"What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification." (1 Cor. 14:26, HCSB).
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers" (Acts 2:42, HCSB).
Everyone is welcome to come as they are; however, not expecting to stay that way--no perfect people need to apply!
The church, as one of three divine institutions (along with family and government), has what's called sphere sovereignty or authority in its rightful domain which shouldn't be usurped by other institutions (role reversal or switching). Operating in its place, the church has the authority to salvage the soul through the preaching of the gospel; however, Christians have not sanitized the self or society but aim to save and salvage them respectively. The church must not concede everything away and let secularism win by default or neglect. "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph," according to Edmund Burke, "is for good men to do nothing!" We have an inherent, intrinsic duty as the children of God to render unto Caesar our civic duty in whatever capacity we can (cf. Mark 12:17). That's why Jesus called us salt and light in the lost world (cf. Matt. 5:13-14) that lies under the dominion and authority of Satan (cf. 1 John 5:19).
But if the salt loses it's preserving element or saltiness, the society will suffer consequently. That's why we must beware lest heresy and false teachers creep in (cf. Jude v. 4) and manipulate the church in the wrong direction, and even by their charisma (which can lead to a personality cult). We must acknowledge the church being the stabilizer and anchor, or moral fiber and conscience of society and a positive influence for good in the face and presence of evil. We all have a part and this is our mission to the world, sometimes referred to as the so-called "social commission," which has not been rescinded. Anything less is defined as a dysfunctional church.
The church has multiple ministries (prophetic, sacramental, disciplinary, and pastoral) to be completed in Christ by the application of the power of the Spirit at work in the believers. All the various gifts are exercised only in the living church and to the benefit of the body, chosen severally as the Spirit wills (cf. 1 Cor. 12:18), to His divine purpose. In short, "mission" is to the lost, ministry to the saved. We must edify or build each other up and be faithful to complete the ministry given us. Jesus didn't definitively say how many members would comprise a church but did declare that, wherever two or three are gathered in His name, that He is present. The church basically is present when the gifts of the Spirit function as a unit or whole, giving members the opportunity to grow in their faith, being equipped to spread the Word and edify others. We all have a roll and are part of the "family" and should be committed and dedicated in that sense. We have a place to belong, grow, and become what we are meant to be.
This is what a church service should be. It is imperative we attend church (cf. Heb. 10:25) to achieve spiritual checkups and take spiritual inventory, lest we drift away by becoming rogue believers, lone wolves, or Lone Ranger Christians. Some would call the singing portion the worship, but it's all worship to God because it's dedicated to serving God in various capacities. Giving is worship, heeding the sermon or message is too; however, we don't just go to church to listen to preaching. It must be sound in doctrine and in spirit (cf. John 4:24). The main focus should be to equip the saints for the great completion of the Great Commission, which is not a suggestion, but a mandate. There is no "one-size-fits-all" for worship and we all have different tastes, traditions, customs, maturities, and backgrounds that determine our choices. It's vital that all believers realize their gift (cf. 1 Cor. 12:1) and place in the kingdom of God manifest in the church. The ultimate purpose is for the flock to attain maturity (Eph. 4:13) in Christ and have a foundation to "rightly divide the Word of God" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15, KJV) and not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (cf. Eph. 4: 14). Christians are learners or disciples and must realize that this is a perpetual state and we never "arrive" (cf. Phil. 3:12) when we know it all and can rest on our laurels (cf. Phil. 3:14).
And so the function of the local church is five-fold summarized in the two greatest commandments, and the Great Commission: We love God with all our heart (worship); we love our neighbor (social and gospel mission to the lost and needy--not just "turning stones into bread," or do-goodery); we make disciples (evangelism to lost, even in church); baptize (fellowship, sharing, friendship, service, and family orientation), and teach (preaching of the Word, ministry of gifts, "discipling," mentoring, or edifying). That's why some say that the "great Christian is one who has a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission," according to Rick Warren.
We all are given the opportunity to serve God and our fellow man and are put on earth and in the church to make a contribution! The church has a designated purpose and a place and opportunity for everyone to serve. There ought to be a place for everyone to grow! We can now see that the purpose of the church is to be conduits of grace by demonstrating faith through love in action, not just preaching it. Caveat: The church is to be semper reformanda, or always reforming, and never is without error or corners the market on truth. Soli Deo Gloria!
About Me
- Karl Broberg
- I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.
Showing posts with label ecclesiology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ecclesiology. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
The Successful Church
This topic is problematic because everyone has their own idea or definition of success, and it isn't always the opposite of failure--there is wiggle room or spiritual no-man's-land where it is not definitive either way, but only a value judgment call by subjective members or observers. Success doesn't necessarily imply numbers or high membership rolls, though this may be an element or sign of success, as it keeps a tally on the numbers in Acts, for instance, going from 120 in the upper room to 5,000.
Some megachurches are failures at being what a church body is meant to be--a family, an organism and not an organization, and an open door to the Great Commission. If it isn't in the process of fulfilling the marching orders of the Great Commission, it is a failure. Numbers is a byproduct when we aim to do God's will, not when we specialize in gathering "crowds."
We must be able to participate and interact with fellowship and service in the body according to our gifts, and not just observe others doing the work of ministry and mission on our behalf. We are all called to be ministers of reconciliation and to contribute according to our unique gift or gifts and not be passive, but active in the church. And that implies we don't worship by proxy or vicariously.
The purpose of the church is given in the Great Commission to evangelize, equip for ministry, and build up the body of Christ to fulfill the mission to the world. The onus and responsibility for the Great Commission aren't just the pastor's but shared by all--each with a different gift, but the same Spirit. The church's job description involves discipleship, worship, and fellowship, and even one-on-one mentors.
Only when the body is functional and not ultimately dependent on any ONE gifted teacher or preacher, that even might have the charisma or be celebrated, do we have a genuine church--we don't want to build cult-like followings or personality cults, based on the teaching of one individual, no matter how gifted. Some megachurches are just crowds and you can get lost in the shuffle going there, being completely incognito or unnoticed. One should always wonder what he or she can contribute to the church's ministry to the believer or mission to the lost.
The church is to be obedient to God's Word and not try to focus on being like the world at large, or be the "church of what's happening now." There are many fads that spread throughout the body and some churches don't think they are in tune with the times if they don't follow the latest thing.
How does a church grow? By the faithful preaching of the gospel, the power is in the gospel message and it should never get old to preach or to hear. Paul strove to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. The lost should be able to come to the church assembly and be convicted and find out the way of salvation--this is the raison d'etre of the church!
The church's function is twofold: pastoral and prophetic to the body, while its ministry is to them, its mission is to the world. They should have a relative message to the world and an edifying message for the believer. Prophecy entails interpreting the times and making people aware of what's going on in the world, not foretelling, but forthtelling. This is because the church is the "pillar and ground of truth," according to 1 Tim. 3:15 (and all truth, according to Augustine, is God's truth), and Christians are to be the salt and light in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19).
