
The Original Apostles (Office)
Andrew Selley's Claimed Role (Modern "Apostle")
Criterion
Eyewitness of the Risen Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:1).
No eyewitness criterion. Authority based on appointment by existing network leadership.
Purpose
To be the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20) and the authoritative, infallible source of New Testament revelation (the writing of Scripture).
To "bring correction" and receive the "blueprint" to restore church structure (Ch. 3).
Authority
Supreme authority over doctrine, requiring complete submission from all believers (2 Thess. 3:14).
Claims the authority and wisdom to "change the direction" of the network when necessary (Ch. 3).
Duration
The office ceased with the death of the last Apostle (John).
The office continues as the necessary means for the church to remain "healthy."
The Functional Gift (The Apostolic Function)
This describes a spiritual gift (pneumatikon) mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. I affirm this function often continues, but it is subordinate to the written Word.
Modern-day apostleship is about function, not office. This gift involves planting churches, pioneering ministries in new regions, and mobilizing local churches for mission. A person gifted in such a way does have some authority, but it is a subordinate authority. A modern person with an "apostolic gift" has no authority to set doctrine, receive new, binding revelation, or demand submission to an organizational blueprint. They are accountable to the local elders and the written Word.
Andrew Selley confuses these categories by assigning the unique authority of the original office to the continuing, non-authoritative function. He does this in several ways. First, he claims proprietary revelation: He states that modern apostles "receive the teaching and the blueprint" from the Holy Spirit, which they then "release that truth to the elders in their regions" (Chapter 3). This is the role of the original, foundational Apostle, whose revelation became Scripture. By claiming a binding "blueprint," he elevates his authority to the level of the canon. Second, he enforces hierarchical submission: He asserts that local elders are "only allowed to be appointed by an apostle" (Chapter 4). This unbiblical organizational control replaces the local church's biblical autonomy and ensures that all local leadership is structurally dependent on and compliant with the "apostolic" network's demands.
Abuse of Leadership and Power:
Granting modern men equal authority to the original Apostles is an abuse of leadership and power because it directly violates the sufficiency of Scripture and subjects followers to human control without biblical recourse. The original Apostles’ authority was justified because their words became the infallible, inspired Word of God. A modern "apostle" demanding equal submission is demanding submission to extra-biblical revelation. Selley insists that critics of the church should be treated like "the devil's lawyers" (Chapter 4). This tactic shuts down all theological and ethical questioning, as any challenge to the "apostolic blueprint" or leadership direction is instantly framed as rebellion against God's appointed authority. (By Andrew’s assessment, because I am holding him accountable to an historic understanding of Scripture, I should be treated like “the devil’s lawyer.”)
The claim to modern apostleship places the leader in an unaccountable position. Since they claim to receive the "blueprint" directly from the Spirit, their word becomes the final court of appeal, superseding the wisdom of the local elder board and the conscience of the individual believer. Selley does briefly address the concept of accountability for himself and the senior apostolic leaders within the Four12 movement, though his explanation is brief and immediately shifts to emphasize the accountability of those under his authority.
In chapter 4, Selley defines the highest level of accountability as belonging to the apostolic team itself, but the structure remains internal to the network. He states that his accountability rests with his peers—the other leaders within the Four12 movement with whom he is partnered. He states: "As an apostolic leader, I am accountable to my apostolic partners. We meet regularly, and we speak to each other often. We make sure that we are not living in the darkness, and we speak into one another’s lives." He also notes that despite his global role, he is still accountable to the local body of elders in his home church (JoshGen).
This structure is self-evidently insufficient and, in the context of an "apostolic blueprint," is a form of closed-system self-accountability that reinforces abuse of power. First, there is a lack of external and confessional review. True accountability is rooted in submission to extrinsic doctrinal standards (like the Westminster Confession or the Baptist Faith and Message for instance) and often includes a formal accountability structure to an outside and independent body. Selley’s system is closed—he is only accountable to those who share his "blueprint" and are structurally invested in the perpetuation of the Four12 movement. This creates a powerful incentive to overlook serious error for the sake of the organization's mission.
