Organism leadership

Leadership of an Organism

By: Irnawan Silitonga

The term leadership in the Indonesian Dictionary (fourth edition) refers to matters concerning a leader and the act of leading, while an organism is defined as a systematic arrangement of various parts of a living body with a specific purpose. As a noun in Biology, an organism is a living being. Thus, the meaning of organism here refers to the arrangement or interrelation between the ‘parts of a living body,’ such as the relationship between feet, hands, and other parts of a living being, in such a way that a certain purpose of the living being is achieved.

To better understand the meaning of organism, it is useful to first understand the term organization. In the same dictionary, organization is defined as a unit or arrangement consisting of parts (i.e., people) in an association for a certain purpose. Another definition of organization in the dictionary is a group of people cooperating to achieve a common goal. Therefore, it is clear that an organization is the interrelation between people within a structure, while an organism is the interrelation between hands and feet within a living being.

The interrelation between people in the context of an organization requires leadership. There needs to be a type of authority that regulates these interrelations. Authority in the organizational context is called the ‘chain of command.’ In an organizational structure, we can see a chain of command connecting one person with another. This chain of command determines who leads whom, and who is accountable to whom. The person at the very top of the organizational structure holds the highest authority.

Likewise, the interrelation between hands and feet in the context of an organism also requires leadership. There must also be a type of authority that regulates the interrelation between hands and feet. Authority in the context of an organism is called life. It is life itself that governs the interrelation between hands and feet. If there is no more life within the being, then there is no longer any authority governing the interrelation of hands and feet, and no movement of hands and feet—meaning death.

Therefore, it is clear that leadership in the context of an organization IS A PERSON (the one at the highest level of the structure), but leadership in the context of an organism IS LIFE. Speaking of leadership in the organizational context means speaking of a person and how that person leads. Meanwhile, speaking of leadership in the context of an organism means speaking of life and how life directs the hands and feet, or other parts of a living body.

We are expected to see this difference clearly before we address church leadership, because if we do not firmly distinguish between organization and organism, we will not understand what church leadership truly is. We may carelessly equate church leadership with corporate leadership. Today, many corporate leaders establish “churches” because they think leading a church is the same as leading a company. Even many so-called servants of God also lead “churches” as though they were companies.

Before closing this writing, we must clearly see that the Bible says THE CHURCH IS A BODY. The church is an organism. Church leadership is the leadership of an organism. If we cannot agree on this, then indeed this simple and short writing need not be continued… it is better to read leadership books written by management experts and apply them to “church leadership.” But if you believe and understand that the church is a body, and that church leadership is the leadership of a body, then perhaps this writing can provide you with some input so that we may build the church as it is now being built by the Lord Jesus.

We have already explained that the authority of an organism is the life of the organism, or the life of the creature itself. And we have understood that the church is an organism. To speak about church leadership is to speak about the authority of the organism, namely life. In the context of an organization, authority belongs to a person, the highest person in that organization’s structure. In the church, however, no one has authority. The authority of the church is life, and only Jesus said, I am the Life. There is not even a term such as delegated authority within the church. In the church THERE IS NO DELEGATED LIFE. Jesus never delegated His life… He gave His life so that EVERYONE WOULD OBEY LIFE. This matter must be clear because church divisions begin with leaders who FEEL they have authority in the church. Neither you nor I have authority over the church—not even delegated authority. The term delegated authority only applies in the context of an organization. Therefore, now we will speak clearly about life, so that every church member who longs to serve the Lord and build the church can do so correctly.

The Bible begins to speak about life in the story/parables of the Garden of Eden. The two trees in the Garden of Eden are two kinds of life: the tree of life represents the life of Christ, and the tree of knowledge represents another kind of life (death) ruled by the devil. To make this clearer, let us examine Genesis 2:17: “...for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”. When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, he did not immediately die physically but lived over 900 more years. Why was that? Yet the Bible clearly says, ON THE DAY you eat of it, you will surely die.

The Hebrew term for ‘die’ in that verse is ‘MUT TAMUT’, where ‘MUT’ means die. Therefore, ‘MUT TAMUT’ cannot be translated simply as ‘die’. The actual meaning of ‘mut tamut’ in English is ‘DYING YOU WILL DIE’. ‘Dying’ refers to a CONDITION OF DEATH IN PROCESS. ‘You will die’ means you will eventually experience PHYSICAL DEATH. So ‘MUT TAMUT’ in that verse carries the meaning that when you eat of the tree of knowledge, YOU ARE IN A CONDITION OF DEATH IN PROCESS LEADING TO PHYSICAL DEATH. Thus, on the very day Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, ADAM ENTERED A CONDITION OF DYING. The Bible uses the term ‘death’ for this condition of dying. So, this dying condition is actually a TYPE OF LIFE, namely a life ruled by the devil (Hebrews 2:14).

This type of life, ruled by the devil and called death by the Bible, is what Adam passed down to all his descendants. This life of death is utterly meaningless. The book of Ecclesiastes explains this kind of life with the phrase ‘under the sun’ or under heaven’, which appears around 52 times. The conclusion of Ecclesiastes is that all is meaningless—whether rich or poor, wise or foolish, and so on. Why meaningless? Because this life of death is ruled by the devil and HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

A person living this life of death may still achieve things and be religious. Religion comes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because religion teaches people about good and evil. But all of it is meaningless, because it has nothing to do with the life of Christ. That is why Jesus came not to bring a religion—not even the Christian religion—but to bring life, His own life (John 10:10).

