Tucumán Manifest or Accords

The Tucuman Manifest was drafted during an event called Encuentro 2020 held during the first weeks of January in Tucuman Argentina. Tucuman is also the location of the drafting and signing of the Manifest of Independence for the Nation of Argentina July 9th 1816 declaring their freedom from slavery and oppression to foreign powers.

“We, who are present here, servants of Jesus Christ and members of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ are gathered in Tucuman, Argentina with the desire to come together representing the organic and simple expression of the whole body of Christ in Argentina.

Understanding that the times in which we live are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and that these represent a challenge for the communities of disciples not only of Argentina, but of the world; we want to be like the sons of Issachar  who had an “Understanding and  discerning of the times … who knew what the people should do … and whose sayings were followed by all their brothers” (1 Chronicles 12:32)

We agree that:

1. Although we use the terms “Simple or Organic Church,” we do not believe in name or denomination since we are His church, the Body of Christ on earth.

2. We affirm our right and privilege to be a church at all times, in all places and ways, without necessarily being tied to meetings, days, buildings, people or organizations.

3. We declare that the Body of Christ is nothing other than a community of disciples who love each other. It is the family of God.

4. We understand that the only way to manifest Christ is to embody the principles of the Kingdom in a society who is as fed up with religion as are hungry for love.

5. We see evangelism as part of discipleship and understand doing it in a natural and relational way with each person and whom God brings to our circles of relationships.

6. We accept as a brother everyone who has confessed that Jesus Christ has risen, and we baptize him promptly in a simple and public way, even if this is witnessed by only two or three brothers.

7. We believe in the Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, His individual and community Lordship.

8. We understand that God has given all gifts to His church to be exercised every day and everywhere according to His will.

9. We believe in the universal priesthood of every believer expressed in the dynamics of serving one another.

10. We seek to participate of the Supper of the Lord in our meetings, often in the context of a real meal, making time to break bread and remember what He did for us.

11. We recognize that God has left brothers among us, with spiritual authority recognized by the communities of disciples and that this spiritual authority is never positional or hierarchical, but functional, far from any titles or names.

12. We interpret the Scriptures as a word from God given to reveal the Lord. We recognize that the only “sound doctrine” is that which produces a healthy life full of joy and peace. The best exegesis is that which leads us to daily obedience to the voice of Christ through the Holy Spirit and to a full mature knowledge of God.

13. We also believe that God continues to speak His word to his people individually and communally through the Holy Spirit and that once interpreted and confirmed by the Body of Christ it is our final authority, thus constituting his Body into an interpretive community capable of discerning His will in specific situations.

14. We understand that Jesus Christ did not send us to plant churches but to make disciples and that indigenous, autonomous and interdependent communities will emerge in that process.

15. We affirm that the “Missio Dei”, the mission of God is the mission of the church.

We can see God the Father sending the Son, then God the Father and the Son sending the Spirit, and finally in another movement of His love toward humanity: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit sending the church into the world.

Therefore, the mission is the love of God moving towards people to reach and disciple them through His church.

We conclude that the church is not the end of God’s mission, it is the means towards an end. The church exists because there is mission, not vice versa.

“In view of all these truths and in order to preserve them, for the health and freedom of the body of Christ, having considered the weaknesses and strengths as well as the threats and opportunities that the church faces in these difficult times, we It seemed appropriate to convene this meeting and recognize ourselves as simple interdependent communities in Argentina and wherever it seems.

Therefore, we manifest these liberating truths and commit ourselves faithfully to serve each other in love and work together for the body of Christ and the mission of God on earth.

We do it for us, for our children and for generations to come until Christ returns”

“Today, January 11, 2020 gathered in the Province of Tucuman, Argentina here, representatives of simple churches that meet in the cities of Tucuman, Salta, Mendoza and Rosario, (Argentina) and in Jacksonville (United States), and with the duty to represent the organic and simple expression of the whole body of Christ in Argentina we signed this manifesto ”

Drafted by Dr. Ruben Alaniz from Tucuman Argentina, organizer of the event.

In the Spirit of love and inclusiveness the meetings were open to all. Present also were two institutional leaders, one a Baptist pastor (Buenos Aires) and a Lutheran Priest (Salta) who were interested in participating in the dialogue and learning more about what the Lord is doing in His Church.

We share this Manifest in hopes that it will speak to His Body everywhere and help us come together in The Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With this Manifest we do not claim complete understanding or having arrived at the perfect doctrinal stance. We are on a Journey together to know Him and wanted to share our observations along the way with the Global Family of Christ.

Much love,

Jose L Bosque

In Spanish https://www.iglesiaorganica.com/2020/01/16/manifiesto-de-tucuman-argentina-a-la-iglesia-del-senor/