Second, there is an ambiguous authority hierarchy. While he claims accountability to his partners and local elders, the entire book establishes the "apostolic" role as having the supreme authority to set the "blueprint" and "correction" for the movement (Chapter 3). If an apostle is the one who sets the standard for all partners and appoints all local elders, his accountability to them is inherently limited, as they are ultimately subordinate to his claim of apostolic authority.
Nevertheless, the most troubling thing is the way he immediately pivots to the subject of subordinate accountability. Immediately after addressing his own accountability, Selley heavily emphasizes the required submission of all followers, thereby diverting attention from his own minimal oversight structure. He states that followers "must obey and submit to our leaders... not only for God's blessing in our lives but also to receive the spiritual life that they carry." (Chapter 4). By transitioning immediately to the necessity of the follower's absolute submission, Andrew prioritizes top-down control over transparency and robust, reciprocal accountability. In practice, this structure is designed to safeguard the authority of the apostolic leadership from internal or external challenge.
Furthermore, the insistence that members must "obey and submit to our leaders... to [receive] God’s blessing [and] the spiritual life that they carry" (Chapter 4) makes the "apostle" a mediator of grace. This abusive structure creates an unhealthy dependency on the leader's anointing, rather than teaching believers to receive life and blessing directly through their High Priest, Jesus Christ. This undermines the Priesthood of All Believers by interposing a required human intermediary. This type of leadership and demand for absolute submission, reeks of cult-like controlling behavior, which leads me to my third and final point.
III. Indicators of Manipulative/Controlling/Cult-like behavior
The book's emphasis on absolute performance and loyalty, enforced through guilt and emotional manipulation, strongly indicates a high-demand, authoritarian environment, irrespective of the movement's size. The teachings of Andrew Selley and the practices of the Four12 movement exhibit several characteristics of controlling and manipulative leadership. This control is exerted by redefining Christian acts of worship and sacrifice into organizational mandates. This manipulation appears in four different ways: control through guilt and performance pressure, control over personal autonomy and vocation, control through financial fear and mandate, and control through suppression of dissent. Let’s look at each of them one by one.
Control through Guilt and Performance Pressure
Selley manipulates members by placing the spiritual fate of the entire organization on the individual's performance and presence. He effectively weaponizes Jesus’ analogy of the church as the body of Christ. In chapter 1, he recounts a prayer for a deceased member: "So it was as if the church body had had a finger amputated, which meant that it could no longer fully reflect Christ because that part was missing." (Chapter 1). This sounds all well and good at first, until you realize he is wielding it a manipulative guilt tactic. It implies that a person’s absence or departure causes permanent, spiritual damage to the body of Christ ("crippled or lame"), making attendance and active participation a matter of spiritual life-or-death for the whole community, not just a personal choice.
Additionally, in arguing against missing mandatory meetings, Selley says, “"This is not to control you—you are free to do as you please. But we will lose sleep over you, because we take this responsibility seriously." This is a classic form of emotional manipulation. Instead of using biblical authority (e.g., Hebrews 10:25), the leader places the burden of his emotional distress ("we will lose sleep") onto the follower, compelling compliance to alleviate the leader's perceived suffering.
2. Control over Personal Autonomy and Vocation
The movement dictates that all major life decisions and goals must be subordinated to the organization's mission. Selley says that “Our life’s goal is not to have a career. That is a very modern, Western idea. Our life’s goal is to see the Kingdom of God come to the nations and to work together as we plant churches..." (Chapter 1). Once again, it’s not exactly what he says that is wrong, but how he wields it as a weapon. A Christian’s life goal should not solely be career based. But Selley uses this truth to invalidate the biblical concept of vocation or calling in the marketplace (a core evangelical principle). It funnels the individual's time, talent, and treasure exclusively into the movement's mission, leading to isolation from outside relationships and financial dependency on the system.
Furthermore, Selley redefines Christrian freedom as unconditional submission to leadership. He says that true Christian freedom is "the choice to give up one's rights" in submission to God’s design and the leaders who teach it (Chapter 9). Yet again, Selley is partially correct here. As Christians, we often give up our own rights for the sake of others. Selley, however, subtly changes the direction of our surrender away from God and toward aposolic leadership. This redefinition disarms the believer’s conscience and critical thinking. If freedom means voluntarily surrendering one's rights to human authority, any organizational demand, no matter how extreme, is reframed as a step toward greater holiness and "true freedom."