We also need to briefly look at the term ‘life’ in the Greek language. The Greek uses three terms to explain life. The first is ‘BIOS’ (this appears in the Gospel of Luke regarding the widow who gave her whole livelihood). ‘BIOS’ is common life. The second is ‘PSUCHE’, or soul-life (the human type of life), from which comes the term psychology. The third is ‘ZOE’. This is the kind of life possessed by the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit. And this is the kind of life that Jesus gives to every believer.

Returning to church authority: the authority of the church is ‘ZOE’. The leadership of the church is the leadership of Zoe. As we emphasized earlier, we do not have authority in the church. Why? Because you and I were born into this world with the life of DEATH, that meaningless life ruled by the devil. When we believe in the Lord, we are given a new life, which is Zoe, and this Zoe grows and will eventually swallow up Death. But we have no authority or right over Zoe. Jesus only gives Zoe, and He does not delegate the authority contained in Zoe. That is why Jesus said, ‘I will build My church’. Only ‘I’, that is, Zoe, can build the church. If that is the case, then why are there leaders in the church? To understand leadership in the church, we will discuss ‘headship’ in the next writing…

It has been previously emphasized that only Jesus, who is the Zoe (Life), can establish and build the Church. Jesus said, I will build My Church. We have also emphasized that leaders within the church (organism) have no authority over God’s people. But why are there leaders in the context of the organism? This is what we will discuss now. To understand this, we need to know the concept of headship, both in the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT).

The use of the term ‘head’ (Hebrew: R’OSH) in the OT carries the meaning of authority or leadership. Let’s look at some examples. Moses appointed heads to lead the tribes of Israel (Deuteronomy 1:5). Jephthah also had military control over the army of Israel (Judges 11:11). In the Hebrew-English Lexicon by Brown, Driver, and Briggs, the term R’OSH is translated as follows: First, literally the physical head of a human or animal. Second, the peak of a mountain or hill. Third, a chief city, high priest, or head of a family. Fourth, in front, as in the position of a leader in war. Fifth, principal, the best.

There is no doubt that in the OT, the term R’OSH (Head) was applied to human leaders. These leaders had authority to regulate and direct their subordinates. In fact, in the OT, a hierarchy of authority also existed. If we compare this with our current situation, then leadership in the OT context was organizational leadership, or institutional leadership.

But in the NT, the matter of leadership is very different. The Greek term KEPHALE, translated as head, has a very different meaning from the word head in the OT. There are about 75 cases where this term appears. In the Gospels, it appears 33 times, 31 of which refer to the human head physically. The other two refer to the cornerstone. In Acts, one of its five occurrences refers to the cornerstone, while the other four refer to the physical human head. There are 12 occurrences in the Epistles, most of which point to Jesus as the head of the Church, or explain the relationship between husband and wife. Not a single instance of the term KEPHALE refers to leaders within the Body of Christ. LEADERS WITHIN THE BODY OR ORGANISM OF THE CHURCH ARE NEVER CALLED THE HEAD. The hierarchy or chain of authority that is so evident in OT leadership DOES NOT EXIST in the NT.

From these facts, it is clearly proven that the Church is a body or organism, and that ONLY JESUS IS CALLED THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. The Church is not an organization, but clearly an organism. When the church is organized and has a head of organization—whatever the title may be, whether senior elder, senior pastor, or shepherd—THAT IS NOT THE CHURCH THAT THE LORD JESUS IS BUILDING TODAY.

The Bible gives a clear name for the “church” where a man (Senior Pastor, Senior Elder, or Shepherd) is its head. Later, we will reach the Book of Revelation, where chapters 17–18 describe it, and we will discuss it as the Bible states.

It has been emphasized in the previous writings that THE LEADERS WITHIN THE BODY OR ORGANISM OF THE CHURCH ARE NEVER CALLED THE HEAD. The hierarchy or levels of authority clearly seen in Old Testament leadership DO NOT EXIST in the New Testament. From these facts it is evident that the church is a body or organism, and that ONLY JESUS IS CALLED THE LEADER, THAT IS, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. That is why Matthew 23:10 affirms, “Nor are you to be called leaders, for you have one leader, the Messiah.” The church is not an organization, but an organism. When the church is organized and has a head of the organization, or a human leader—whatever the title may be, whether senior elder, shepherd, or pastor—THEN THAT IS NOT THE CHURCH THAT THE LORD JESUS IS BUILDING TODAY.

So then, does the Organism not have human leaders? Now we will discuss human leaders in the context of the Organism, which we call Body Leadership, as opposed to leadership in the context of Organization.

Let us examine Colossians 2:19 and Ephesians 4:16. We will not discuss the whole of these verses, but only compare and connect them through the term ‘growth’ which appears in both verses. Colossians 2:19 says “the growth from God” (Indonesian LAI translation). Actually, Colossians 2:19 uses two Greek terms ‘auxano’ and ‘auxesis’ which LAI translates as ‘the growth from God’. This translation is less accurate because it should be translated as ‘may increase with the increase of God’ (Young’s Literal Translation). This means that the growth of the body IS THE GROWTH OF ELOHIM. In other words, the growth of the church as an Organism is THE GROWTH OF THE LIFE OF ELOHIM. This verse also mentions the function of the ligaments and joints that support and unite. Meanwhile, Ephesians 4:16 emphasizes that “the growth of the body happens because it is joined and held together by every supporting ligament, as each part does its work”. If we compare these two verses, we can conclude that the growth of the church as an Organism is the growth of the Life of Elohim, where the leaders (‘ligaments and joints’) function to support and unite the body.   

