Beyond the Local Church: How Apostolic Movements Can Change the World

by Sam Metcalf, Alan Hirsch (Foreword)

Many people have given up on the church. But that doesn't mean that they've given up on God or Christianity. In many cases, it was merely that local church congregations were not the best context for missional people to live out their sense of God's call. The good news is that God is raising up vibrant movements of Christians in a vast array of vocations around the disciple-making ministries, missions, relief and development, social activism, advocacy and much more. These are all strategic ways to live for the kingdom―in venues beyond the local church. Wherever movements of the gospel have occurred, visionary people and apostolic structures have been essential. Mission leader Sam Metcalf shows how God has always worked through entrepreneurial individuals and organizations that launched out in fresh ways. He gives biblical and missiological foundations for missional movements, showing that what has often been called "parachurch" is an equally valid manifestation of the church. Affirming the strengths of apostolic personalities, Metcalf shows how they can be deployed to cross cultural barriers, renew secular societies and transform the nations with the power of the gospel. God may be inviting you to join what he is doing around the world. Answer the call and discover how God can use you beyond your imagination.

Genres: Church, Christianity, Christian

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2015

Reviews

[Michael Abraham · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Beyond the Local Church, Sam Metcalf seeks to provide a biblical justification that sodalities are essential expressions of the church, and also to encourage believers who, as he claims, will only be fulfilled if they minister in a sodality.

Metcalf draws from Ralph Winter (especially his article "The Two Structures of God's Redemptive Mission") and frequently quoted paragraphs of Alan Hirsch. At the end of the book, Metcalf pleas with the reader for sodalities, para-church ministries (though he doesn't like the term para-church) and modalities (local churches) to work together in the mission of God.

The biggest problem of Beyond the Local Church is the evidence which Metcalf's thesis is based upon. Metcalf's approach has both hermeneutical as well as ecclesiological problems. In defense of his idea that sodalities are legitimate expressions of the church, Metcalf goes to both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He cites the Nazirites, the prophets, and Paul's writings, yet he consistently takes descriptions in the Bible as normative. Metcalf's view of the local church can be seen as he states, "I get weary of hearing the oft-repeated mantra that 'the local church is the hope of the world.' It's simply not true... if we depend solely on the church in its local form there is no hope —and there never has been." Metcalf admits that the local church is clearly seen throughout the New Testament, and that sodalities are more so described, yet he seems quick to take speculations and make grand statements. Even to go as far as saying that anyone who does not hold to his view of the church holds to a "truncated, inadequate" view.

While Metcalf and I would disagree on this, there is clear biblical evidence that the local church is God's primary vehicle to not only nurture, or as Metcalf calls it "maintenance," but to also advance to the gospel.

Metcalf helped me think through what the Bible says about the church and mission, and for that I am thankful. His passion and desire to see Christ glorified among all nations is seen throughout the book. It was hard to read the stories of local church pastors looking down on him and his ministry, yet I am afraid that Metcalf's view of the local church is not seen in the Bible. While sodalities have their place (I work for one) I think it can be harmful to claim that sodalities and modalities are like the "right and left feet."

[Tim Casteel · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book this year made me think more than this one. Favorite book I read in 2016.
* If the Church was doing it’s job, para-churches wouldn't be necessary. True or False?
* 'Beyond' sets forth a positive vision of how the local and missionary church can partner together.
* It highlights "a deficient and even aberrant ecclesiology in which the church in its local form is considered supreme and all else is 'para'—or, even worse, illegitimate. Such a perspective is theologically, historically and missiologically false"

[Adam McKinney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beyond the Local Church is a book that, while offering some helpful perspective into the dichotomy between the local church and the para-church (a terminology Metcalf rejects in favor of "sodality"), falls victim to overreaction against an admittedly short-sided view of the local church that exists in some communities today.

Metcalf's justification for a view of the church resting on two feet (one being the local/"modality" and the other being the para/"sodality") strongly seems to lack the necessary exegetical coverage in the book - See Michael Abraham's goodreads review for more on this.

Metcalf does fairly effectively communicate the shortcomings of "parachurch" as a word. He also offers a somewhat illuminating (based on his understanding of the spiritual gifts in Ephesians 4 and their application in the church today) set of guidelines for how maximize the impact of visionary/"apostolic" Christians by guiding them toward ministry that might be non-conforming to traditional models.

That, along with Metcalf's list of practices that kill movements, could prove useful to Christian leaders.

Sadly, it is obvious in a number of tragic stories throughout the book that Metcalf and others have been wounded by the unfortunate prejudice of too-linearly thinking local church leaders.

The still worse result, though, is that Beyond the Local Church rests on what seems to be a reactionary misconstrual of the balance in the church universal between local congregations and non-local sodal movements. The danger of overreaction is an unbiblically low view of the local church which I fear Metcalf flirts with at times.