3. Control through Financial Fear and Mandate
Selley uses threats of divine punishment to enforce mandatory giving to the central organization. In Chapter 8, he says that “God's word does not teach proportional giving. It teaches tithing... Malachi says that you will be cursed if you do not pay your tithe." By enforcing the Old Testament curse of the Law, Andrew replaces New Covenant grace (cheerful, voluntary giving) with fear and legalism. This secures a mandatory 10% income stream, which is the foundation of the centralized financial control for the network.
He also employs highly problematic “storehouse” theology to prevent members from giving their tithe outside of the Four12 movement. The tithe must go to the "storehouse" (the local Four12 affiliated church) to avoid "robbing God." This mandate prevents members from giving their tithe to other Christian charities, para-church organizations, or ministries outside the Four12 network. This centralizes financial control and enforces the narrative that this
I. Problematic Theology
Selley's core theological error is a functional compromise of Solus Christus (Christ Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), replacing them with a performance-based model of church health.
Compromising the Sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice (Solus Christus)
Andrew elevates the believer's sacrifice to a foundational level, subtly diminishing the unique and finished nature of the Atonement. Andrew says, “The church is built on the sacrifice of Jesus. But it is not just built on His sacrifice; the church is also built on our sacrifice” (Chapter 1). This blurring of Christ’s unique redemptive sacrifice and the believer’s sanctified response is deeply problematic. Furthermore, interpreting Colossians 1:24 (Paul's suffering) as "fill[ing] up in his body what is still lacking" in the work of God’s plan is an affront to Christ's redemptive work which is absolutely complete, requiring no supplement from human effort or suffering. Allow me to explain.
It undermines the finality and sufficiency of Christ’s redemptive work
The interpretation of Colossians 1:24—where Paul says he rejoices in his sufferings for the church, "and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church"—is one of the most highly debated verses in the New Testament. I cannot find Selley’s interpretation of this verse supported by literally any academic source which is publicly available. Selley's reading of this verse, is a serious theological problem because it undermines the finality and sufficiency of Christ’s redemptive work (Solus Christus). His interpretation is problematic, because it does not square with 2,000 years of historical Christian understanding of the Atonement. The issue lies in confusing two distinct categories of suffering: redemptive suffering and ministerial suffering. This leads to three distinct problems:
The Assault on Redemptive Sufficiency
The central dogma of historic Christianity, particularly emphasized during the Reformation, is that Christ's work on the cross was fully sufficient, finished, and unrepeatable (Telesai). The New Testament teaches that Christ’s death completed the atonement for sin (Heb. 10:14). It was His singular sacrifice that purchased redemption, righteousness, and eternal life (Rom. 5:1). Nothing is "lacking" in the efficacy of the sacrifice itself.
The problem with Selley’s view is that he interprets Paul's statement to mean that the plan of salvation requires Paul's suffering to "fill up... what is still lacking" in God's plan, he implies a deficiency in Christ's redemptive work or the divine effectiveness of the cross. This elevates human suffering to a necessary, foundational component of the Atonement, thereby making the church's ultimate salvation or spiritual health dependent on human performance rather than the finished work of Christ alone. This is an affront to Solus Christus.
The Misunderstanding of the "Lacking" Afflictions
Two thousand years of orthodox exegesis rejects the idea that the deficiency lies in Christ's saving merit. Instead, the "lacking" refers to the necessary quota of suffering endured by Christ's body as it proclaims His finished work.
Paul is saying that he, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, is joyfully taking his turn to endure the persecution necessary to establish the church—the suffering that is guaranteed to the disciples of Christ (2 Tim. 3:12)—for the benefit of the body. He is not completing the cross; he is completing his apostolic service to the church.