What we have discussed above is about Body Leadership. We see here that the leaders (ligaments and joints) MUST ABSOLUTELY MOVE AND FUNCTION ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE. In the context of the Body, it is impossible for ligaments and joints to act independently and damage the body. Thus, the leaders of the Organism are entirely under the authority of life and have no authority whatsoever over the body or its members. Leaders in the context of the Organism can only EQUIP and SERVE the Body. If a leader does not obey the authority of Life, then he himself is cut off and separated from Life, while the Body remains unaffected. Why? Because the growth of the Body IS DETERMINED ONLY BY THE GROWTH OF LIFE.

Have you seen the true existence of the leaders of the Organism? First, they have no authority because authority remains in Life. Second, they can only equip and serve the Body as true servants. Third, they cannot control the Body, let alone take material gain from it. If we exist in the condition and reality of leadership in the context of the Organism, then we too will behave as described above. If there are leaders who behave as though they have the right to control, to take advantage, and so forth, this proves that they are not in the context of the Organism.   

In the following writings, we will explain these Organism leaders further by comparing them with leaders in the context of Organization.

We have seen that the leaders of the organism (Body leadership), who in Colossians 2:19 are called ligaments and joints, are entirely dependent on the Life of Christ. That is why the advice for leaders in the New Testament is focused on character building that results from the growth of Life. Paul’s advice to Timothy, Titus, and other passages in the New Testament that touch on leadership all focus on building Christ’s character in the leaders themselves. The emphasis for leaders in the context of the Body is example. Example in devotion, sacrifice, bearing the cross, following the Lord, denying oneself, and being a servant in the true sense—not having authority or taking any advantage over other members of the Body. This is not surprising, since the growth of the Church or the Body is absolutely determined by the growth of Life. Therefore, the role of leaders is to be AN EXAMPLE AND MODEL IN FOLLOWING THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

To identify these Body leaders more clearly, we will try to compare Body leadership with Organizational leadership in the Christian world today. This is necessary because no one can recognize something without recognizing its opposite. One would not know what sweetness is without knowing bitterness, or what it feels like to be healthy without ever being sick… and so on. The Bible, especially the book of Revelation, also describes two women (Revelation 12 and Revelation 17) as symbols of the church, so that we can recognize and also know where we stand today in following the Lord.

Let us first look at Revelation 17:3, “... I saw a woman SITTING on a BEAST...” We already know that the Book of Revelation is a book that speaks of Jesus Christ and His church in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). We have discussed this before, so we will not repeat it here. The beast in Revelation represents HUMAN GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS. Thus, the woman sitting on the beast represents a church supported by human governmental systems. We also know that Organization is the tool used by leaders to rule. Leaders who use Organization as a tool do so because they WANT TO CONTROL AND RULE GOD’S PEOPLE. They say that the church is an organism THAT NEEDS TO BE ORGANIZED.

We already know that the leaders of the organism (joints and ligaments in the Body) HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO CONTROL OR RULE GOD’S PEOPLE. The Body leaders can only BE AN EXAMPLE and TAKE NOTHING FROM GOD’S PEOPLE. Do these organism leaders not have the right to receive material blessings from God’s people? Of course, they do, because the Bible says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain”. But these Body leaders do not use human governmental systems, with organization as the tool, to take money from God’s people.

There is testimony from a certain leader that his ministry has successfully drawn hundreds of billions of rupiah from God’s people. Such a testimony is very foreign to Body leaders, because there is no example of it in the New Testament, even though in fallen Christianity such testimony is considered PROOF OF GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSING. Foreign to Body leaders does not mean we do not understand why he could draw hundreds of billions from God’s people. Clearly, he can draw such enormous sums because HIS MINISTRY IS SUPPORTED BY HUMAN GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS, as we see in Revelation 17:3 above. We say this not because we envy that our ministry cannot draw hundreds of billions from God’s people. The leaders of the Organism long to follow the example of the Lord Jesus as the Head of the Church, and if the Lord wills, we are ready to die as martyrs for Him. But we say this so that God’s people may identify and distinguish between the church of Revelation 12 and the church of Revelation 17.

The following writings will continue comparing the church of Revelation 12 and the church of Revelation 17 so that God’s people may be clearer in following the Lord...

To be able to see and understand the difference between the leadership of an organism and the leadership of an organization, and how deep this difference is, we will examine Matthew 7:21-23. But before that, let us look at these facts within Christianity. Many people do not realize how serious the consequences are of organizing the church, which is actually an organism. They do not see the spirit behind all of this, nor do they see what the Bible reveals about it. The teachings of theologians that have been accepted without question regarding the Visible Church (the visible church = the countless denominations or church organizations) and the Invisible Church (all the true children of God) have further blinded God’s people to the seriousness of this issue. God’s people have become accustomed to calling a denomination a church.

We have already affirmed that the symbol of the woman in the Book of Revelation points to the church. Because Adam is a symbol/figure of Christ and Eve naturally represents the church (Romans 5:14), and in Revelation 17:5 it is said concerning the name or identity of this woman that it is a mystery. The mystery referred to in the Bible is something HIDDEN or not visible to the majority. But for those who have received revelation, like the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos, for them this woman is no longer a secret or a mystery. Hopefully, in the days leading up to the Lord’s coming, many of God’s people will see as the Apostle John saw.

Now let us examine Matthew 7:21-23. Here the Lord Jesus frankly rejects those who “prophesy in the Lord’s name, cast out demons in the Lord’s name, and perform many miracles in the Lord’s name.” The Lord does not deny their claims or confessions. But the Lord emphasizes that they are workers of iniquity (verse 23). The Greek term ANOMIA, which the Indonesian Bible translates as “workers of iniquity,” means “lawlessness.” We know that the law of the church is the law of Life. The authority of the church is the authority of Life, and this authority of Life only applies when the church is not organized. Once the church is organized, the head of the church becomes the head of that organization. The authority of the church then becomes human authority, as the head of the organization. This does NOT FOLLOW THE LAW OF LIFE. If the law of Life is followed, it means that Jesus, as the head of the church, governs the ENTIRE BODY through His Life.

