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No offense to our brother who posted the invitation to a conference that used this term, but does anyone else find this objectionable?
The term "consensus government" made my jaw drop -- that sounds more like the godless infiltration of our society (tolerance and everybody giving in to the majority) than like biblical concept.
It comes back to each man being the authority in his own home, and each man following God.
Paul and Barnabas didn't work toward consensus - when God led them differently, they went their separate ways. The apostles tended to minimalize any kind of consensus building, actually working against people like the Judaizers who tried to make everyone conform to anything other than the commands of Christ.
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Just for an experiment, try consensus government at home with the family. At first, my guess, the kids will think it's great. But that's how adolescent thinking works. But even they, after awhile, will want someone to step up and start making decisions again. Just my 2 cents.
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You guys don't let nothing slip by, do you? LOL.
The problem I have with consensus government is that consensus isn't always acheived even after deliberations, proof texts, prayers, and fastings. What then?
Here's a place where consensus did seem to occur: Acts 15:22 Then it PLEASED the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
For example, let's say that somebody in your group wants to invite all the registered sex offenders in the area to your home meetings. (I am aware of such a group in KY, btw.) Other parents, with young children, are against it altogether. What then?
I really think Jesus called for 2-man teams because he knew that was the MAX for consensus most of the time!
Noteworthy in our text is how RARELY big meetings were called - the Judaizer issue which was, really, a serious global schism, was one. And when you see how LITTLE was agreed on in that meeting, it gives pause: "Uhmmm.... how about no blood eating and give to the poor." That was pretty safe - since they were mainly addressing Jews who already embraced both those principles!
This is another reason I really like the "7 commands of Christ" principle. Leaves us free to say, "Fine, as long as you get those right, you can do what you want!" But really, obeying those is pretty challenging and covers just about everything else!
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