The Practical Abuse of Power
Theologically, misinterpreting this verse opens the door to abusive leadership practices, as seen in This Is Church:
Enforcing Performance-Based Ecclesiology: By suggesting the church is also "built on our sacrifice,”, the leadership can demand extreme and unsustainable levels of sacrifice (time, finances, personal ambition) from members. The underlying message is: Your suffering is necessary to complete the plan.
Justifying Organizational Extremism: If the completion of God's redemptive plan depends on the suffering of the members, it justifies the "apostolic leaders" in making unlimited demands. This turns Christian duty into organizational necessity, reinforcing the high-control system where the individual is indispensable to the movement's success, generating guilt and fear.
Undermining Sola Scriptura (The Authority of Scripture)
The book's entire premise rests on the discovery and enforcement of a specific “blueprint” or “God’s ways” that the vast majority of church history has supposedly missed. Selley describes church history as "the sad story of a gradual move away from God’s blueprint." (Chapter 1). This Restorationist hermeneutic claims a unique or revived understanding necessary for genuine Christian life, effectively making the modern "apostolic teaching" the practical authority over historical, systematic, and confessional theology. It elevates Selley's structure and vision above the historical tradition and the clear authority of Scripture alone.
Exclusionary Ecclesiology and Means of Grace
Selley co-opts language traditionally used for the visible church universal to enforce conformity to a specific local structure, strongly implying that those outside the structure are outside of God's normal means of salvation. Citing the Westminster Confession, he states: “‘Outside of the church, there is no ordinary possibility of salvation’” (Chapter 1). This is immediately used to argue for absolute obedience to the local church’s structure. While I affirm the visible church as the locus of the means of grace, this quote is deployed to instill fear regarding separation from Selley’s specific movement (Four12/JoshGen), making submission to that organization a conditional factor for receiving God's ordinary grace.
II. Departures Historical Christianity
The core theological doctrines affirmed in the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds—the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, and the historical reality of His saving acts—are not directly denied. However, the book's fundamental error concerning sacrifice constitutes a functional undermining of the focus on the finished work of the Son. Scripture clearly proclaims the sufficiency of what Christ has done. Selley’s theology suggests a practical deficiency that believers must supply by their own sacrifice and obedience to the "blueprint."
Additionally (and perhaps more importantly) Andrew Selley, confuses the unique, authoritative office of Apostle (held by the original Twelve and Paul) with a continuing spiritual gift of apostle (or apostolic function) at work in the church today. This confusion is then leveraged to functionally grant modern men equal authority to the original Apostles, which is an abuse of leadership and a severe theological departure from Sola Scriptura.
Distinguishing Apostolic Office from Apostolic Gift:
Biblical Christian ecclesiology, maintains a critical distinction between the foundational office of Apostle and the ongoing function and gifting of apostleship. It seems that a brief explanation is needed:
The Foundational, Authoritative Office (The Original Apostles)
This office was unique, unrepeatable, and foundational to the New Testament Church.
Feature
The Original Apostles (Office)
Andrew Selley's Claimed Role (Modern "Apostle")
Criterion
Eyewitness of the Risen Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:1).
No eyewitness criterion. Authority based on appointment by existing network leadership.
Purpose
To be the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20) and the authoritative, infallible source of New Testament revelation (the writing of Scripture).
To "bring correction" and receive the "blueprint" to restore church structure (Ch. 3).
Authority
Supreme authority over doctrine, requiring complete submission from all believers (2 Thess. 3:14).
Claims the authority and wisdom to "change the direction" of the network when necessary (Ch. 3).
Duration
The office ceased with the death of the last Apostle (John).
The office continues as the necessary means for the church to remain "healthy."
The Functional Gift (The Apostolic Function)
This describes a spiritual gift (pneumatikon) mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. I affirm this function often continues, but it is subordinate to the written Word.
Modern-day apostleship is about function, not office. This gift involves planting churches, pioneering ministries in new regions, and mobilizing local churches for mission. A person gifted in such a way does have some authority, but it is a subordinate authority. A modern person with an "apostolic gift" has no authority to set doctrine, receive new, binding revelation, or demand submission to an organizational blueprint. They are accountable to the local elders and the written Word.