The term ‘anomia’ is used in 1 John 3:4, “…for sin is ANOMIA against God”. A TRANSGRESSION OF GOD’S LAW. What is God’s law? It is the LAW OF LIFE. Because Elohim is Life. How serious it is to transgress this law of Life. By organizing the church, it means rejecting the authority of Life and replacing it with a human leader as the head of that organization. We can surmise that the people mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23 are leaders. Well-known individuals, because their ministry involves prophesying in the name of the Lord, casting out demons, and performing many miracles—all of which would naturally attract the attention of God’s people.

Have you seen the difference between leaders of the organism and leaders of the organization? Sooner or later the difference will surely become evident, because Jesus will frankly reveal it at the judgment seat of Christ. But how much better it would be if God’s people recognized it now so that they can take the right steps. Hopefully…

This time we will look at the form of organism leadership and the form of organizational leadership. We will revisit the woman in the book of Revelation chapters 12 and 17. Let us first look at the woman in Revelation chapter 17.

Revelation 17:18 affirms, “And the woman whom you saw is the GREAT CITY, which reigns over the kings of the earth”. Who is this great city? Revelation 18:2 explains to us that this great city is BABYLON. Thus, it is clear that the woman in chapter 17 is Babylon. Here, the woman as a symbol of the church is called Babylon.

Let us examine Genesis chapters 10 and 11 to see who founded this city of Babylon. We will see that Nimrod was the first person to have authority on earth (Genesis 10:8). Many people assume that Nimrod was someone who served and lived BEFORE the Lord (Gen. 10:9). But we know that Strong’s Concordance reveals the fact that the Hebrew term translated as BEFORE (verse 9) has very diverse meanings. In Gen. 10:9, as in Num. 16:2, the Hebrew word translated BEFORE also has the literal meaning of REBELLION. And in the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means ‘he who makes everyone rebel against God’. The ILT (Indonesian Literal Translation) Bible provides a footnote for the translation BEFORE, which is “STIFFLY AGAINST.” Thus, it can be concluded that Nimrod was someone who rebelled and stood stiffly against God, and Nimrod established his own kingdom, one of which was Babylon.

Nimrod was the first leader to have power on this earth. And he rebelled against God by establishing his own kingdom. One of Nimrod’s goals was to MAKE A NAME (Gen. 11:4). Everything we discussed about Babylon as a city founded by Nimrod is historical fact. But Babylon in the book of Revelation becomes a symbol of the church. From this we can understand that the leader of the church in Revelation 17 is a Nimrod. For now, let us keep in mind our understanding of Nimrod as a church leader of Revelation 17, who rebelled against God, built his own kingdom, and had the goal of making a name.

Now we will look at the form of church leadership symbolized by Revelation chapter 12. This woman wears a crown of twelve stars on her head (verse 1). The number 12 in the Bible speaks of leadership. A crown also speaks of leadership. Stars in the book of Revelation symbolize the children of Elohim. The form of leadership here is a team that is egalitarian (equal). Not a single star is greater than the others. All the stars are arranged in such a way as to form leadership, a crown that leads this woman. Thus, this woman is led by a team leadership of the children of Elohim.

Back to our issue. Organism leadership is the leadership of the woman of Revelation 12, while Organizational leadership is the leadership of Revelation 17. One is singular, the other is plural and equal. There are many comparisons we could make between these two forms of leadership, but for now let us try to go straight in and see practically in the world of Christianity.

If you worship in a certain building, it may not take long to find the “Nimrod” there. He is the one who has power there. He is the one who makes and designs the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, just like the work of a manager. Perhaps all the assets of that community belong to him. In fact, that kingdom truly belongs to him and his family. This does not necessarily mean that this “Nimrod” is an evil person before men, but we are speaking of matters before God and His Word. He who has ears… let him hear.

We have already seen a glimpse of how church leadership is symbolized by the woman in Revelation 17, namely the “leadership of Nimrod.” Now we will look further into what motivations were within Nimrod himself. Why we need to examine this is because God sees the heart. God sees what is inside the human being. Of course, God also judges the deeds of man, since each person will be judged according to his deeds. But the value of those deeds is determined by the condition of a person’s heart.

Let us look at an example of how God judged Moses’ actions. When the Israelites worshiped the golden calf, Moses became so angry that he threw down and broke the two tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. Yet God did not condemn Moses for this. However, when Moses struck the rock so that water came out and the Israelites could drink, God became angry with Moses and did not allow him to enter the land of Canaan. The Bible records that the Israelites embittered Moses’ heart so that he spoke rashly. Moses’ bitter heart caused him to be careless in his words, and God considered him guilty for not honoring His holiness. Here we see that the condition of a person’s heart greatly determines how God evaluates both their deeds and their words.

Before we look into Nimrod’s heart, let us examine a case where James and John became so angry when Jesus was not received by the Samaritans on His way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51–56). James and John asked if Jesus wanted them to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans. But Jesus rebuked them and said, “…Ye have not known OF WHAT SPIRIT YE ARE” (Young’s Literal). James and John did not realize that they were being influenced by a spirit that was not the Spirit of God, which caused them to speak that way.