Being faithful is more important in God's eyes than success in the eyes of the world; small churches can be successful because God can require some just to be faithful in little, according to their opportunities and gifts. The most important sign of a successful church is a church that is alive and vibrant and it is apparent that the Spirit is moving in the body and speaks through the preachers with edification. Jesus severely rebuked the church of Laodicea for being "lukewarm" or lackluster and lackadaisical in their worship, which was tepid and lacked spirit--We must worship "in spirit" (cf. John 4:24): "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
If people confess that they met God or that they sensed the moving of the Spirit during worship, God is alive in that church--there are many a moribund church that needs revival, on the other hand. If the individual members are healthy and walking with the Lord, the byproduct will be a healthy church. We want to be careful that we don't get so seeker-sensitive that people become converted to the program, instead of converted to Christ.
Don't ever lose track of keeping the main thing the main thing, our fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is why the social gospel is a misnomer, and we are not to turn stones into bread, to use metaphoric language. The church is in the business of changing lives through Jesus Christ and doing it one person at a time, and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. and no perfect people need to apply.
Samuel said to Saul that "to obey was better than sacrifice" (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22f) and this means avoiding the Dance of the Pious or going through the motions. There are too many Christians "playing church" and even see it solely as a social event and/or opportunity to make friends. We are to obey in spirit and in truth and according to the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, as in legalism. God is still looking for that church willing to do His will--trust and obey. This can only be done when believers realize their duty doesn't end at church attendance; which is one of the biggest misconceptions in the body. Caveat: the church should never get complacent and feel it's arrived at success--there's always room for improvement; perfection is the standard, the direction is the test.
The purpose of the church is manifold and is accomplished corporately and to be done as a family united in Christ: The mission of the Great Commission consists of a mission to the outsider or lost (evangelism), discipleship of members and attendees of the corporate body, and ministry or exercise of the gifts (including preaching or pastoral/prophetic gifts) to the church body, while observing the Great Commandment that necessitates worship of God (loving God) and mission to the lost (loving our neighbor) or what's called turning stones into bread, but not without keeping the main thing the main thing and eyes off the mission, for without vision (i.e., the mission statement or goal) the people perish (cf. Prov. 29:18). It has been well said that a great Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment., which define the fivefold function of the church (worship, mission, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism). Soli Deo Gloria!
Some megachurches are failures at being what a church body is meant to be--a family, an organism and not an organization, and an open door to the Great Commission. If it isn't in the process of fulfilling the marching orders of the Great Commission, it is a failure. Numbers is a byproduct when we aim to do God's will, not when we specialize in gathering "crowds."
We must be able to participate and interact with fellowship and service in the body according to our gifts, and not just observe others doing the work of ministry and mission on our behalf. We are all called to be ministers of reconciliation and to contribute according to our unique gift or gifts and not be passive, but active in the church. And that implies we don't worship by proxy or vicariously.
The purpose of the church is given in the Great Commission to evangelize, equip for ministry, and build up the body of Christ to fulfill the mission to the world. The onus and responsibility for the Great Commission aren't just the pastor's but shared by all--each with a different gift, but the same Spirit. The church's job description involves discipleship, worship, and fellowship, and even one-on-one mentors.
Only when the body is functional and not ultimately dependent on any ONE gifted teacher or preacher, that even might have the charisma or be celebrated, do we have a genuine church--we don't want to build cult-like followings or personality cults, based on the teaching of one individual, no matter how gifted. Some megachurches are just crowds and you can get lost in the shuffle going there, being completely incognito or unnoticed. One should always wonder what he or she can contribute to the church's ministry to the believer or mission to the lost.
The church is to be obedient to God's Word and not try to focus on being like the world at large, or be the "church of what's happening now." There are many fads that spread throughout the body and some churches don't think they are in tune with the times if they don't follow the latest thing.
How does a church grow? By the faithful preaching of the gospel, the power is in the gospel message and it should never get old to preach or to hear. Paul strove to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. The lost should be able to come to the church assembly and be convicted and find out the way of salvation--this is the raison d'etre of the church!
The church's function is twofold: pastoral and prophetic to the body, while its ministry is to them, its mission is to the world. They should have a relative message to the world and an edifying message for the believer. Prophecy entails interpreting the times and making people aware of what's going on in the world, not foretelling, but forthtelling. This is because the church is the "pillar and ground of truth," according to 1 Tim. 3:15 (and all truth, according to Augustine, is God's truth), and Christians are to be the salt and light in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19).
Being faithful is more important in God's eyes than success in the eyes of the world; small churches can be successful because God can require some just to be faithful in little, according to their opportunities and gifts. The most important sign of a successful church is a church that is alive and vibrant and it is apparent that the Spirit is moving in the body and speaks through the preachers with edification. Jesus severely rebuked the church of Laodicea for being "lukewarm" or lackluster and lackadaisical in their worship, which was tepid and lacked spirit--We must worship "in spirit" (cf. John 4:24): "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
If people confess that they met God or that they sensed the moving of the Spirit during worship, God is alive in that church--there are many a moribund church that needs revival, on the other hand. If the individual members are healthy and walking with the Lord, the byproduct will be a healthy church. We want to be careful that we don't get so seeker-sensitive that people become converted to the program, instead of converted to Christ.
Don't ever lose track of keeping the main thing the main thing, our fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is why the social gospel is a misnomer, and we are not to turn stones into bread, to use metaphoric language. The church is in the business of changing lives through Jesus Christ and doing it one person at a time, and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. and no perfect people need to apply.
Samuel said to Saul that "to obey was better than sacrifice" (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22f) and this means avoiding the Dance of the Pious or going through the motions. There are too many Christians "playing church" and even see it solely as a social event and/or opportunity to make friends. We are to obey in spirit and in truth and according to the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, as in legalism. God is still looking for that church willing to do His will--trust and obey. This can only be done when believers realize their duty doesn't end at church attendance; which is one of the biggest misconceptions in the body. Caveat: the church should never get complacent and feel it's arrived at success--there's always room for improvement; perfection is the standard, the direction is the test.
The purpose of the church is manifold and is accomplished corporately and to be done as a family united in Christ: The mission of the Great Commission consists of a mission to the outsider or lost (evangelism), discipleship of members and attendees of the corporate body, and ministry or exercise of the gifts (including preaching or pastoral/prophetic gifts) to the church body, while observing the Great Commandment that necessitates worship of God (loving God) and mission to the lost (loving our neighbor) or what's called turning stones into bread, but not without keeping the main thing the main thing and eyes off the mission, for without vision (i.e., the mission statement or goal) the people perish (cf. Prov. 29:18). It has been well said that a great Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment., which define the fivefold function of the church (worship, mission, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism). Soli Deo Gloria!