Andrew Selley confuses these categories by assigning the unique authority of the original office to the continuing, non-authoritative function. He does this in several ways. First, he claims proprietary revelation: He states that modern apostles "receive the teaching and the blueprint" from the Holy Spirit, which they then "release that truth to the elders in their regions" (Chapter 3). This is the role of the original, foundational Apostle, whose revelation became Scripture. By claiming a binding "blueprint," he elevates his authority to the level of the canon. Second, he enforces hierarchical submission: He asserts that local elders are "only allowed to be appointed by an apostle" (Chapter 4). This unbiblical organizational control replaces the local church's biblical autonomy and ensures that all local leadership is structurally dependent on and compliant with the "apostolic" network's demands.
Abuse of Leadership and Power:
Granting modern men equal authority to the original Apostles is an abuse of leadership and power because it directly violates the sufficiency of Scripture and subjects followers to human control without biblical recourse. The original Apostles’ authority was justified because their words became the infallible, inspired Word of God. A modern "apostle" demanding equal submission is demanding submission to extra-biblical revelation. Selley insists that critics of the church should be treated like "the devil's lawyers" (Chapter 4). This tactic shuts down all theological and ethical questioning, as any challenge to the "apostolic blueprint" or leadership direction is instantly framed as rebellion against God's appointed authority. (By Andrew’s assessment, because I am holding him accountable to an historic understanding of Scripture, I should be treated like “the devil’s lawyer.”)
The claim to modern apostleship places the leader in an unaccountable position. Since they claim to receive the "blueprint" directly from the Spirit, their word becomes the final court of appeal, superseding the wisdom of the local elder board and the conscience of the individual believer. Selley does briefly address the concept of accountability for himself and the senior apostolic leaders within the Four12 movement, though his explanation is brief and immediately shifts to emphasize the accountability of those under his authority.
In chapter 4, Selley defines the highest level of accountability as belonging to the apostolic team itself, but the structure remains internal to the network. He states that his accountability rests with his peers—the other leaders within the Four12 movement with whom he is partnered. He states: "As an apostolic leader, I am accountable to my apostolic partners. We meet regularly, and we speak to each other often. We make sure that we are not living in the darkness, and we speak into one another’s lives." He also notes that despite his global role, he is still accountable to the local body of elders in his home church (JoshGen).
This structure is self-evidently insufficient and, in the context of an "apostolic blueprint," is a form of closed-system self-accountability that reinforces abuse of power. First, there is a lack of external and confessional review. True accountability is rooted in submission to extrinsic doctrinal standards (like the Westminster Confession or the Baptist Faith and Message for instance) and often includes a formal accountability structure to an outside and independent body. Selley’s system is closed—he is only accountable to those who share his "blueprint" and are structurally invested in the perpetuation of the Four12 movement. This creates a powerful incentive to overlook serious error for the sake of the organization's mission.
Second, there is an ambiguous authority hierarchy. While he claims accountability to his partners and local elders, the entire book establishes the "apostolic" role as having the supreme authority to set the "blueprint" and "correction" for the movement (Chapter 3). If an apostle is the one who sets the standard for all partners and appoints all local elders, his accountability to them is inherently limited, as they are ultimately subordinate to his claim of apostolic authority.
Nevertheless, the most troubling thing is the way he immediately pivots to the subject of subordinate accountability. Immediately after addressing his own accountability, Selley heavily emphasizes the required submission of all followers, thereby diverting attention from his own minimal oversight structure. He states that followers "must obey and submit to our leaders... not only for God's blessing in our lives but also to receive the spiritual life that they carry." (Chapter 4). By transitioning immediately to the necessity of the follower's absolute submission, Andrew prioritizes top-down control over transparency and robust, reciprocal accountability. In practice, this structure is designed to safeguard the authority of the apostolic leadership from internal or external challenge.
Furthermore, the insistence that members must "obey and submit to our leaders... to [receive] God’s blessing [and] the spiritual life that they carry" (Chapter 4) makes the "apostle" a mediator of grace. This abusive structure creates an unhealthy dependency on the leader's anointing, rather than teaching believers to receive life and blessing directly through their High Priest, Jesus Christ. This undermines the Priesthood of All Believers by interposing a required human intermediary. This type of leadership and demand for absolute submission, reeks of cult-like controlling behavior, which leads me to my third and final point.