Now back to Nimrod’s heart. From Genesis 10–11, we know that Nimrod’s actions in building his own kingdom were motivated by his desire to make a name for himself. But if we compare this with Nebuchadnezzar’s pride when he also built Babylon (Daniel 4:30), then in fact the deepest motivation of Nimrod was pride. It was this spirit of pride that motivated Nimrod to build his own kingdom.

The problem is not as simple as we might think. The motivation of pride is often so deeply hidden that even we ourselves do not realize it. If the light of God were to shine into the deepest part of our hearts… perhaps we would be shocked to discover that much of our diligence, persistence, and zeal actually springs from this spirit of pride…

That is why for us who are called to serve the Lord and long to build the Body of Christ, we must allow ourselves to be shaped by God. We need to learn much and go through God’s process… We need many clashes, conflicts, sufferings, and hardships before we can truly build the church as an organism… If we are not sufficiently broken by God, perhaps this spirit of Nimrod dominates our every step, and in the end, we may only be building our own kingdom… May it be the Life of Christ that motivates us and not the spirit of Nimrod…

We will use two terms to try to compare the leadership of the Organism and the leadership of the Organization. These two terms are essence and expression. According to the Indonesian Dictionary, essence means the nature, core, or main point. Meanwhile, expression means the act of revealing or the process of stating. What is stated can be feelings, ideas, or other things.

What, then, is the true nature, core, or main point in the leadership of the organism and the organization? We will be helped by two Bible verses to clarify this matter. First, Acts 20:30, “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” Second, Ephesians 4:11-12, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” These two verses speak about leadership with two very different results. The first kind of leadership produces division in the Body, while the second builds up the Body of Christ. The essence, the core, or the main point of the first type of leadership, which tears apart the Body, is DRAWING DISCIPLES TO FOLLOW THE LEADER. Meanwhile, the essence, the core, or the main point of the second type of leadership, which builds the Body of Christ, is EQUIPPING. This is the difference in their essence.

The leadership that DRAWS DISCIPLES is organizational leadership, while the leadership that EQUIPS THE SAINTS is organism leadership. If organizational leaders read an explanation like this, they would certainly deny it. But let us look at the issue with a clear mind.

Isn’t it undeniable that the thousands of church organizations are divisions? Whatever reasons people give to justify the existence of these thousands of organizations, the Bible and church history prove that these thousands of organizations or denominations ARE CHURCH DIVISIONS. If one or several leaders establish a church organization, isn’t the purpose to gather disciples into that “organizational container”? And if the disciples have already entered that “container,” then other organizations are expected not to draw those disciples into their own “organizational containers.” Although in reality, what is called church growth, according to a survey, is half nothing more than the transfer of disciples from one “organizational container” to another…

Speaking about drawing disciples into an organizational container can be extended to drawing money from the disciples for the development of that organization. False teachings such as tithing, firstfruits, and other money-related practices must be carried out for the survival of the organization. Why do we say these are false teachings? Because tithing and firstfruits were indeed original teachings for the people of Israel under the Old Covenant. But these teachings were falsified when they were applied in the context of the New Covenant. Thus is fulfilled what Acts 20:30 says above. Drawing disciples and drawing money from disciples are marks of organizational leadership, even though of course there are a few organizations funded by the leader himself due to his wealth… but this is the exception.

Let us now look at the essence of organism leadership, which is equipping. The leaders of the organism do not draw disciples to themselves, much less draw money from them for the growth of their ministry. The leaders of the organism live from “Elijah’s table” and not from “Jezebel’s table,” as we explained previously. The Covid-19 pandemic did not affect the ministry of organism leaders at all. For leaders whose ministry was disrupted and even declined because of Covid-19, this clearly proves that they are within the context of an organization.

As for the expression of organizational leadership and organism leadership, we will explain further…

We have briefly discussed the essence of organismic leadership and organizational leadership. The essence of organizational leadership is drawing disciples to the leaders (Acts 20:30). Meanwhile, the essence of organismic leadership is equipping the saints (Ephesians 4:12). This does not mean that organizational leaders do not equip the saints, but there is an action of drawing disciples to the leaders that has caused church divisions into thousands of denominations, and this action by the leaders cannot simply be ignored. In fact, the Bible says

that this action is caused by fierce wolves attacking the Body of Christ. Therefore, even though these denominational leaders equip the disciples, it must be said that they do so WITHIN THE CONTEXT of drawing disciples into their organizations.

This is different from organismic leaders. These leaders are truly aware that they are merely joints and ligaments in the Body, fully obedient to the authority of Life. Through the process of God’s breaking, these leaders no longer have the “Nimrod power” to draw disciples to themselves. All they can do is equip the disciples, nothing more than that. They can only learn to be examples for the disciples in following the flow of Life.

Now we will talk about the expression of organizational and organismic leadership. By expression, I mean the manifestation or the process of revealing an essence. Essence is something that is often not easy to see or recognize. Only after it is expressed or revealed can the essence be detected.

What is the expression of organizational leadership? I would explain it with one term: PERFORMANCE. Why performance? Because its essence is drawing disciples, Christianity—and even worship—has become a performance. The stage of the Christian world is full of performances. All these performances exist because their essence is to draw disciples.

Let us discuss the average Sunday pulpits in the Christian world. In general, sermons have become something pleasant to hear. Messages about bearing the cross, denying oneself, the breaking of the flesh, and choosing the Father’s will regardless of the consequences have become rare. These pulpits have become performances. Isn’t a performance supposed to be something that pleases people?

Furthermore, people must also pay to see a performance. Without hesitation, a famous preacher once said that if you eat at a restaurant, of course you have to pay. Likewise, “watching at church” must also be paid for, in the building where you are watching that performance.

