The Evangel Dean Basic Training Resource Handbook

24 • T HE E VANGEL D EAN B ASIC T RAINING R ESOURCE H ANDBOOK

C. Rooted in the Scriptures (The Authoritative Tradition)

1. Church Planters who love the Rabbi’s Teaching (cf. John 8.31-32)

2. Discern the negotiable from the non-negotiable by relying on three levels of tradition

a. The Authoritative Tradition (the principle of apostolicity), found in canonical Scripture

b. The Great Tradition (the consensus embodied and defended in the historic orthodox Christian communion)

c. Specific Church Traditions whose theology and practice testify consistently to the Great Tradition of the Church

D. Rooted in the Great Tradition: Sacred Roots

1. What has been believed everywhere, always, by all (Vincent of Lerins, 5th century)

2. As summarized in the Nicene Creed (AD 381)

a. It summarizes the Story of God. 2

b. It is critical for establishing new believers and developing urban Christian leaders 3 [248−49].

c. Its role in training urban church plant team leaders [249−52].

E. Rooted in a wide variety of specific church traditions (interdenominational)

1. Welcomes a wide variety of Nicene church traditions

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2 Don Davis, Sacred Roots: A Primer on Retrieving the Great Tradition . Wichita, KS: The Urban Ministry Institute, 2010. p. 97–100.

3 Don L. Davis, ed., “Creedal Theology as a Blueprint for Discipleship and Leadership: A Time Tested Criterion for Equipping New Believers and Developing Indigenous Leaders,” in Planting Churches among the City’s Poor: An Anthology of Urban Church Planting Resources, Vol. 1 . Wichita, KS: TUMI Press, 2015. pp. 241−52.