A Very Special New Book

The New Testament Order for Church and Missionary
by
Alexander Hay

 

I. The New Testament Example.
II. Structure of the New Testament Church.
III. New Testament Church Order.
IV. Application of New Testament Missionary Principles.

You ask, "What makes this book so special?" Well, in an interview of John MacArthur a few years ago, he was asked a question concerning his goals for Grace Community Church, since coming there almost 35 years ago.  John's answer, included a reference to this special book, The New Testament Order for Church and Missionary by Alex Hay. He said that he obtained a copy of this book very early in his ministry, and that it had a great influence on his goals, because it outlined the basic structure and the ministry of the early church, which assisted him in his quest to bring Grace Community Church into agreement with the biblical structure and order of the New Testament Church.

I recently obtained a copy of this “out-of-print” book and saw in it some very clear definitions concerning the structure and order of the early church.  I realized, as I read it, that it was revealing that the early church was very different than the church of the author’s time (1947), and most certainly of our times today.  I believe it is a very critical book that should be read by every pastor, elder, deacon, and member of the church today.


[Note: Even though this book has been out of print for quite some time, I have found a limited number of new copies of this book to make available: New Testament Order Book

Here is an excerpt from the Preface of the book, which will give an indication of the worth of this study,

“The first draft of the manuscript of this book was written seventeen years ago [1930], not with any thought of publication, but because we felt the need of setting down in order for our own benefit the principles and methods of church-planting that we were seeking to discover and put into practice. The years that have followed have brought increased understanding and knowledge….”

“The matter is of such importance and the Scriptural pattern has been so obscured by centuries of ecclesiasticism that we have found it necessary to deal thoroughly with the Scriptural evidence and its significance. Reference is made also to the historical evidence, which so fully supports the teaching of Scripture.

We do not offer this study as a textbook but simply as a statement of the experiences and guidance which the Lord has given. The only authoritative and complete textbook on church order and missionary procedure is God's Word. Our desire is to point to that Word.”

“When we began our ministry in the foreign field thirty years ago [1917 we had no thought of questioning the generally accepted methods of missionary work. It was only when face to face with the facts and problems of the work that there began to grow upon us a sense of disappointment and frustration as we saw the slowness of progress and the evident lack of power in the churches established.

This caused us to turn to God's Word to study the work of the first church-planters. There we could find no valid reason why we should not experience the same power of the Holy Spirit today as they did then. We do not mean the miraculous manifestations of the Spirit's power but the evidence of His presence in converts and churches. What we did discover was that the methods we were employing in our work were not those used by the New Testament Evangelists or by our Lord and that the pattern of our churches differed greatly from theirs.

At first we endeavored to apply what seemed to be the most important of the New Testament methods. This we tried for several years. The New Testament way always brought increased blessing and spiritual power, but it became very evident that what still remained of the modern method was as clay mixed with the iron and a continual source of weakness and defeat.

It was no easy matter to discern what was really of the modern method and not in accord with the principles of the Scriptural pattern. We are so accustomed to certain practices and ways of doing things that it may take time to realize that they are based on principles contrary to the way in which the Spirit desires to work. Moreover, there is need for great caution. So often those who have sought to return, to the New Testament way have stumbled into ruts and exaggerations and so strayed from the way.

Many of God's servants throughout the world are seeking to discover this way. There is, indeed, a widespread work of the Holy Spirit leading back to the divinely revealed order. This call of the Spirit is insistent and unmistakable. There has been a departing from the way of power and He would have us return, that the fullness of the Lord's power may be released again. Why should we be satisfied with only a very partial fulfillment of the promises of power and blessing? Why should we bow to the power of the forces of evil when we follow One to Whom has been given all power in Heaven and on earth?

Considerable attention is given in this study to the spiritual principles involved. We have found that it is imperative to do so. The New Testament method is as dead as any other method if it is applied without the guidance and power of the Spirit Who alone gives it life. It is really not a method but a spiritual order—the order in which Christ wishes to carry on His work through the Church by the power of His Spirit.” – Alexander Hay (1947).