Not to mention when we talk about worship and praise to God. Everything is arranged in such a way that praise becomes something attractive. The buildings in the Christian world with their complete stages are not without essence. There is an essence behind all these performances… and that essence is drawing disciples.

Through Covid-19, these performances in the Christian world were forced to stop. The Father in Heaven designed all this so that the Lord’s disciples would pause and reflect at home… Because at home it is impossible to have a performance, it is hoped that the Lord’s disciples can understand the true meaning of worship, following the Lord, being the church… and so on.

Today we will talk about sorcery in the church. Let us look at Revelation 18:23, “…by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.” Young’s Literal translates the term ‘deceived’ as ‘led astray’. ‘Astray’ here means ‘to go in the wrong direction’ or ‘to have the wrong result’. So, ‘led astray’ means being LED in the wrong direction and producing the wrong outcome as well. This verse is speaking about leadership, but leadership that causes those being led to go in a deviant (wrong) direction.

This verse also emphasizes that deviant leadership is related to sorcery. This means that the deviation in leadership is caused by the leader using sorcery, whether consciously or unconsciously. The Greek term for sorcery here is PHARMAKEIA, whose other occurrence is only in Galatians 5:20. The term ‘Pharmakeia’ comes from ‘Pharmakeus’, which means ‘Medication’ (pharmacy). Strong’s defines it as ‘the use of medicine, drugs, or spells.’ One of the meanings of ‘spells’ here is ‘words that are thought to have magic power’ or ‘a quality that a person has that makes him/her so attractive.’ So, ‘Pharmakeus’ meaning Medication is the use of drugs in such a way that a person is made to “fly” or not fully conscious, thus making the one speaking to them appear very attractive.

The context of Revelation 18:23 is the symbol of the woman (the church of Revelation 17) that we have discussed a lot. The leadership of the woman in Revelation 17 is very attractive, and makes many people follow her. It is said that this woman sits on “many waters,” where water is a symbol of many people (Revelation 17:15). So, through the leadership of the woman in Revelation 17, many of God’s people are drawn and follow her, as if under sorcery or like drinking a drug that makes them not fully conscious.

Why are many of God’s people drawn and bewitched by the leadership of the woman in Revelation 17? According to the Epistle of Jude, these false teachers, “…turn the grace of our God into licentiousness…” (verse 4, ILT version). This means, these leaders teach about the GRACE OF GOD but direct it toward CARNAL MATTERS. Even when quoting very spiritual verses, they direct them toward the physical. For example, a verse they often quote, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). They say this abundance means abundance in spiritual life, physical life, health, prosperity, being free from problems, disasters, and so on. But this verse is about Life (Zoe life), where the abundance of Zoe means the abundance of knowing God (John 17:3), the abundance of understanding and obeying His commands (John 12:50). The abundance of love, joy, peace, patience, and so on—the fruits of the Spirit, because the fruits of the Spirit are contained within Zoe Life. John 10:10 is not at all speaking about physical matters. And that is just one verse. What about verses about tithing, firstfruits, wealth through sowing, and so on? Every verse is used by the woman of Revelation 17 and DIRECTED TOWARD THE PHYSICAL.

Who wouldn’t be attracted if the preaching says that following God will make you rich, successful, prosperous, free from problems, free from sickness, the head and not the tail, and so on? Many of God’s people are not aware that they HAVE BEEN BEWITCHED. God’s people are “flying” and no longer fully conscious. If the Lord Jesus is insulted, they remain calm…but if their pastor is criticized…they immediately attack with verses, especially the verse “DO NOT JUDGE.” God’s people who defend their pastors WITHOUT COMMON SENSE clearly show the sign of being “unconscious” and already bewitched…

What about organism leadership? Yes…they also have a “sorcery power,” but the “sorcery power” of Life, making people long for the Life of Christ…making people willing to suffer as long as they grow in Life…willing to be misunderstood as long as Life abounds…

Today we will talk about the judgment of the Church. First, we must understand that everything that happens in this universe is within the arrangement of the Father. Not a single event occurs without the decision of the Father. The Bible affirms that even a bird falling to the ground does not happen outside the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). Whoever causes the bird to fall—whether it is shot by a hunter, whether it deliberately drops itself, or whether it dies of old age—whatever the cause, clearly NO BIRD WILL FALL WITHOUT THE FATHER’S WILL. I do not like to play around with terms such as the Father’s PERMISSION, the Father’s WILL, or other such terms, but I am speaking of the ARRANGEMENT and SOVEREIGNTY of the FATHER over this universe.

Why do I need to emphasize the Father’s sovereignty? Because I want to affirm that the occurrence of Covid-19 IS THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FATHER BASED ON HIS SOVEREIGNTY. I also do not like to talk about conspiracy theories or associate certain names with Covid-19. For believers, such matters are of no importance at all. What matters for us is WHAT COVID-19 MEANS FOR THE CHURCH. What is the Father’s purpose with Covid-19?

Let us look at Isaiah 26:9, which says, “…for when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.” It cannot be denied that the people of the earth have learned what is right through Covid-19; therefore, Covid-19 is the FATHER’S JUDGMENT UPON THE EARTH. Throughout the Bible, His coming to judge is also spoken of. The important question for us is: whom does the Father want to judge first? The Bible is also clear on this matter—that the Church, His people, are to be judged first (1 Peter 4:17). I appreciate Watchman Nee’s explanation that the Father in heaven does not have much time to judge everyone right now. He only has time for His children.