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Getting Something Out Of Church
Most believers go to church for the wrong reason: For comfort; for fellowship; for making friends; for spreading their agenda or ministry; for music; for a sermon; ad infinitum. We may go to church for the wrong motive, but we ought, nevertheless, go: "Let us not abandon the assembling together of ourselves as is the manner of some (cf. Heb. 10:25), but encourage one another." Today, the typical Christian will die for a church he won't attend! God wants us to have the right motives, but can work with us even if our motives are wrong--He wants us in church and that is where we belong.
The church is an organism (a living entity) and not just an organization or a business run by some well-intentioned do-gooders. All the members need each other and no one has all the gifts necessary to make the body function. We all bring our gifts to share with the body or family we are part of and contribute as God has equipped us (cf. 1 Cor. 14:26). Our gifts are for the edification of the body, and not to be selfishly used for our own service or profits. We do not peddle the Word of God but make it available without price and without cost. Our ministry is to the body and in another vein, our mission is to the unchurched or unbeliever.
Someone might say, "I didn't get anything out of worship today!" That person went for the wrong intent and needs to examine his motives and heart and the doctrines pertaining to the church's raison d'etre. Christ established the church for the edification of the body and the dissemination of the gospel message to the world at large. The church's primary goal is to fulfill the Great Commission.
When you go to church do you feel better equipped to do that? You may need a spiritual workout or even a checkup!
Worship isn't passive, but active, it is contradictory to listen to worship because worship is giving and not receiving. It is an invitation to worship and an opportunity to prepare our hearts. And God has commanded all creation to worship its Creator and corporate worship can only be done in the assembly of believers known as the local church. There is a special presence of Christ when two or three are gathered together in His name.
The key to worship is surrender and the more one loves God, the more he has to give in worship--there must be a relationship there to build on. In God's economy, the way to be filled is to be emptied first! Some churches teach that there should be no holds barred in worship and everyone should feel free to be as spiritual as they are inclined to be and not inhibited or concerned about what others think, but the truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all worship service and everyone is at a different "stage" or phase, in there spiritual journey and walk in the Lord, and we cannot compare ourselves with each other. "Everything should be done decently and in order," (God is not the author of confusion).
Everything we do in church is worship: Singing spiritual songs and hymns; giving of our tithes and offerings; fellowshipping and reaching out to others; serving with our gift, and even listening to the sermon is worship! "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22).
We go to church to contribute something of our spiritual gift and to receive from other's gifts in exchange--it is mutual and we need each other; no one is an island to himself. We only get what we put into it and we shouldn't go unprepared, like showing up without any spiritual preparation or devotion. We all can minister to one another and reach out to those in need with our gift.
Finally, to get the most out of worship, we must empty ourselves, or stop dwelling on ourselves, and get our eyes on Jesus. The gateway is to focus on others and not be self-centered but reach out in love to one another. Emptying comes before filling, and being filled with the Spirit is imperative because worship is unnatural and we can only do it in Spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:24).
To conclude: We are to be active listeners: Listening with a purpose like we want to learn and be challenged. We don't go to church solely to hear a wonderful sermon and get uplifted, but that may be part of the equation of well-balanced church attendance. This may involve taking notes or discussing the sermons afterward--anything that reinforces it and it doesn't end up in oblivion after church. You will find that the more in the Word you are the more interesting you will find the sermons and the ability to follow them critically and positively. God commands our respect and attention, and it is sacrilegious to purposely be a distraction and cause others to lose focus on the message. Remember, God has anointed the minister and has something in mind for you to learn and apply directly to your life. Soli Deo Gloria!
The church is an organism (a living entity) and not just an organization or a business run by some well-intentioned do-gooders. All the members need each other and no one has all the gifts necessary to make the body function. We all bring our gifts to share with the body or family we are part of and contribute as God has equipped us (cf. 1 Cor. 14:26). Our gifts are for the edification of the body, and not to be selfishly used for our own service or profits. We do not peddle the Word of God but make it available without price and without cost. Our ministry is to the body and in another vein, our mission is to the unchurched or unbeliever.
Someone might say, "I didn't get anything out of worship today!" That person went for the wrong intent and needs to examine his motives and heart and the doctrines pertaining to the church's raison d'etre. Christ established the church for the edification of the body and the dissemination of the gospel message to the world at large. The church's primary goal is to fulfill the Great Commission.
When you go to church do you feel better equipped to do that? You may need a spiritual workout or even a checkup!
Worship isn't passive, but active, it is contradictory to listen to worship because worship is giving and not receiving. It is an invitation to worship and an opportunity to prepare our hearts. And God has commanded all creation to worship its Creator and corporate worship can only be done in the assembly of believers known as the local church. There is a special presence of Christ when two or three are gathered together in His name.
The key to worship is surrender and the more one loves God, the more he has to give in worship--there must be a relationship there to build on. In God's economy, the way to be filled is to be emptied first! Some churches teach that there should be no holds barred in worship and everyone should feel free to be as spiritual as they are inclined to be and not inhibited or concerned about what others think, but the truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all worship service and everyone is at a different "stage" or phase, in there spiritual journey and walk in the Lord, and we cannot compare ourselves with each other. "Everything should be done decently and in order," (God is not the author of confusion).
Everything we do in church is worship: Singing spiritual songs and hymns; giving of our tithes and offerings; fellowshipping and reaching out to others; serving with our gift, and even listening to the sermon is worship! "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22).
We go to church to contribute something of our spiritual gift and to receive from other's gifts in exchange--it is mutual and we need each other; no one is an island to himself. We only get what we put into it and we shouldn't go unprepared, like showing up without any spiritual preparation or devotion. We all can minister to one another and reach out to those in need with our gift.
Finally, to get the most out of worship, we must empty ourselves, or stop dwelling on ourselves, and get our eyes on Jesus. The gateway is to focus on others and not be self-centered but reach out in love to one another. Emptying comes before filling, and being filled with the Spirit is imperative because worship is unnatural and we can only do it in Spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:24).
To conclude: We are to be active listeners: Listening with a purpose like we want to learn and be challenged. We don't go to church solely to hear a wonderful sermon and get uplifted, but that may be part of the equation of well-balanced church attendance. This may involve taking notes or discussing the sermons afterward--anything that reinforces it and it doesn't end up in oblivion after church. You will find that the more in the Word you are the more interesting you will find the sermons and the ability to follow them critically and positively. God commands our respect and attention, and it is sacrilegious to purposely be a distraction and cause others to lose focus on the message. Remember, God has anointed the minister and has something in mind for you to learn and apply directly to your life. Soli Deo Gloria!