III. Indicators of Manipulative/Controlling/Cult-like behavior
The book's emphasis on absolute performance and loyalty, enforced through guilt and emotional manipulation, strongly indicates a high-demand, authoritarian environment, irrespective of the movement's size. The teachings of Andrew Selley and the practices of the Four12 movement exhibit several characteristics of controlling and manipulative leadership. This control is exerted by redefining Christian acts of worship and sacrifice into organizational mandates. This manipulation appears in four different ways: control through guilt and performance pressure, control over personal autonomy and vocation, control through financial fear and mandate, and control through suppression of dissent. Let’s look at each of them one by one.
Control through Guilt and Performance Pressure
Selley manipulates members by placing the spiritual fate of the entire organization on the individual's performance and presence. He effectively weaponizes Jesus’ analogy of the church as the body of Christ. In chapter 1, he recounts a prayer for a deceased member: "So it was as if the church body had had a finger amputated, which meant that it could no longer fully reflect Christ because that part was missing." (Chapter 1). This sounds all well and good at first, until you realize he is wielding it a manipulative guilt tactic. It implies that a person’s absence or departure causes permanent, spiritual damage to the body of Christ ("crippled or lame"), making attendance and active participation a matter of spiritual life-or-death for the whole community, not just a personal choice.
Additionally, in arguing against missing mandatory meetings, Selley says, “"This is not to control you—you are free to do as you please. But we will lose sleep over you, because we take this responsibility seriously." This is a classic form of emotional manipulation. Instead of using biblical authority (e.g., Hebrews 10:25), the leader places the burden of his emotional distress ("we will lose sleep") onto the follower, compelling compliance to alleviate the leader's perceived suffering.
2. Control over Personal Autonomy and Vocation
The movement dictates that all major life decisions and goals must be subordinated to the organization's mission. Selley says that “Our life’s goal is not to have a career. That is a very modern, Western idea. Our life’s goal is to see the Kingdom of God come to the nations and to work together as we plant churches..." (Chapter 1). Once again, it’s not exactly what he says that is wrong, but how he wields it as a weapon. A Christian’s life goal should not solely be career based. But Selley uses this truth to invalidate the biblical concept of vocation or calling in the marketplace (a core evangelical principle). It funnels the individual's time, talent, and treasure exclusively into the movement's mission, leading to isolation from outside relationships and financial dependency on the system.
Furthermore, Selley redefines Christrian freedom as unconditional submission to leadership. He says that true Christian freedom is "the choice to give up one's rights" in submission to God’s design and the leaders who teach it (Chapter 9). Yet again, Selley is partially correct here. As Christians, we often give up our own rights for the sake of others. Selley, however, subtly changes the direction of our surrender away from God and toward aposolic leadership. This redefinition disarms the believer’s conscience and critical thinking. If freedom means voluntarily surrendering one's rights to human authority, any organizational demand, no matter how extreme, is reframed as a step toward greater holiness and "true freedom."
3. Control through Financial Fear and Mandate
Selley uses threats of divine punishment to enforce mandatory giving to the central organization. In Chapter 8, he says that “God's word does not teach proportional giving. It teaches tithing... Malachi says that you will be cursed if you do not pay your tithe." By enforcing the Old Testament curse of the Law, Andrew replaces New Covenant grace (cheerful, voluntary giving) with fear and legalism. This secures a mandatory 10% income stream, which is the foundation of the centralized financial control for the network.
He also employs highly problematic “storehouse” theology to prevent members from giving their tithe outside of the Four12 movement. The tithe must go to the "storehouse" (the local Four12 affiliated church) to avoid "robbing God." This mandate prevents members from giving their tithe to other Christian charities, para-church organizations, or ministries outside the Four12 network. This centralizes financial control and enforces the narrative that this
April 23, 2025
An excellent book for church leaders who sincerely desire to see the Church become healthy!
April 14, 2025
The truth of this book is life changing. It’s not some new profound ideas. It’s basically just coming back to God’s blueprint which is clear in Scripture.