Now we move into the theme or topic of our discussion. We have repeatedly explained about the church symbolized by the woman in Revelation chapter 12 and the woman in chapter 17. Now we are speaking about the woman in chapter 17. Revelation 18:10 says, “…Woe! Woe to you, great city, mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your judgment has come.” Who is this great city, Babylon? The Bible itself answers in Revelation 17:18, “The woman you saw is the great city…” Therefore, the woman of Revelation 17 IS the great city of Babylon.

There are many reasons why the woman of Revelation 17 faces the Father’s judgment. For now, let us examine the term GREAT, which characterizes this woman of Revelation 17. If Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, is the HOLY city, then the woman of Revelation 17 is the GREAT city—or we might even say MEGA.

Indeed, the spirit of the woman of Revelation 17 is to be GREAT, regardless of whether it is HOLY or not. GREAT refers to material matters, while HOLY refers to spiritual matters. When we hear sermons that use the grace of God but are directed toward material things, these are characteristics of sermons of the woman in Revelation 17. Teachings that are self-serving, that

seek to please the ears of the masses, that motivate believers to succeed materially, that emphasize tithes, firstfruits for the NEW COVENANT believers—all of these are marks of the woman of Revelation 17 who desires to be GREAT…but instead, they bring about the FATHER’S JUDGMENT. Through Covid-19, this spirit of becoming GREAT has been weakened to the point where “the former glory” will never rise again… (Revelation 18:21).

Yet we must realize that the Father’s judgment is an expression of His love, because through this judgment the woman of Revelation 17 LEARNS WHAT IS RIGHT, just as Isaiah 26:9 says.

Today we will talk about trade inside the church. Trade only exists in the church symbolized by the woman in Revelation 17. The woman in Revelation chapter 12 does not trade. The leadership of the organism does not engage in trade within their ministry.

We will look at what the woman in Revelation 17 trades. Let’s read Revelation 18:12–13, “merchandise of gold… and even human lives.” All the merchandise listed in these verses is symbolic because the book of Revelation uses symbolic language. Gold is a symbol of God’s nature, the gifts of the Spirit, everything related to God’s characteristics, while human lives symbolize all human strengths contained within the soul. Human strengths in knowledge, eloquence, singing, playing music, and so on… All of these are traded by the Woman of Revelation 17.

We all know that the purpose of trade is to seek profit. No one trades to suffer loss. So the leadership of the woman in Revelation 17 aims to profit from her ministry. The profit here comes in the form of material things and also human glory, praise, and honor. The Pharisees and Sadducees in the time of the Lord Jesus did all these things. They traded in the Temple. And we know how the Lord Jesus reacted to all this. If the Lord Jesus were to come physically to the church buildings today, how do you think He would react? And how would He react if He came into homes and saw families worshiping together? I am sure you already know the answer…

Covid-19 is His reaction and judgment against trading in the Temple. But let us not be too quick to assume that the woman of Revelation 17 will repent. The sickness of trading in the Temple can only be healed if His servants are broken and processed in such a way that they grow into fathers. No father trades and seeks profit from his own children. A father sacrifices for his children. If a father is gathered with his children, and suddenly a lion comes to attack… then a father will not hesitate to strike the lion and fight to the last drop of blood for his children. But a hired hand who seeks profit… when the wolf comes… he flees, leaving the sheep behind to save himself.

The father we mean here is not about gender. Mother Teresa was a father to those she served, because she was ready to die for the poor she ministered to in India. In her ministry, Mother Teresa did not seek profit. Paul was also a father, because he was poor but enriched many of those he served.

I once wrote about being a Father and a Manager. Let me quote it so we can see whether today’s pastors or church leaders resemble more a Father or a Manager…

I long to share with you about fathers and managers. What is meant by father and manager is both are leaders, but they lead in different contexts. A father is a leader in the context of family, while a manager is a leader in the context of an organization. A father leads his children, while a manager leads his subordinates.

In many ways, what a father does and what a manager does are almost the same. Just as a manager makes plans, a father also makes plans for his children. A manager organizes, likewise a father sets tasks and responsibilities, though not as complex as a manager, and assigns them to his children so the family’s goals can be achieved. A manager exercises leadership, likewise a father motivates, directs, and encourages his children toward the established goals. A manager carries out supervision, likewise a father watches over his children to prevent deviation. At first glance, father and manager look similar.

But in reality, father and manager are very different. This difference lies in the fact that a father has a blood relationship with those he leads, while a manager has an organizational relationship with those he leads. This difference also causes the authority they each possess to be very different. A father has authority over his children solely because of the blood relationship, while a manager has authority over subordinates because of his position within the organization.

Now I am ready to address the core issue. Should the church leader be a father or a manager? Is the relationship between church members and their leader one of the blood of Christ or one of organization? Could the church have a leader who is both a manager and a father? Is the church an organization or an organism? Is the church an organism that needs to be organized? Can an organism be organized, like we organize hands, feet, eyes, ears, and other members of the body? Is the church the Body of Christ or a body in the organizational sense? Is the church a family or a “big family” institution?

For some people, the questions above are not very important, because they have no impact on their lives and ministry. But for others, the questions above mean everything. Here I want to share my conviction with my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. I am simply sharing it as an input for you. For me, the church is an organism that cannot be organized. For me, the church is a family in the truest sense, not a “big family” institution. For me, the church is a Body, not an Organization. For me, fellow church members have a relationship because of the blood/life of Christ, not because of an organization. For me, the church needs the leadership of a father, not a manager. For me, a manager cannot become a father in the church, because they belong to different realms. This is my conviction, beloved.

I believe that today God’s people desperately need fathers, not managers. God’s people need father-child relationships, not manager-subordinate relationships. A father-child relationship is a blood relationship, a relationship through the Life of Christ. God’s people need the warmth of fellowship, not more projects planned by managers. God’s people need to know the true family, which is God, not a “big family” institution.