The Church Of What's Happening Now
Today's church is not really growing, in fact, it is in a state of decline, and what is happening is just a relocation of the saved from dying churches to ones tuned into the newest thing. We refer to this as The Church Of What's Happening Now! You may even find coffee bars selling lattes and bookstores! They may also be into self-promotion, marketing their ministry on the media and the church may be built upon one personality who has a reputation and this is akin to being a personality cult--especially if the pastor is "in charge" of the one-man show. Many churches are reverting to Catholicism in that the members don't search things out in a Berean style (cf. Acts 17:11), and accept the "authority" of the preacher much like the "cult of death" (i.e., The People's Temple) did to Jim Jones, who was said to speak the Word of God, so that you didn't even need a Bible in church anymore. What happened to the words of Martin Luther: "I dissent, I disagree, I protest?"
Why do you think we have church history to study? But to avoid the same mistakes and to build on the past, and also to keep that which is good (i.e., 1 Thess. 5:21, ESV, says, "[But] test everything, hold fast what is good"). A vibrant, living, and growing church has members who exercise their spiritual gifts and no one is self-sufficient or even thinks they don't need the body. The Reformers said that the church was to be Semper reformanda, or always reforming (there's always room for improvement). Our mindset never should alter from this focus of reformation. We should never think we've arrived, but we are to preserve the better part.
The church has been known to turn a deaf ear to what's going on politically, and the converse, to get overly involved in partisanship. The Bible is not a manual for government reform, but Christians should have a biblical worldview and not any secular one. When you leave God out of the reckoning disaster is sure to follow suit. Remember, the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and didn't stick up for rights and morality while they had the chance. The church is the salt and light of the nation and God uses it to dispense His grace. You can say a lot of things about the Roman Catholic Church, but they are more involved in outreach and dispensing mercy and good deeds than any other church. We are not just to minister to the spirit, but to the soul and body as well. Christ has no hands but ours to reach out to a lost world.
In the modern church, we see many who are "holier-than-thou" and have forgotten what it's like to have a relationship with Jesus. The only solution is to get into the Word see themselves for who they are and repent. Yes, repentance is not a one-time event, but progressive and we are to live in a state of repentance, just like we live in a state of faith. Living by faith and walking by faith is the only way to grow in Christ. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and get reacquainted with Him on a personal basis. Even seasoned believers can grow distant and become estranged. That's why we all need the body to give us regular spiritual checkups and to stay in sync with Christ. No one is an island, a lone wolf, a spiritual Lone Ranger, or a rock in God's eyes--we are all members one of another. Remember, one doesn't defect from Christ as a believer, but gradually slips away and before you know it, he's backslidden. As an example, he doesn't rebel against the church, but misses on occasion and gradually comes to the conclusion he can get along without it. "[Not] neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." (Heb. 10:25, ESV).
Today's mainstream Protestants are becoming apostates, buying into all the liberal worldview and agenda, even some are known as the Christian left, as opposed to the evangelical right. The evangelicals are soon becoming outnumbered and few truly independent churches exist. It is increasingly difficult to find a vibrant, growing fundamentalist church. Members are transferring from one church to another, and the net effect is zero on the church at large. Christendom is having little impact on the world because the world is having so much effect on the church.
This is where spiritual self-sufficiency or complacency gets a hold on a believer who falls away from fellowship--and this is precisely what Christ wants of us--us--i.e., to have fellowship with us. But we must open the door--Christians are the ones who've opened the door! There are believers who are out of fellowship, living in disobedience, but Jesus loves them and the proof of that is His discipline and rebuke. The verse in Revelation 3:20 primarily refers to unbelievers who need to repent and let Christ reign in their hearts, but it can be applied to believers to help them find the locus of their disillusionment or disenchantment with the church and with Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!
Why do you think we have church history to study? But to avoid the same mistakes and to build on the past, and also to keep that which is good (i.e., 1 Thess. 5:21, ESV, says, "[But] test everything, hold fast what is good"). A vibrant, living, and growing church has members who exercise their spiritual gifts and no one is self-sufficient or even thinks they don't need the body. The Reformers said that the church was to be Semper reformanda, or always reforming (there's always room for improvement). Our mindset never should alter from this focus of reformation. We should never think we've arrived, but we are to preserve the better part.
The church has been known to turn a deaf ear to what's going on politically, and the converse, to get overly involved in partisanship. The Bible is not a manual for government reform, but Christians should have a biblical worldview and not any secular one. When you leave God out of the reckoning disaster is sure to follow suit. Remember, the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and didn't stick up for rights and morality while they had the chance. The church is the salt and light of the nation and God uses it to dispense His grace. You can say a lot of things about the Roman Catholic Church, but they are more involved in outreach and dispensing mercy and good deeds than any other church. We are not just to minister to the spirit, but to the soul and body as well. Christ has no hands but ours to reach out to a lost world.
In the modern church, we see many who are "holier-than-thou" and have forgotten what it's like to have a relationship with Jesus. The only solution is to get into the Word see themselves for who they are and repent. Yes, repentance is not a one-time event, but progressive and we are to live in a state of repentance, just like we live in a state of faith. Living by faith and walking by faith is the only way to grow in Christ. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and get reacquainted with Him on a personal basis. Even seasoned believers can grow distant and become estranged. That's why we all need the body to give us regular spiritual checkups and to stay in sync with Christ. No one is an island, a lone wolf, a spiritual Lone Ranger, or a rock in God's eyes--we are all members one of another. Remember, one doesn't defect from Christ as a believer, but gradually slips away and before you know it, he's backslidden. As an example, he doesn't rebel against the church, but misses on occasion and gradually comes to the conclusion he can get along without it. "[Not] neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." (Heb. 10:25, ESV).
Today's mainstream Protestants are becoming apostates, buying into all the liberal worldview and agenda, even some are known as the Christian left, as opposed to the evangelical right. The evangelicals are soon becoming outnumbered and few truly independent churches exist. It is increasingly difficult to find a vibrant, growing fundamentalist church. Members are transferring from one church to another, and the net effect is zero on the church at large. Christendom is having little impact on the world because the world is having so much effect on the church.
This is where spiritual self-sufficiency or complacency gets a hold on a believer who falls away from fellowship--and this is precisely what Christ wants of us--us--i.e., to have fellowship with us. But we must open the door--Christians are the ones who've opened the door! There are believers who are out of fellowship, living in disobedience, but Jesus loves them and the proof of that is His discipline and rebuke. The verse in Revelation 3:20 primarily refers to unbelievers who need to repent and let Christ reign in their hearts, but it can be applied to believers to help them find the locus of their disillusionment or disenchantment with the church and with Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!
Friday, January 25, 2019
The Soul Of A Church
There is an ambiance to every church body that reveals the health and well-being of the body. The culture is the sum total of the individual attitudes and parts--the sum of the whole being greater than the sum of the individual parts separately--church bodies are organisms working together as a team and must be cooperative, not competitive. (It's a team effort and not a one-man band!) We are not to engage in the "let's compare" game. The church has five distinct purposes or reasons for existence: corporate and public worship as a unified body in Christ in the Spirit and in truth, fellowship in the sphere and orbits of family and friends in the body including attendees, discipleship of all believers, ministry to the church body and members or congregants, evangelism, outreach and mission to the lost.