April 10, 2025
The Church is God’s chosen vehicle of grace—to us and to the world.
Get ready to be stirred and challenged as Andrew casts a compelling vision of what the Church could and should be.
Get ready to be stirred and challenged as Andrew casts a compelling vision of what the Church could and should be.
March 24, 2025
Andrew Selley simplifies some of the key aspects of building church God's way in a personable story-telling approach that is refreshingly easy to read and understand for any Christian believer across continents, generations and cultures.
As mentioned in the book description - nothing here is new; so one cannot read it with the expectation of being bowled away by new ways of thinking or dramatic ideas. Despite this disclaimer, the This Is Church: God's Blueprint for Healthy Church remains engaging, reminding the reader of the biblical truths and beautifully unpacking how the church can be restored.
In a modern world, with increasing pressure on the church to conform to worldly influence, the This is Church book gave me hope that while things in the western church in particular may look a little bleak, there is still time for me, along with others, to be part of much needed change.
As mentioned in the book description - nothing here is new; so one cannot read it with the expectation of being bowled away by new ways of thinking or dramatic ideas. Despite this disclaimer, the This Is Church: God's Blueprint for Healthy Church remains engaging, reminding the reader of the biblical truths and beautifully unpacking how the church can be restored.
In a modern world, with increasing pressure on the church to conform to worldly influence, the This is Church book gave me hope that while things in the western church in particular may look a little bleak, there is still time for me, along with others, to be part of much needed change.
August 9, 2025
A Clear, Biblical Call Back to God's Design for Church
*This is Church* is a much-needed voice in a time when many believers are questioning what church really should look like. This book cuts through the noise of cultural Christianity and gently but boldly calls readers back to the New Testament blueprint for the church, not man-made traditions, celebrity leadership, or consumer-driven gatherings, but a Spirit-filled family of believers who follow Jesus.
What I love most is that this isn’t just theory. It’s rooted in Scripture. The author doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths but does it with love and humility, always pointing me back to Jesus and His Word.
Whether you're a church leader, a passionate believer longing for more, or someone who feels disillusioned with the current church landscape, it challenges without condemning and inspires without entertaining.
*This is Church* is a much-needed voice in a time when many believers are questioning what church really should look like. This book cuts through the noise of cultural Christianity and gently but boldly calls readers back to the New Testament blueprint for the church, not man-made traditions, celebrity leadership, or consumer-driven gatherings, but a Spirit-filled family of believers who follow Jesus.
What I love most is that this isn’t just theory. It’s rooted in Scripture. The author doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths but does it with love and humility, always pointing me back to Jesus and His Word.
Whether you're a church leader, a passionate believer longing for more, or someone who feels disillusioned with the current church landscape, it challenges without condemning and inspires without entertaining.
April 22, 2025
This has truly changed my life.
March 13, 2025
Andrew Selley’s book This is Church offers profound insights into the modern-day church and its relevance to contemporary culture. Andrew skillfully examines the biblical foundations of the church as outlined in the scriptures, clearly articulating the mission and purpose of the New Testament church in these last days.
The book is thought-provoking, challenging, and designed to move followers of Jesus from passive involvement in the church to actively serving Jesus through meaningful participation in the church family.
Many people attend church once a week out of a sense of dutiful religious observance, but This is Church remaps our understanding of the role each person plays in the mission of the church. Andrew passionately encourages his readers to see the church as the bride of Christ, a living, dynamic representation of Jesus on earth today. He covers essential themes such as devotion, humility, unity, and zeal, while unpacking often omitted teachings that challenge readers to commit themselves to church service on a daily, rather than weekly, basis.
As a personal friend of Andrew’s, I can attest to the fact that what is written in This is Church is not a theoretical view of Christianity, but one that is lived out and practiced by the author. The values taught within the pages of the book are evident in the churches that have partnered with Andrew’s movement, Four12.
