Making Spiritual Progress (Volume Four): Making Spiritual Progress, #10

By Zacharias Tanee Fomum

Making Spiritual Progress (Volume 4) is a series of messages given during the teaching ministry of the church in Yaounde (Cameroon) between 1985 and 1986.

In this book, Zacharias Tanee Fomum, in his exhaustive study of the Bible and a lifetime of labour in the Lord, is very clear on the following three broad subjects:

The problem with denominational systems, 

Fellowship in the Body of Christ, and

The Local Church.

He quotes extensively from Watchman Nee, who believes that there is but one Body of Christ in the universe, with some of its members found in the denominational systems.

The obvious question that arises is: From the multitude of organisations that call themselves churches today, of which church should we be a part? You will find the answer to this question in this book.

The book equally discusses God's Universal Church in relation with the local church. It delves into their establishment, membership, fellowship, functioning and leadership. It also examines the relationship between local churches.

In this book, Professor Fomum specifically describes what the Church is and what it isn't. He covers a lot on apostolic work, the form for local churches and how the roles of elders, deacons, apostles, and others fit in the church.

We prayerfully and emphatically encourage every Christian, who has ever wondered what the Body of Christ is, and why there are so many different "churches" today, to read this book. May the Lord grant you a vision of His Body, and help you enter into deep fellowship both with Him and with His people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books4revival
• Release date: Apr 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781502296801

Zacharias Tanee Fomum

For FREE books from Zacharias Tanee Fomum: https://books.bookfunnel.com/ztf-free-ebooks. Professor Zacharias Tanee FOMUM was a man of uncommon spirituality, a leading voice for revival, a workaholic, a prophet-teacher, and a world-shaping spiritual genius. He was a bestselling Christian author (with over 350 books, over 10 million copies in circulation in over 100 languages) and a professor of Organic Chemistry (with over 160 published scientific works of high distinction (earning him the award of a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Durham, Great Britain). His books and the millions of people he influenced in more than 40 years of Christian ministry continue to impact the world with the Gospel today. He founded Christian Missionary Fellowship International (CMFI), a missionary movement that has planted churches in more than 120 nations on all continents. He believed in a life of simplicity and with the support and dedication of his wife and their seven children, his all—time, money, heart, and soul— was dedicated to spreading the Gospel. He carried out exploits for God through the making of disciples for Christ, planting of churches, building spiritual leaders according to the model of the Bible, and serving the body of Christ, especially as a teacher on prayer. Learn more and read exclusive excerpts at: https://ztfomum.org

Book preview

Making Spiritual Progress (Volume Four)

MAKING SPIRITUAL PROGRESS (VOLUME FOUR)

Fellowship in the Body of Christ—Two

MAKING SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

BOOK 10

ZACHARIAS TANEE FOMUM

Books4Revival

Copyright © 2008 by Zacharias Tanee Fomum

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Unless otherwise stated, the Bible quotations in this book are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, Collins' Clear Type Press, 1971.

Published by

A division of the Book Ministry of Christian Missionary Fellowship International

[e-mail]