Note that we all are to be engaged in each function and not to assume the clergy has sole responsibility. A mission is our work in the world to the lost--our outreach to the world at large, making Christ known. Our ministry is to each other as we exercise our spiritual gifts in the body, everybody part being essential to healthy growth. They separate gifts in the church work for a common mission and ministry in unity and being one in the Spirit.
We don't just attend church to be social or to get a spiritual high or lift. We go to share how the Lord is working in our lives and to get a regular spiritual workout or checkup. We need to periodically examine ourselves as can be done more appropriately in the company of fellow believers. We should enjoy our church family and even feel part of it as much as our biological one. We must realize our responsibilities to the body and be faithful in attending for the sake of those that may need our ministry and we are connected with. We ought to realize that if we really belong, we will be missed when absent.
The mature believer and congregant has realized his role in the body and finds fulfillment in reaching out of his comfort zone to bring life to the church. The meeting of the church is not a social function, but it is a family and one ought to feel like when what they say, "When you're here, you're family!" We should all feel at home and free to express ourselves just like the expression WYSIWYG or what you see is what you get! We ought to feel free to be our real spiritual selves in the church and to see God at work in the sanctuary. It is everyone's job description as it were to disciple newborn believers and to make them feel at home and welcome in the body.
We don't just attend church to be social or to get a spiritual high or lift. We go to share how the Lord is working in our lives and to get a regular spiritual workout or checkup. We need to periodically examine ourselves as can be done more appropriately in the company of fellow believers. We should enjoy our church family and even feel part of it as much as our biological one. We must realize our responsibilities to the body and be faithful in attending for the sake of those that may need our ministry and we are connected with. We ought to realize that if we really belong, we will be missed when absent.
The mature believer and congregant has realized his role in the body and finds fulfillment in reaching out of his comfort zone to bring life to the church. The meeting of the church is not a social function, but it is a family and one ought to feel like when what they say, "When you're here, you're family!" We should all feel at home and free to express ourselves just like the expression WYSIWYG or what you see is what you get! We ought to feel free to be our real spiritual selves in the church and to see God at work in the sanctuary. It is everyone's job description as it were to disciple newborn believers and to make them feel at home and welcome in the body.
Fellowship is vital to the growth and there is a difference between fellowship and small talk or exchanging pleasantries and niceties. We don't go to church to talk sports or the weather--you can do this anywhere. We must realize our duty to minister and be interested in how our friends and church family are doing spiritually in life. When we minister, we may share how God is working in our lives and may have may find commonalities and opportunities to meet needs. We are all accountable to each other and must accept each other despite our personal flaws--making allowance for our faults.
Many Lone Ranger believers who are really going rogue believe they can worship God on their own and don't need to do it corporately! However, the Spirit is present in the body in a special way and we ought to contribute to the needs of the saints and do our part in the body. They may say they can worship in the cornfield, but do they? We must realize that we really do need each other and no one is an island or rock or has all the gifts so as to be able to shine his light apart from being connected.
We know we are becoming mature when we enjoy our fivefold purpose: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. We rejoice in that God considers us worthy vessels of honor and uses us for His glory. The more dependent we are on the body the more are contributing to it in a sense because we are humbled and realize the importance of each body part and we cannot stand alone spiritually no matter how gifted we are--we need each other! Who are we that God should use us for His glory; but He created us for this very purpose: to bring Himself glory through our salvation from sin and evil. It is only in the contrast and in light of evil that we behold and contemplate or apprehend the good; man has become like God in the sense that he is capable of knowing good and evil, but this is only realized in a mature believer who can discern (cf. Heb. 5:13-14).
The committed Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission! The ultimate purpose of the body is to fulfill this and bring it to the message and Word to the world. A successful church isn't measured by its body count or membership roles, but by the spiritual health of its congregants--we don't need to worship in a crowd, but in a family that can interact and knows each other! And in conclusion, the parachurch cannot fulfill the mission statement of the church and in the final analysis, the raison d'etre (the reason for existence) of the church is to know the Lord and to make Him known to a lost world. Anything less must be seen as falling short and not measuring up to keeping the main thing the main thing. In the final analysis, the church is not a crowd, nor an organization--both of which we see many churches becoming today--but it's an interactive and growing body or organism that grows spiritually together and is interdependent and reaching out with a mission bigger than itself--without vision the people will perish says Proverbs 29:18!
The church with real soul is one obeying the marching orders of Christ expecting the Second Coming, keeping the main thing the main thing--preaching the Word, namely the gospel; which involves all five functions of the corporate body: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. We ought never to lose sight of what our mission statement is; knowing that even to have a mission statement is to have a vision of completing the Great Commission which implies that we not only know the Lord but make Him known by our public testimony and reputation to the community at large that is our common orbit.
Many Lone Ranger believers who are really going rogue believe they can worship God on their own and don't need to do it corporately! However, the Spirit is present in the body in a special way and we ought to contribute to the needs of the saints and do our part in the body. They may say they can worship in the cornfield, but do they? We must realize that we really do need each other and no one is an island or rock or has all the gifts so as to be able to shine his light apart from being connected.
We know we are becoming mature when we enjoy our fivefold purpose: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. We rejoice in that God considers us worthy vessels of honor and uses us for His glory. The more dependent we are on the body the more are contributing to it in a sense because we are humbled and realize the importance of each body part and we cannot stand alone spiritually no matter how gifted we are--we need each other! Who are we that God should use us for His glory; but He created us for this very purpose: to bring Himself glory through our salvation from sin and evil. It is only in the contrast and in light of evil that we behold and contemplate or apprehend the good; man has become like God in the sense that he is capable of knowing good and evil, but this is only realized in a mature believer who can discern (cf. Heb. 5:13-14).
The committed Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission! The ultimate purpose of the body is to fulfill this and bring it to the message and Word to the world. A successful church isn't measured by its body count or membership roles, but by the spiritual health of its congregants--we don't need to worship in a crowd, but in a family that can interact and knows each other! And in conclusion, the parachurch cannot fulfill the mission statement of the church and in the final analysis, the raison d'etre (the reason for existence) of the church is to know the Lord and to make Him known to a lost world. Anything less must be seen as falling short and not measuring up to keeping the main thing the main thing. In the final analysis, the church is not a crowd, nor an organization--both of which we see many churches becoming today--but it's an interactive and growing body or organism that grows spiritually together and is interdependent and reaching out with a mission bigger than itself--without vision the people will perish says Proverbs 29:18!