This is Church covers an extensive number of essential New Testament values, ranging from apostolic leadership to biblical marriage, biblical worship to biblical finance, and accountability to church discipline. The author courageously tackles areas of biblical truth that are often watered down or even ignored by increasing numbers of church denominations around the world. This is Church captures the heart of Jesus for His bride, the church, and beautifully reveals her purpose as the vehicle through which God makes His salvation plan known to the world.
If you are seeking an unapologetic resource that boldly outlines the scriptural blueprint of the New Testament church and the requirements of its members, you will be hard-pressed to find a better resource than This is Church.
The book is thought-provoking, challenging, and designed to move followers of Jesus from passive involvement in the church to actively serving Jesus through meaningful participation in the church family.
Many people attend church once a week out of a sense of dutiful religious observance, but This is Church remaps our understanding of the role each person plays in the mission of the church. Andrew passionately encourages his readers to see the church as the bride of Christ, a living, dynamic representation of Jesus on earth today. He covers essential themes such as devotion, humility, unity, and zeal, while unpacking often omitted teachings that challenge readers to commit themselves to church service on a daily, rather than weekly, basis.
As a personal friend of Andrew’s, I can attest to the fact that what is written in This is Church is not a theoretical view of Christianity, but one that is lived out and practiced by the author. The values taught within the pages of the book are evident in the churches that have partnered with Andrew’s movement, Four12.
This is Church covers an extensive number of essential New Testament values, ranging from apostolic leadership to biblical marriage, biblical worship to biblical finance, and accountability to church discipline. The author courageously tackles areas of biblical truth that are often watered down or even ignored by increasing numbers of church denominations around the world. This is Church captures the heart of Jesus for His bride, the church, and beautifully reveals her purpose as the vehicle through which God makes His salvation plan known to the world.
If you are seeking an unapologetic resource that boldly outlines the scriptural blueprint of the New Testament church and the requirements of its members, you will be hard-pressed to find a better resource than This is Church.
March 28, 2025
This book is essential reading for anybody looking to understand how healthy churches should operate. The apostle Paul warned, in his letter to the Corinthian church that we should be careful how we build. This book, covers several key aspects of church life, helps the reader understand what the Lord requires of us if we are to see the church become the beautiful bride He longs for.
Profound in its message yet easily accessible for all readers, Andrew Selley demonstrates that all believers have a critical part to play in building healthy churches, and how important it is to build on the right foundation (Christ) using the blueprint He has provided in Scripture.
Profound in its message yet easily accessible for all readers, Andrew Selley demonstrates that all believers have a critical part to play in building healthy churches, and how important it is to build on the right foundation (Christ) using the blueprint He has provided in Scripture.
April 14, 2025
My wife and I, have gained so much from this book and its content.
I know Andrew Selley and have seen his life, which models and reflects the biblical truths in his book.
It really is a timely read, giving us God’s blueprint for life and His great plan for the church, which remains God’s primary ‘vehicle’ to reach a lost and broken world and to save it. And bring people back into His family.
We need these ancient truths to form the foundation of every church family across the world so we can really see the power of God move across society and save the lost!
I know Andrew Selley and have seen his life, which models and reflects the biblical truths in his book.
It really is a timely read, giving us God’s blueprint for life and His great plan for the church, which remains God’s primary ‘vehicle’ to reach a lost and broken world and to save it. And bring people back into His family.
We need these ancient truths to form the foundation of every church family across the world so we can really see the power of God move across society and save the lost!
April 9, 2025
Review
This is one of those books you may wish you’d read a long time ago.
Holding to the deep truths of the faith, it looks at real life ways for churches to walk together on the ‘narrow road’ laid out in the Bible as genuine, open-book families.
This true north resource documents what Andrew and his leadership team have taught and uncompromisingly put into practice since I joined Joshua Generation Church over 20 years ago.
This is one of those books you may wish you’d read a long time ago.
Holding to the deep truths of the faith, it looks at real life ways for churches to walk together on the ‘narrow road’ laid out in the Bible as genuine, open-book families.
This true north resource documents what Andrew and his leadership team have taught and uncompromisingly put into practice since I joined Joshua Generation Church over 20 years ago.
December 26, 2025
Good theology mixed with personal experiences. Need more churches moving away from the soft go with the flow churches.
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