G12. Three Thirds As the Operating System
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G12. Three Thirds As the Operating System
When a believer first hears about the „simple church“ or the „house church“, they usually imagine the classic scenario of worship service, only in a small number of people present and in a different environment: for example on a sofa in a living room or around the dining table. Perhaps you have experienced a service like this in a „station“ of a larger church. Even if there are seven or ten people, the structure of the meeting is very similar to a church service. But the meeting of the simple church or „God’s family“ as we call it, is radically different! The overall concept is substantially different.
The Lord Jesus tells his disciples: Go and make disciples for me. (Matthew 28,19-20) And as for the next steps with those disciples who have just been reached, the Master continues: „Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teach them to observe everything that I have commanded you.“
The Lord Jesus says, „Teach them to observe,“ not just „teach them“ – in the sense of „pass some information.“ Jesus‘ obvious goal is „keeping“ his instructions – that is, the transformation of the mindset and life of the disciples!
„Knowledge“ (in the usual sense of „information“ or „doctrine“) is important to that „keeping“, but is only a small part. That is why we adhere to the so-called three thirds in the meetings of God’s families:
- look back (←)
- look up (↑)
- look ahead. (→)
Our friends mostly got acquainted with the basic content of three thirds as non-believers when they were coming to Discovery Bible study. Our Christian friends get to know the three-thirds structure at the Bridges to People training and then try it mainly in mission teams, which we highly recommend as long-term support after the training.
Someone has aptly said that three thirds is „an operating system for PERSONAL growth and for a multigenerational MOVEMENT.“ The meeting of God’s family – that is, the house church – really takes place like a family meeting! Someone guides it every time or we rather take turns in guiding the individual parts, but everyone present is actively involved. No one is a mere spectator or listener! There is real active fellowship.
The written word of God must always remain the basis of our spiritual life and development! And mutual sharing of believers is also very important! The third third, however, reserves space for listening to the present Lord Jesus, especially with the question of what I should personally apply from the given passage in the next week and how specifically. That is, what should I do with a key idea in practice so that it leads to keeping what the Lord Jesus commanded. Here I note that these must be personal discoveries and, above all, personal decisions of each of us. (It’s not a leader’s decision – what the rest of us are supposed to keep.)
When we share about the items we have personally decided on, and pray for each other in the meantime, it makes sense that in the first third of the next meeting someone will kindly ask me how I have been able to fulfill or move my own decision. „I’ve been praying for you, so I’m interested…“
Long-term observation in Czech conditions shows us that when the three thirds are done well, honestly, people leave such meetings:
- Well fed with Word,
- touched by living Jesus (i.e. the Holy Spirit)
- encouraged by mutual support
- and at the same time with a specific decision about what to apply from the given text in their own life.
In the following lesson I will show you how this usual structure of three thirds reflects the functions of the church. It will help you a lot if you remind the functions of the church in the meantime! And also find or download the help (card) to guide the mission team and God’s family.
Lord Jesus, I thank you that your Word represents enormous wealth with which You want to transform our thinking and our practical lives with participation of Your Spirit…