The church with real soul is one obeying the marching orders of Christ expecting the Second Coming, keeping the main thing the main thing--preaching the Word, namely the gospel; which involves all five functions of the corporate body: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. We ought never to lose sight of what our mission statement is; knowing that even to have a mission statement is to have a vision of completing the Great Commission which implies that we not only know the Lord but make Him known by our public testimony and reputation to the community at large that is our common orbit.
It is only then that we can say we have a soul as a church--not just because the seeker likes us (stressing seeker-sensitivity or consumer-driven policy) or that we just have great preaching or music (which can be selling points but we don't want to get off track and lose focus of our vision), etc., the church must coordinate all the gifts and realize that everyone has something to contribute from a body of happy, growing, and healthy members. We must not seek to be everything to everyone or please everyone and ending up being nothing of significance to everyone, going nowhere. Soli Deo Gloria!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Real Reason For Being
The raison d'etre for the church universal and local is more than to provide a sanctuary and home for worshipers to get their spiritual batteries recharged; its main purpose is to infuse truth into a darkened world that doesn't see the light of day. Just as Jesus said that He came into the world to bear witness of the truth and that he, who is of the truth, listens to Him, so we are to fearlessly proclaim the gospel truth even if it falls on deaf ears. It is untoward to us that the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and failed to expose him before it was too late--let this be an example to learn from history!
Pastors and preachers have the thankless job of preaching truth and the sign of a prophetic message is that it makes the uneasy feel comfortable, and the comfortable to be thrown out of the comfort zone of ease. We have too many at ease in Zion today, just as Amos observed. Yes, complacency has set in and we even have few who are willing to stand up and be counted when the truth or true doctrine is at stake; denouncing heresy and apologizing for the faith has become passe and unpopular, and even uncool!
The way of the world is to live and let live and to become eclectic in our faith, but this kind of philosophy may be doable for an individual in his private life, but it is unthinkable that a church gives up the quest and thirst for truth. We should never think we've arrived at all truth and that it is shrink-wrapped and freeze-dried, so as to need no new investigation. Yes, we do know the doctrines of grace and the gospel message, but we are not to think we need not learn more and teach more. The world looks to the church for salt and light or for a cue to what to do in this evil age.
We need to take stands and fly our colors for the Lord, being willing to follow Him no matter where He leads--and sometimes the truth leads to unwanted places. We must be willing to go wherever the truth may lead, if we want to ever know the truth; i.e., if you won't admit you're wrong you don't have the right mindset for finding truth--we must admit our ignorance, and this is where churches come in, as they boldly proclaim the truth, even if it offends the standards of society and the norms of culture. The Bible is the guide, not the variables and givens of this world.
We don't need preachers who are people-pleasers and seek popularity or approval of man and not of God. We need ones who dare to preach the truth when it hurts and even to their own shame. In summation: we don't just go to church merely to hear a sermon that will make us feel good, but to go to a sanctuary of the truth and not platitudes--if we cannot rely on the church for this, where else can we go? As Jude was admonished: "Contend for the faith" in Jude 4, so we also have a mission to relate Christianity to the real world in application to all areas of life. Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastors and preachers have the thankless job of preaching truth and the sign of a prophetic message is that it makes the uneasy feel comfortable, and the comfortable to be thrown out of the comfort zone of ease. We have too many at ease in Zion today, just as Amos observed. Yes, complacency has set in and we even have few who are willing to stand up and be counted when the truth or true doctrine is at stake; denouncing heresy and apologizing for the faith has become passe and unpopular, and even uncool!
The way of the world is to live and let live and to become eclectic in our faith, but this kind of philosophy may be doable for an individual in his private life, but it is unthinkable that a church gives up the quest and thirst for truth. We should never think we've arrived at all truth and that it is shrink-wrapped and freeze-dried, so as to need no new investigation. Yes, we do know the doctrines of grace and the gospel message, but we are not to think we need not learn more and teach more. The world looks to the church for salt and light or for a cue to what to do in this evil age.
We need to take stands and fly our colors for the Lord, being willing to follow Him no matter where He leads--and sometimes the truth leads to unwanted places. We must be willing to go wherever the truth may lead, if we want to ever know the truth; i.e., if you won't admit you're wrong you don't have the right mindset for finding truth--we must admit our ignorance, and this is where churches come in, as they boldly proclaim the truth, even if it offends the standards of society and the norms of culture. The Bible is the guide, not the variables and givens of this world.
We don't need preachers who are people-pleasers and seek popularity or approval of man and not of God. We need ones who dare to preach the truth when it hurts and even to their own shame. In summation: we don't just go to church merely to hear a sermon that will make us feel good, but to go to a sanctuary of the truth and not platitudes--if we cannot rely on the church for this, where else can we go? As Jude was admonished: "Contend for the faith" in Jude 4, so we also have a mission to relate Christianity to the real world in application to all areas of life. Soli Deo Gloria!
Sunday, January 15, 2017
The Newest Thing
Today's church is not really growing, in fact, it is in a state of decline, and what is happening is just a relocation of the saved from dying churches to ones tuned into the newest thing. We refer to this as The Church Of What's Happening Now! You may even find coffee bars selling lattes, and bookstores! They may also be into self-promotion, marketing their ministry on the media and the church may be built upon one personality who has a reputation and this is akin to being a personality cult--especially if the pastor is "in charge" of the one-man show.
Many churches are reverting to Catholicism in that the members don't search things out in a Berean style (cf. Acts 17:11), and accept the "authority" of the preacher much like the "cult of death" (i.e., The People's Temple) did to Jim Jones, who was said to speak the Word of God, so that you didn't even need a Bible in church anymore. What happened to the words of Martin Luther: "I dissent, I disagree, I protest?"
Why do you think we have church history to study? But to avoid the same mistakes and to build on the past, and also to keep that which is good (i.e., 1 Thess. 5:21, ESV, says, "[But] test everything, hold fast what is good"). A vibrant, living, and growing church have members who exercise their spiritual gifts and no one is self-sufficient or even thinks they don't need the body. The Reformers said that the church was to be Semper reformanda, or always reforming (there's always room for improvement). Our mindset never should alter from this focus of reformation. We should never think we've arrived, but we are to preserve the better part.
The church has been known to turn a deaf ear to what's going on politically, and the converse, to get overly involved in partisanship. The Bible is not a manual for government reform, but Christians should have a biblical worldview and not any secular one. When you leave God out of the reckoning disaster is sure to follow suit. Remember, the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and didn't stick up for right and morality while they had the chance. The church is the salt and light of the nation and God uses it to dispense His grace. You can say a lot of things about the Roman Catholic Church, but they are more involved in outreach and dispensing mercy and good deeds than any other church. We are not just to minister to the spirit, but to the soul and body as well. Christ has no hands but ours to reach out to a lost world.
