Relationship with the Team

NCMI is not a group of churches, it is simply a team of individuals, and so a local church cannot ‘join’ NCMI, They can, however, relate to NCMI as an Apostolic/Prophetic team. When the leadership of a local church chooses to pursue a relationship with NCMI there is no formal membership that they need to sign up for, and no common constitution that has to be adhered to.

Relationship with the NCMI team remains an entirely voluntary partnership in the work of the Kingdom. Our desire is that this relationship grows into a true friendship that is reflected in the sharing of mutual interests and beliefs, a trust in one another, and a commitment to one another that grows with time and with the intimacy of fellowship.

We believe that friendship comes before function, but our desire is that we find a healthy expression of the function of this relationship as well. To this end, the teams build actively into the churches that relate to NCMI, and churches join with NCMI in the work of discipling the nations. It is our privilege to help envision, train, and mature the Body of Christ and to provide opportunities for all believers to get personally involved in the work. 

To facilitate this, many events are arranged around the world during each year. In many countries, there are weekly or bimonthly get-togethers of pastors, periodic training seminars, mini-retreats and city celebrations. The fellow elders and emerging leaders in relating churches are warmly invited and encouraged to attend and participate freely in these events.

National week-long Leadership Training Times (LTTs) are also arranged each year with different team members leading sessions. In 2003, LTTs in 26 locations internationally were planned. In 2004, 31 have been scheduled. These times together are purposefully structured to give those attending time to interact with each other between sessions, or at the end of the day over a meal or coffee.

The relationship established with the NCMI team should be `primary’ in nature, but it is not `exclusive’. Relationships with other ministries and church groupings are encouraged, but a primary relationship with NCMI does imply that a voluntary and mutual accountability is pursued with NCMI that is not given to any other group. 

Here is a summary of our position with regard to our partnership with local churches:

• We take the position that Scripture does not support man-made divisions in the Church and that the Body of Christ should be recognized and defined as one single entity. This does not imply a rejection of those who have chosen to express the Church through denomination, only a difference in our ecclesiology. It does, however, imply that if you are a believer, there is one sense in which we are already joined to you and you to us.
• We also believe that the New Testament patterns for Church life and structure are organic rather than organisational. Consequently, we have chosen not to set up a headquarters, hierarchies, executives, superintendents, or anything else within the NCMI team that we would consider to be an extra-Biblical institution.
• We see the Church as local and the work as trans-local. Trans-local teams enable local churches to link responsibly and effectively with others in doing the work of the Kingdom.
• Our position can easily be misunderstood. We, above all others, know that we do not have all the truth and have lots to learn. We humbly recognize we are but a part of the whole of what God is doing, and that we ourselves are continually discovering His ways and learning to apply them.
• A local church cannot ‘join our denomination’ because we are not one. They can, however, choose to partner with us in the work of God’s Kingdom. The nature of this partnership is a relationship that is founded on friendship, is worked out as we function together, and is focused on discipling the nations.
• Not everyone will agree with this ecclesiology, but we have a commitment to be as faithful to the Scriptures as we know how. Those who find that they agree with us, and wish to embrace the same ecclesiology, are welcome to become a part of what we (together with those who have already linked with NCMI) are doing to fulfil the mandate of God to the Church.

How to go about becoming a part of what we are doing

• To begin with, be sure that you embrace a similar vision and similar values to that of the NCMI team?
• If so, and you wish to relate to the NCMI team, let us know.
• Then, come and work out that relationship as you do the work with us.

What does ‘doing the work with us’ entail?

You and the people you lead are a vital cog in the ‘bringing in’ of the Kingdom. 

We believe in team and team effort to fulfil Christ’s call to disciple the nations. Through our corporate involvement, we will be flowing together in unity in that work. We will be pooling our manpower and resources and speeding up the completion of our mandate and call. 

Here are four things that you can do with us:

A. Build relationship with the team.  

Start by getting involved with events that the team are at or are leading, and involve the people you lead in those events that are appropriate for them to participate in.

• Be at what we do in your city or region and, where practically possible, what we do internationally. Encourage the people you lead to be at the city celebrations that take place in your region.
• Join with the short-term teams that go into various parts of the world for outreach, prayer walks and training in support of relating churches. This will enable us all to accomplish more.
• Plan to attend at least one of the Leadership Training Times every year and encourage all your leaders and potential leaders to do so too.

B. Make your resources available to the wider work.

• Your contribution, whatever its form, remains voluntary and will never be required.
• By making both finance and other resources available to this corporate vision, we are able to do far more than we would if each worked on their own.
• Our corporate vision to disciple the nations does require funding. Travel and events such as leadership training, city celebrations, and the annual Leadership Training Times are activities that involve substantial expenses.
• Funds are also used for needs such as supporting ministry into the poorer third world countries.

C. Release your people so that together we can make a difference.

• Releasing our people into the work of the Kingdom and being willing to ’sow’ our best is Biblical. It is an important part of God’s prescribed way for getting the job done.
• His mandate to disciple the nations is given to the whole Church (the whole priesthood), not just to leadership.
• This requires that leadership hear the heart of God and “let His people go.” When we do, we release a full expression of the `priesthood of all believers’. This is vital to the completion of God’s evangelistic purposes for this world. Our encouragement is that leaders do not allow issues such as insecurity, feeling threatened, and a lack of faith, to cause them to hold onto, stunt, or smother their people. 

D. Pray for all nations.

• Pray, by name, with us for the NCMI team, other local churches and for church planting

In Conclusion 

The local church is God’s ordained vehicle for accomplishing His work on the earth, but not local churches in isolation or in man made structures. He has revealed a pattern in the New Testament that is actually quite simple. It is a pattern of local churches in relationship with trans-local, Apostolic/Prophetic teams that can help to build the Church on God’s desired foundation and according to His revealed patterns. 

Trans-local teams impart the vision and help to provide the means to accomplish something that is greater than just a local vision. By doing things together, we afford people opportunities “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth,” – Acts 1:8 (NIV). Together we will get the work of the Kingdom done and so prepare for the coming of the King.