Will we grow to become a father or a manager? For me, this is a very important question.

Yes… in essence, a Father will never trade in the church…

Today we will talk about church leadership symbolized by a woman (the symbol of the church) in the Book of Revelation chapter 12, which we call the leadership of the organism. Let us look at Revelation 12:1, “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” As we know, the book of Revelation uses symbolic language, so the sun, moon, and stars are also symbols.

Let us start with the symbol of the sun. Whom does this sun represent? Malachi 4:2 says, “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings…” The sun of righteousness here clearly refers to Christ, the True Sun. Thus, the sun is a symbol of Christ Himself.

The woman in Revelation 12 is said to be clothed with the sun, meaning this woman is so close to the sun that she is “FILLED” with it. Again, we are speaking symbolically, because no physical woman could be close to the sun, whose surface temperature is 5500 degrees Celsius. So, a woman clothed with the sun symbolizes the church filled with and entirely permeated by Christ.

Now, what about the moon? We know that the sun has energy of its own because of nuclear reactions within its core. These reactions allow the sun to radiate light and heat that give life to the earth. The moon, however, does not emit its own light or heat. The moonlight we see at night is actually reflected sunlight. Thus, the moon’s light is only a reflection of the sun’s light.

So, what is the “reflection” of Christ? The “reflection” of Christ is the Law of Moses. Hebrews 10:1 states, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves…” The reality of salvation is Christ, while the law is only a shadow.

The woman we are discussing here is not only clothed with the sun, but also standing with the moon under her feet. This means the church here lives in the reality (essence) of Christ and no longer under the law, including the rules of tithing, firstfruits, and other outward, physical ordinances. This church’s worship has entered into the essence, namely following Christ’s leading inwardly, not following organizational rules, liturgies, building regulations, and the like.

An important question for us now, which is our main point, is: why is this woman/church able to live in the essence of Christ, and not in the shadow of the law? This is because the leadership of this church is the leadership of the “stars” (the crown of twelve stars is a symbol of leadership). Stars are essentially also suns, but they are so far away from the earth that they appear small and not as bright as our sun.

Now, let us look at the church organizations we commonly see today. Why are tithes, firstfruits, and other types of offerings always emphasized by their leaders? Why do their sermons generally always end up focused on material blessings? Concepts of success, the coming of the Lord, being blessed by God, church growth, worship—all these almost always lead to outward, physical, and even worldly matters. This is because their leaders themselves do not live in the essence of Christ.

This is different from the leadership of the organism. They are satisfied with Christ. For them, serving is an expression of their satisfaction in Christ. Their teaching is inward and spiritual. They are not seeking money, human glory, or human honor… for if they do, they are not truly servants of Christ…

We will conclude this short writing by explaining the outcome of organizational leadership and organism leadership. We already know that these two kinds of leadership are symbolized by the two women in the Book of Revelation chapter 12 and chapter 17.

Let us first look at the result of organism leadership in chapter 12:5, “She gave birth to a male child, who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron…” The Indonesian Bible translation (LAI) capitalizes the word “Child” in this verse, thus leading to the interpretation that this male child is the Lord Jesus Christ and that this woman is, of course, Mary. But such an understanding confuses the very nature of the Book of Revelation as prophecy. The Book of Revelation reveals about the Lord Jesus Christ and what will happen to His church. Revelation 1:1 emphasizes, “…what must soon take place…” The Book of Revelation does not tell about what has already happened. Therefore, it is clear that this male child does not refer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

If so, who then is this male child? It is affirmed that this male child will rule all nations with a rod of iron. If we look at the overcomers in chapter 2:26–27, “To the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron…” The overcomers from the seven churches, who had fallen to the teachings of Balaam, Nicholas, and Jezebel, will receive the reward to reign in the age after this present age ends. Therefore, we can be sure that this male child represents the overcomers throughout this age. These overcomers will be rewarded in the coming age to reign together with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We see that the result of the leadership of the woman in Revelation 12 is THE OVERCOMERS. The leadership of the woman in Revelation 12 is the leadership of the ‘Star’ as we have previously discussed. It is a leadership that brings the woman of Revelation 12 to live in the realm of ESSENCE, the realm of REALITY, the realm of ‘HEAVEN’, as written in chapter 12:1. Heaven here means the spiritual realm, a realm of higher dimension. The gathering of the woman of Revelation 12 is also a gathering in the higher realm, as has been explained earlier regarding ‘episunagoge’ in Hebrews 10:25 (‘Epi’ = higher, ‘Sunagoge’ = gathering). The worship of this woman is no longer about “on this mountain” or “on that mountain”, because this woman has worshiped in spirit and in truth (John 4). The woman of Revelation 12 is NOT ENSLAVED by the rules of tithes, first fruits, and other organizational regulations, because by this leadership of the “Star,” she has trampled the “Moon.”

However, we must understand that the woman of Revelation 12 cannot be easily seen by physical eyes, because she is in “Heaven” (12:1). Only those who live in the spirit can see this woman. This is different from the woman of Revelation 17, who sits upon many waters, where “waters” symbolize many people (17:15). The leadership of Revelation 17 is very enchanting, or more precisely, highly seductive, as we have already discussed. But the outcome of the leadership of the woman of Revelation 17 is THE JUDGMENT OF GOD. The judgment of God is such that this woman of Revelation 17 will never rise again.

In conclusion, we must take heed of Revelation 18:4 which says, “…Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, and so that you will not receive any of her plagues” The victorious saints will surely flee from the leadership of the woman of Revelation 17… Hallelujah