In the modern church, we see many who are "holier-than-thou" and have forgotten what it's like to have a relationship with Jesus. The only solution is to get into the Word and see themselves for who they are and repent. Yes, repentance is not a one-time event, but progressive and we are to live in a state of repentance, just like we live in a state of faith. Living by faith and walking by faith is the only way to grow in Christ. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and to get reacquainted with Him on a personal basis. Even seasoned believers can grow distant and become estranged.
That's why we all need the body to give us regular spiritual checkups and to stay in sync with Christ. No one is an island, a lone wolf, spiritual Lone Ranger, or a rock in God's eyes--we are all members one of another. Remember, one doesn't defect from Christ as a believer, but gradually slips away and before you know it, he's backslidden. As an example, he doesn't rebel against the church, but misses on occasion and gradually comes to the conclusion he can get along without it. "[Not] neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." (Heb. 10:25, ESV).
Today's mainstream Protestants are becoming apostate, buying into all the liberal worldview and agenda, even some are known as the Christian left, as opposed to the evangelical right. The evangelicals are soon becoming outnumbered and few truly independent churches exist. It is increasingly difficult to find a vibrant, growing fundamentalist church. Members are transferring from one church to another, and the net effect is zero on the church at large. Christendom is having little impact on the world because the world is having so much effect on the church.
This is where spiritual self-sufficiency or complacency gets a hold on a believer who falls away from fellowship--and this is precisely what Christ wants of us--us--i.e., to have fellowship with us. But we must open the door--Christians are the ones who've opened the door! There are believers who are out of fellowship, living in disobedience, but Jesus loves them and the proof of that is His discipline and rebuke. The verse in Revelation 3:20 primarily refers to unbelievers who need to repent and let Christ reign in their hearts, but it can be applied to believers to help them find the locus of their disillusionment or disenchantment with the church and with Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!
Many churches are reverting to Catholicism in that the members don't search things out in a Berean style (cf. Acts 17:11), and accept the "authority" of the preacher much like the "cult of death" (i.e., The People's Temple) did to Jim Jones, who was said to speak the Word of God, so that you didn't even need a Bible in church anymore. What happened to the words of Martin Luther: "I dissent, I disagree, I protest?"
Why do you think we have church history to study? But to avoid the same mistakes and to build on the past, and also to keep that which is good (i.e., 1 Thess. 5:21, ESV, says, "[But] test everything, hold fast what is good"). A vibrant, living, and growing church have members who exercise their spiritual gifts and no one is self-sufficient or even thinks they don't need the body. The Reformers said that the church was to be Semper reformanda, or always reforming (there's always room for improvement). Our mindset never should alter from this focus of reformation. We should never think we've arrived, but we are to preserve the better part.
The church has been known to turn a deaf ear to what's going on politically, and the converse, to get overly involved in partisanship. The Bible is not a manual for government reform, but Christians should have a biblical worldview and not any secular one. When you leave God out of the reckoning disaster is sure to follow suit. Remember, the German church turned a deaf ear to Hitler and didn't stick up for right and morality while they had the chance. The church is the salt and light of the nation and God uses it to dispense His grace. You can say a lot of things about the Roman Catholic Church, but they are more involved in outreach and dispensing mercy and good deeds than any other church. We are not just to minister to the spirit, but to the soul and body as well. Christ has no hands but ours to reach out to a lost world.
In the modern church, we see many who are "holier-than-thou" and have forgotten what it's like to have a relationship with Jesus. The only solution is to get into the Word and see themselves for who they are and repent. Yes, repentance is not a one-time event, but progressive and we are to live in a state of repentance, just like we live in a state of faith. Living by faith and walking by faith is the only way to grow in Christ. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and to get reacquainted with Him on a personal basis. Even seasoned believers can grow distant and become estranged.
That's why we all need the body to give us regular spiritual checkups and to stay in sync with Christ. No one is an island, a lone wolf, spiritual Lone Ranger, or a rock in God's eyes--we are all members one of another. Remember, one doesn't defect from Christ as a believer, but gradually slips away and before you know it, he's backslidden. As an example, he doesn't rebel against the church, but misses on occasion and gradually comes to the conclusion he can get along without it. "[Not] neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..." (Heb. 10:25, ESV).
Today's mainstream Protestants are becoming apostate, buying into all the liberal worldview and agenda, even some are known as the Christian left, as opposed to the evangelical right. The evangelicals are soon becoming outnumbered and few truly independent churches exist. It is increasingly difficult to find a vibrant, growing fundamentalist church. Members are transferring from one church to another, and the net effect is zero on the church at large. Christendom is having little impact on the world because the world is having so much effect on the church.
This is where spiritual self-sufficiency or complacency gets a hold on a believer who falls away from fellowship--and this is precisely what Christ wants of us--us--i.e., to have fellowship with us. But we must open the door--Christians are the ones who've opened the door! There are believers who are out of fellowship, living in disobedience, but Jesus loves them and the proof of that is His discipline and rebuke. The verse in Revelation 3:20 primarily refers to unbelievers who need to repent and let Christ reign in their hearts, but it can be applied to believers to help them find the locus of their disillusionment or disenchantment with the church and with Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, August 27, 2016
The Successful Church
This topic is problematic because everyone has their own idea or definition of success, and it isn't always the opposite of failure--there is wiggle-room or spiritual no-man's-land where it is not definitive either way, but only a value judgment call by subjective members or observers. Success doesn't necessarily imply numbers or high membership rolls, though this may be an element or sign of success, as it keeps a tally on the numbers in Acts, for instance, going from 120 in the Upper Room to 5,000.
Some megachurches are failures at being what a church body is meant to be--a family, an organism and not an organization, and an open door to the Great Commission. If it isn't in the process of fulfilling the marching orders of the Great Commission, it is a failure. Numbers is a byproduct when we aim to do God's will, not when we specialize in gathering "crowds."
We must be able to participate and interact with fellowship and service in the body according to our gifts, and not just observe others doing the work of ministry and mission on our behalf. We are all called to be ministers of reconciliation and to contribute according to our unique gift or gifts and not be passive, but active in the church. And that implies we don't worship by proxy or vicariously.
The purpose of the church is given in the Great Commission to evangelize, equip for ministry, and build up the body of Christ to fulfill the mission to the world. The onus and responsibility for the Great Commission aren't just the pastor's but shared by all--each with a different gift, but the same Spirit. The church's job description involves discipleship, worship, and fellowship, and even one-on-one mentors.
Only when the body is functional and not ultimately dependent on any ONE gifted teacher or preacher, that even might have the charisma or be celebrated, do we have a genuine church--we don't want to build cult-like followings or personality cults, based on the teaching of one individual, no matter how gifted. Some megachurches are just crowds and you can get lost in the shuffle going there, being completely incognito or unnoticed. One should always wonder what he or she can contribute to the church's ministry to the believer or mission to the lost.