[Steve]

Sam Metcalf's clear thinking, current global analysis and biblical insight focuses our scattered and often blurry look at local church and global mission into 3D perspective. The local church and the church in mission are inseparable but different forms of the Body of Christ. The local church exists to win, build and nurture and send. The mobile missionary band or apostolic team exists to capture new ground, cross cultural and linguistic barriers, and reclaim territory that belongs to the King! Both are equally church, but each share a distinctive, biblically pattern of structure. One is local, the other is mobile. One is focused on nurture, one is focused on battle and taking new territory. The two structures do not compete; they are complementary parts of God's grand design--the two structures of God's redemptive mission. There is no "primacy of the local church" since the local church was never mentioned, taught or patterned to be only local; otherwise the church would still be located in Jerusalem or Syrian Antioch--not the global family of communities of faith that now exists in every country of our globe. Yet are still not planted in "every tribe, nation and people group." But that is coming as the church in mission continues to move out in attack mode to push back the gates of hell! Even come, Lord Jesus!

[Ronsdorf Hans-jörg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obwohl die Kirchengeschichte von Anfang bis zum heutigen Tag unübersehbar nachweist, dass neben Ortsgemeinde sich der fünffältige Dienst, allen voran der apostolische, immer und immer wieder in Initiativen, Organisationen und vor allem Bewegungen konzentriert, ist es nicht selten, wie ich selbst aus erster Hand erlebt habe, dass alles in, von und mit einer Ortsgemeinde zusammen geschehen muss. Dieses Buch hat mir geholfen, meiner Berufung mehr zu folgen, die eben nicht im Schoß einer Ortsgemeinde liegt. Die Ausbreiutung über kulturelle, ja Ländergrenzen, des Reiches Gottes geschah niemals durch Ortsgemeinden sondern fast immer durch Bewegungen, die von Einzelpersonen oder Gruppen initiiert wurden.
Auch ein Buch für Pastoren, die gerne alles in ihrer Ortsgemeinde zusammenhalten und auch kontrolllieren wollen.
Dieses Buch erarbeitet gründlich, warum neben der Ortsgemeinde das zweite Bein Bewegungen, Organisationen und Initiativen sind, die sich wie keine Ortsgemeinde auf spezifische Aufgaben im Reich Gottes konzentrieren und spezialisieren können.

[Walter Hampel]

Sam Metcalf's work presented me with a greater understanding of how the local church and the missional church should (ideally) work in tandem with each other. The gifting of the leadership of a local church will be distinct from the missional church. One maintains the gains for Christ's church in a given location while the other seeks new believers and new locations.

The book helps to explain why the local church and missional church need to consciously understand the distinct giftings of the other. Frustrations can occur when the missional church is treated by the local church as "local church" want-to-be"s or as simply an extension of a the local church. It was a good reminder that God's Holy Spirit grants gifts to His people and that is wrong to expect everyone to have exactly the same gifts as us.

Way more good content than I can make mention of here. Very eye-opening. Definitely, worth the read.

[Nathan Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Metcalf's writing reminded me of books by Alan Hirsch. I was weary of the direction Metcalf might take when seeing the title of the book, but it ended up being very helpful. Metcalf makes the argument that Apostolic Movements (what have traditionally been referred to as para-church ministries or missionary movements), can be considered the church as well, highlighting the potential of a greater partnership between modality and sodality structures. The danger is to see one structure in isolation of other, important structures. One of Metcalf's biblical examples is the church at Antioch (Acts 11) (modality) and the sending of Paul and Barnabas (sodality). His point is that both are expressions of the church. One of other helpful part of the book is the sections about identifying of apostolic leaders and facilitating apostolic movements.

[Blake A · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the one hand I love that this book gives legitimacy to parachurch workers. He calls it a dirty word. There is nothing junior varsity or secondary to them. They are building the Church and essential to the great commission.

On the other hand, I’m not a huge fan of the CRM or DMM method. I’m sure there are more and less legitimate expressions of it around the world—just like there are more and less legitimate churches. However, some of the principles are more susceptible to abuse and distortion from what I believe is the biblical call to teach and preach the Gospel.

That shouldn’t discourage you from reading the book. It’s a great conversation starter.

[David Lasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waves the flag for not only modalities but also sodalities(had never heard of these terms before...) in Christendom and provides a solid foundation to affirm those with a calling toward the latter. I think he could have covered the same territory in a shorter volume, and I’m not sure I was convinced regarding everything he said about apostolic leaders. Despite that, this book still seems to me like it should be a must read for missionaries, campus ministers, and faith based non profit leaders.

[Ramon Mayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel less like a misfit

If you feel as if you are a misfit when it comes to the local church and have a heart for people, neighborhoods, and cities beyond the local church to be reached this book is for you.

Sam rightly points out the two expressions of church that have been with us since Pentecost and shows the legitimacy of apostolic people and structures.

The local church is a hospital and the apostolic structure is an army. If you feel frustrated by making demands on a hospital to be an army then read this book and stop the insanity!

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. It really made me think about the Church and how the local church (modalities) and church organizations (sodalities) are really the Church and how we can all work together at the Great Commission. I'm not sure I agreed with everything, and he seemed pretty angry the first part of the book, but by the end I was very intrigued and really thinking. For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).

[Kris Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book has some decent food for thought to help the Church move toward a middle ground of cooperation amongst the local church and missions agency. overall his language and tone is aggressive and seems to stem from some sort of unresolved conflict from his past. i was glad to be done with it 🥴.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great exploration into how the church functions but locally and missionally. Using the sodality and modality language is a healthy step that the church needs to embrace and adopt to better understand missional movements.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful read, felt like it gave so much legitimacy to the myriad of feelings I wrestled with while working at a local church...and not just cause he's the president of our organization.