As we enter into the second half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, our focus moves to how we live out who God is in our church families.
How we model church can be defined in one of three ways:
Alongside
Kerygmatic
This is a style of church we’ve more-or-less come to adopt in Western-style Christianity. The preacher at the front and the congregation listening on.
Didactic
This is often referred to as the small-group method. A teacher and a group of Christians who discuss what’s being taught.
Paracletic
This appears to be the model that Paul is talking about in Ephesians when he talks about church. At its heart is discernment and conversation. No one’s in charge and everyone has an equal voice.
The Holy Spirit is often described as “Paraclete”. An advocate who positions himself alongside you. This side-by-side nature is something that Paul talks about in his letter.