The church is to be obedient to God's Word and not try to focus on being like the world at large, or be the "church of what's happening now." There are many fads that spread throughout the body and some churches don't think they are in tune with the times if they don't follow the latest thing.
How does a church grow? By the faithful preaching of the gospel, the power is in the gospel message and it should never get old to preach or to hear. Paul strove to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. The lost should be able to come to the church assembly and be convicted and find out the way of salvation--this is the raison d'etre of the church!
The church's function is twofold: pastoral and prophetic to the body, while its ministry is to them, its mission is to the world. They should have a relative message to the world and an edifying message for the believer. Prophecy entails interpreting the times and making people aware of what's going on in the world, not foretelling, but forthtelling. This is because the church is the "pillar and ground of truth" (and all truth, according to Augustine, is God's truth), and Christians are to be the salt and light in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19).
Being faithful is more important in God's eyes than success in the eyes of the world; small churches can be successful because God can require some just to be faithful in little, according to their opportunities and gifts. The most important sign of a successful church is a church that is alive and vibrant and it is apparent that the Spirit is moving in the body and speaks through the preachers with edification. Jesus severely rebuked the church of Laodicea for being "lukewarm" or lackluster and lackadaisical in their worship, which was tepid and lacked spirit--We must worship "in spirit" (cf. John 4:24): "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
If people confess that they met God or that they sensed the moving of the Spirit during worship, God is alive in that church--there are many a moribund church that needs revival, on the other hand. If the individual members are healthy and walking with the Lord, the byproduct will be a healthy church. We want to be careful that we don't get so seeker-sensitive that people become converted to the program, instead of converted to Christ.
Don't ever lose track of keeping the main thing the main thing, our fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is why the social gospel is a misnomer, and we are not to turn stones into bread, to use metaphoric language. The church is in the business of changing lives through Jesus Christ and doing it one person at a time, and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. and no perfect people need to apply.
Samuel said to Saul that "to obey was better than sacrifice" and this means avoiding the Dance of the Pious or going through the motions. There are too many Christians "playing church" and even see it solely as a social event and/or opportunity to make friends. We are to obey in Spirit and in truth and according to the Spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, as in legalism. God is still looking for that church willing to do His will--trust and obey. This can only be done when believers realize their duty doesn't end at church attendance; which is one of the biggest misconceptions in the body. Caveat: the church should never get complacent and feel it's arrived at success--there's always room for improvement; perfection is the standard, direction is the test.
The purpose of the church is manifold to be done as a family united in Christ: The mission of the Great Commission to the lost, discipleship of the members to train for the ministry, and the fellowship of the believers, whether members or not, and most of all to offer a vehicle for worship as a community in Christ in corporate worship as a body unified in spirit and purpose (mission statement). It has been well said that a great Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Soli Deo Gloria!
Some megachurches are failures at being what a church body is meant to be--a family, an organism and not an organization, and an open door to the Great Commission. If it isn't in the process of fulfilling the marching orders of the Great Commission, it is a failure. Numbers is a byproduct when we aim to do God's will, not when we specialize in gathering "crowds."
We must be able to participate and interact with fellowship and service in the body according to our gifts, and not just observe others doing the work of ministry and mission on our behalf. We are all called to be ministers of reconciliation and to contribute according to our unique gift or gifts and not be passive, but active in the church. And that implies we don't worship by proxy or vicariously.
The purpose of the church is given in the Great Commission to evangelize, equip for ministry, and build up the body of Christ to fulfill the mission to the world. The onus and responsibility for the Great Commission aren't just the pastor's but shared by all--each with a different gift, but the same Spirit. The church's job description involves discipleship, worship, and fellowship, and even one-on-one mentors.
Only when the body is functional and not ultimately dependent on any ONE gifted teacher or preacher, that even might have the charisma or be celebrated, do we have a genuine church--we don't want to build cult-like followings or personality cults, based on the teaching of one individual, no matter how gifted. Some megachurches are just crowds and you can get lost in the shuffle going there, being completely incognito or unnoticed. One should always wonder what he or she can contribute to the church's ministry to the believer or mission to the lost.
The church is to be obedient to God's Word and not try to focus on being like the world at large, or be the "church of what's happening now." There are many fads that spread throughout the body and some churches don't think they are in tune with the times if they don't follow the latest thing.
How does a church grow? By the faithful preaching of the gospel, the power is in the gospel message and it should never get old to preach or to hear. Paul strove to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. The lost should be able to come to the church assembly and be convicted and find out the way of salvation--this is the raison d'etre of the church!
The church's function is twofold: pastoral and prophetic to the body, while its ministry is to them, its mission is to the world. They should have a relative message to the world and an edifying message for the believer. Prophecy entails interpreting the times and making people aware of what's going on in the world, not foretelling, but forthtelling. This is because the church is the "pillar and ground of truth" (and all truth, according to Augustine, is God's truth), and Christians are to be the salt and light in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19).
Being faithful is more important in God's eyes than success in the eyes of the world; small churches can be successful because God can require some just to be faithful in little, according to their opportunities and gifts. The most important sign of a successful church is a church that is alive and vibrant and it is apparent that the Spirit is moving in the body and speaks through the preachers with edification. Jesus severely rebuked the church of Laodicea for being "lukewarm" or lackluster and lackadaisical in their worship, which was tepid and lacked spirit--We must worship "in spirit" (cf. John 4:24): "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
If people confess that they met God or that they sensed the moving of the Spirit during worship, God is alive in that church--there are many a moribund church that needs revival, on the other hand. If the individual members are healthy and walking with the Lord, the byproduct will be a healthy church. We want to be careful that we don't get so seeker-sensitive that people become converted to the program, instead of converted to Christ.
Don't ever lose track of keeping the main thing the main thing, our fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is why the social gospel is a misnomer, and we are not to turn stones into bread, to use metaphoric language. The church is in the business of changing lives through Jesus Christ and doing it one person at a time, and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. and no perfect people need to apply.
Samuel said to Saul that "to obey was better than sacrifice" and this means avoiding the Dance of the Pious or going through the motions. There are too many Christians "playing church" and even see it solely as a social event and/or opportunity to make friends. We are to obey in Spirit and in truth and according to the Spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, as in legalism. God is still looking for that church willing to do His will--trust and obey. This can only be done when believers realize their duty doesn't end at church attendance; which is one of the biggest misconceptions in the body. Caveat: the church should never get complacent and feel it's arrived at success--there's always room for improvement; perfection is the standard, direction is the test.
The purpose of the church is manifold to be done as a family united in Christ: The mission of the Great Commission to the lost, discipleship of the members to train for the ministry, and the fellowship of the believers, whether members or not, and most of all to offer a vehicle for worship as a community in Christ in corporate worship as a body unified in spirit and purpose (mission statement). It has been well said that a great Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Soli Deo Gloria!
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