CONTENTS

Preface

1. Fellowship in the Body of Christ—1

1. Members one of another

2. The indispensability of individual members

3. Individual members and ministry gifts

4. Flocking together

5. Across denominational barriers

6. The indispensable separation—1

7. The indispensable separation—2

2. Fellowship in the Body of Christ—2

1. Christian unity—1

2. The pathway to christian unity

3. The need for revelation

4. All who are in Christ are in the Body

5. Compatible commitment to the lord and fellowship—1

6. Compatible commitment to the lord and fellowship—2

3. God Appoints in the Body of Christ

1. God appoints in the Body—1

2. God appoints in the Body—2

3. The appointments of man

4. God appoints in the Body—3

5. Stick to your God-appointed position—1

4. Fellowship in the Body of Christ—3

1. The involvement of the members

2. The role of the parts

3. Gifts and functions in the Body

4. Each one in the body has at least one gift or more

5. Stick to your God-appointed position—2

6. Spiritual versus carnal authority—1

7. Spiritual versus carnal authority—2

8. The reward

9. Sent by God

5. Fellowship in the Body of Christ—4

1. Christian unity—2

2. Separation from the world

3. Separation from lifeless religious systems—1

4. Separation from lifeless religious systems—2

6. The Problem with Denominational Systems—1

1. What is wrong with denominationalism?—1

2. What is wrong with denominationalism?—2

3. What is wrong with denominationalism?—3

4. What is wrong with denominationalism?—4

5. What is wrong with denominationalism?—5

7. The Problem with Denominational Systems—2

1. Characteristic marks of a denomination

2. Denominationalism and fame

3. Denominations and individual ministries

4. Denominations and new light

5. Denominations and titles—1

6. Denominations and titles—2

8. The Answer to the Problem of Denominations

1. A word from H. L. Heijkoop

2. A word from Watchman Nee

3. Separation: a must!

4. Changing denominations

5. House churches

9. Leadership in the Local Church

1. The office of elders—1

2. The office of elders—2

3. Apostles: the sent-out ones

4. The apostleship of paul and peter

5. One local church, one body of elders

6. The lifespan of a ministry

7. From public to a ministry in seclusion

8. The finished work of individual ministers

9. The church and the work

10. The Establishment of Local Churches

1. The establishment of local churches—1

2. The establishment of local churches—2

3. The establishment of local churches—3

4. The establishment of local churches—4

5. The autonomy of local churches

11. The Finances of the Local Church

1. The source of local church money

2. The use of local church money

3. The poor in Jerusalem

4. The needs of the apostle

5. The use of ministry money

6. Undue pressure for money

7. Financing the projects of a local church

8. Foreign funds

9. A word from personal testimony

12. Relationship Between Local Churches

1. Fellowship between local churches

2. Financial dealings between local churches

3. Doctrinal matters and local churches

4. Stick to the local church!

Back Matters

Notes

PREFACE

Spiritual progress involves knowing and occupying one’s position and function in the Body of Christ. Making use of vivid instances from the New Testament and from the contemporary society, the author, in this volume, expatiates on the ideal fellowship in the Body of Christ as opposed to the confusion going on in the thousands of denominational systems dotted all over the globe.

Discoursing on topics such as:

Fellowship in the Body of Christ,

The problem with denominational systems,

The answer to the problem of denominations,

The finances of the local church, and others,

Professor Fomum paints a crystal-clear picture of the difference between the God-ordained local church and a religious system, and so inspires the faithful member of the local church to separate himself from denominations and stick to their God-appointed positions and functions. By so doing, he will satisfy the heart of their Lord.

The content of this book is a part of the teaching ministry of the church in Yaounde between 1985 and 1986. The messages in the present form have been copied from cassette recordings.

This volume carries a total of twelve messages. We pray that as you read them, you might be blessed and enter into deep fellowship both with the Lord and with His people.

We send this book out with prayer that after reading, readers would seek and find their positions and functions in the Body, and function therein increasingly unto the return of the Lord Jesus—their rewarder.

God bless you.

18 August, 2008

Zacharias Tanee Fomum,

P. O. Box 6090 Yaounde,

Cameroon

1

FELLOWSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST—1

1. MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER

It is the desire of the Lord that there be fellowship among the members of His Body. First of all, the fact that believers are one makes fellowship compulsory. The Bible says,

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ (I Corinthians 12:12).

Again we read,

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honourable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:14-30, RSV).

In Romans 12: 3-18, the same thinking runs through:

For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.

Every member of the body is indispensable. You may neglect some part of your body, but if there is some pain there, then you will know how important it is. You will not sleep and have a good time when that negligible part is in pain. Should the mouth boast of its importance because all the food passes through it? What if in jealousy against the mouth the nose decides not to function? The eye may say, Without me there is no seeing. True, but if the ear did not hear for the eye, seeing would be totally unsatisfactory. No part of the body is to be neglected. Do you imagine how one would look like without the eyelids?

2. THE INDISPENSABILITY OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

Have you realised that you are indispensable? In Christ, you are very important. Even if you are not the preacher, you remain critically important. If everybody were a preacher, who would listen? If such were the case, preaching would be the ugliest business on earth. Mr. Preacher, have you ever thanked God for the privilege of having an audience? If not, your message will boil up inside you and possibly kill you. It is a privilege to have an audience.

If you think that you are useless, it tells me that you are very useful. The Bible says that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honourable, we invest with the greater honour, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. The Body