Recovering the Biblical Model Jesus promised to build His church and even the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He never intended that we should be the builders but He does use us. There are many discouraged pastors and leaders. The world has neither serious regard nor understanding of what the local church is to be. This book is an attempt to share some of the lessons and discoveries from forty-five years of pastoral ministry. My heart's desire is to encourage small and medium size church pastors and leaders who are tempted to feel insignificant in face of the awesome challenge. Most understand the purposes of the local churches. Programs for the churches abound. The key element, and central to this book, are these principles of church life in the New Testament. 1. Headship 2. Fellowship 3. Interaction 4. Integration 5. Gifts of the Spirit 6. Discipline 7. Commitment Donald Burnett entered the pastoral ministry as a student with two Methodist churches in 1960 at the age of twenty-two. He served several Methodist churches in Kentucky and South Carolina. He and his wife Loretta moved to Columbia SC in 1972 to plant a new non-denominational church. They continued at St. Andrews Evangelical for thirty-three years before retiring in 2005. They have two children, Don Jr. who is now pastor of St. Andrews, and Becky who is a church-planting missionary with TEAM in Italy. Burnett has been an adjunct professor at Columbia International University, SC state president of NAE, led weekly Bible studies in the governor's office for seven years and was presented the Order of the Palmetto from the governor.