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Scattered through the New Testament are scriptures that explain the church is the people of God, the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 16:5, Ephesians 1:22-23, 1 Peter 2:9.)
In one of his C3 leaders meetings, Pringle teaches his leaders that the church and the kingdom of God are two different things. He explains that the church is an organisation.
Pringle builds on this and teaches that church members live in the church and disciples live in the kingdom.
Can anyone explain where on earth Pringle got this teaching from? Is this is a holdover from Catholicism? What scriptures does he use to prove such absurd teaching?
An Enigmatic Messy Message
In the below video, C3 members will lay claim that the church is family; “the gateway to heaven”; “the place where Christ is”; “where his people are”; “an exhilarating experience”; “a real place where we gather together to worship”; “a God thing”; “not just a building – it’s us as people”; “His house”; “His strength”; “home”; and others, some implying that the church is either a gathering or specifically the C3 church or movement.
Could Pringle’s faulty fundamental doctrines explain why Pringle’s church members said what they said in this video?
While the video may be heavily edited, is it not concerning that the greater global body of believers isn’t recognised in this clip? Should it be concerning that Phil Pringle is teaching his leaders flawed fundamentals?
And he got his ‘doctorate’ how?
C3 Church Watch 
I think his point was that it’s more desirable to be a disciple, and that’s what God calls us to be. So you can have a choice to just sit back and observe the service and be a “church member” (who goes out and abuses grace during the week and does whatever they please and be a hypocrite) or you can be a disciple of Christ – follow His teachings, actively being involved in church, and make
disciples of others, and this is the kingdom of God. Maybe the way he’s communicating it isn’t heaps obvious, but I think he’s kinda saying that people look @ church two ways – as an institution/building, or as the kingdom
of God. And he’s saying it’s better to look at church and fellow believers NOT just as a building, but as the kingdom of God.
“I think his point was […]”
There’s your first problem right there.
If someone is preaching under the unction of the Holy Spirit, it is *NOT* their point that is being made, it is rather *GOD’s* point.
“[…] you can be a disciple of Christ – follow His teachings, actively being involved in church […]”
There’s your second problem.
Following Christ’s teachings and being actively involved in church does *NOT* make someone a disciple – it makes them religious. A disciple is someone who is in Christ and who yields to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
“Maybe the way he’s communicating it isn’t heaps obvious […]”
There’s your third problem.
If Phil is such a “gifted communicator”, then why isn’t it “heaps obvious”? And, more to the point, do you think that preaching that comes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is ever ambiguous or unclear?
“And [Phil’s] saying it’s better to look at church and fellow believers NOT just as a building”
There’s your fourth problem.
Why does Phil refer to the building as “God’s house”? Why does he call the building a “gate of heaven”? Why does he treat it like it is the temple, and we are all still stuck in the Old Testament? (Is it so he can demand that people pay what he calls “tithes”?).
It appears that you haven’t thought things through very well – you should take care that you don’t end up as theologically confused as Phil is.
It’s the people who don’t read their Bibles, don’t listen to the Holy Spirit, and don’t think that make the Phil Pringles of this world rich. And believe me, the money is better off in your pocket than it is in his.
“I think he’s kinda saying that people look @ church two ways – as an institution/building”
if you read Pringle’s books and hear other sermons, he often refers or suggests that the church is the institution or organisation. the above video’s demonstrate very effectively his doctrinal views on this matter.
I’m a current c3 college student. Half the college doesn’t have c3 OF (or any C3 church for that matter) as their home church. In fact, they’re encouraged to attend their own churches and their practical ministry hours are to be carried out at their home church. Before we broke for the holidays Phil sat us all down and talked to us about becoming disciples and how you can’t just go out and sin and do whatever you want, even a little “dabbling” here and there with sin can lead you into a world of misery and take you off track. You have to pick up your cross and follow Jesus and it’s not an easy life. Stuff we all know. In Brett Barclay’s “New testament survey” class at C3 college he plainly teaches (and highlights with scriptures) that you do NOT have to tithe for God to provide for you. This class is taped. I’ve had friends who have gotten sick and can’t pay their bills or groceries And pastors at C3 have supported them financially, and personally when I was suffering with suicidal thoughts I had pastors drop everything ad atten to me and never ask for a dime.
Your definition of “disciple” is also incorrect. It is someone who makes a disciple out of another Christian. All throughout the OT And NT we see small groups getting together (incl. Obviously the 12 disciples) and one of the first thing they did was actually go out and baptist people with water in the spirit. This is what I meant when I talked about “getting involved in church rather than being a spectator”; I wasn’t speaking of religious duty as you suggested. Also, when I said “I think what Phil meant” I did not mean that what Phil Pringle says is gospel, or
that it’s from God’s mouth…It’s like you just picked out a few words and are arguing semantics. To be a disciple and to make disciples out of the nations is The Great Commission. Are you familiar with the Great Commission? Of course, we are also required to
just love God and to love our neighbours as ourselves. The two greatest commandments. You can do as much or as little as you like. God is love. Out of the overflow of that love you will make disciples with no religious effort, almost by accident.