WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

 

Everybody knows what a church is, of course. It’s a building where Christians gather to sing hymns, pass an offering plate, hear a sermon that sometimes cheers them up, at other times pummels them with guilt, and other times gives them an interesting story from the Bible. The climax will often be an invitation to come to Jesus (in case there’s a stranger there who might not be saved). 

 

A church is where you gather for weddings, for funerals, for dedications, for baptisms, and sometimes just for food and “fellowship”. It’s a place where like-minded people can happily and harmoniously schmooze; a place for immediate (well, much of the time) acceptance. That’s a church.

 

But, you say, there’s much more to it than that. Well, yes, it has a mission – to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. A vehicle to administer funds to missionaries who will go into the whole world, spreading that news. An institution commissioned by Christ to preach the gospel to the world, an instrument of salvation reaching a hand to a needy soul.

 

But, is this the church? Should it be? It sounds so natural, and we’ve been at it pretty much this way for generations, so it must be right, right? Can you see this church when browsing through the book of Acts? Not likely, unless we superimpose our understanding on the Word, assuming that must be how they did it.

 

Let’s try a little fresh thinking about the church. What is its makeup? What is its basic ministry? What kind of organization, really, is it? And, let’s look for answers to such questions from the Bible, rather than from our own experiences; perhaps we’ll develop a fresh perspective.

 

Some Christians (actually, many, perhaps most) perceive the church as made up of a combination of “saved” people and “unsaved” people. They cite the “tares and the wheat” comments of the Lord Jesus, and say, “See there, we should expect both types in our midst.” That being so, they say, we must be sure that an invitation to receive Christ as Savior and Lord is proclaimed clearly and diligently each Sunday.

 

Lately, a strong emphasis on this has led to the idea that a primary purpose of Sunday Morning Services is to entice and attract the interest of the “unchurched” (a more genteel title than “unsaved”). So, the usual hymns, Bible readings, Biblical jargon, and Churchly activities are muted or even abandoned lest they “turn off” our unchurched friends who are with us this day. Time enough to introduce them to such things after they are gradually won over to Christ. And, after all, isn’t this the most important task of the gathered church – to seek to win the lost?

 

Well, actually, no, it isn’t. Of course, Christians are, and ought to be, delighted to tell others about the saving work of Christ, and to invite them to come to the Savior. But, that is NOT the mission of the gathered Church. And, although the “unchurched” are to be welcomed and treated as guests, they are NOT the church (not even a part of it) and the Sunday Service is NOT designed for them – if it is biblical.

 

HERESY!!!, you say? Well, bear with me a bit. Let me suggest that the purpose of the gathered church is clearly spelled out in Ephesians 4:11. It is to equip the saints (Christians) to do the work of ministry (share the Gospel and live the truth), to outfit the saints so they will have solid discernment and thus not be taken in by perversions or caricatures of the truth. Then, they are to scatter to their homes and workplaces, living and sharing the truth in Christ Jesus at every opportunity. Theirs is the evangelistic thrust, not the Sunday sermon.

 

One other point: The church is not composed of “saints” and “unbelievers”; it is the body of Christ. How in the world can one imagine that a person who has not trusted Christ as his savior is nonetheless part of the body of Christ? How, too, can we forget the message of 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (look it up), and say that any and every one who sits in a pew on Sunday is part of the church?

 

But, what about the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28? Well, that’s exactly what Christians are to do as they go about their lives, having been equipped to minister – now, they minister. This was not a command to an organization called “the Church”; in fact, the Church did not exist until the day of Pentecost, some days later. Further, this commandment is, fundamentally, to “disciple” (or, teach) those who are identified with (baptized in) Christ.

 

Well, how did this idea of the makeup and function of the church change. It changed when Christians began to think of the “church” as an institution, rather than a living organism. This began to happen as the church became “respectable” and accepted in the Roman Empire, and began to be perceived as a power structure. Another time, we’ll explore that idea with you. But first, I want to discuss more about the church internally, its leadership and organization, its ordinances, and related items. So, watch for these from time to time, under the sidebar of “Church”. Thanks for listening. Bill.

BIBLE STUDY – HEADLINING CHAPTERS          © by W.J. Allen 4/2008

 

I’m always looking for new ways to have a more thorough grasp of the Bible, in my studies. Here’s a trick I picked up in Seminary that I’ve found very helpful, particularly with smaller books.

 

The idea is to create a “headline” for each chapter – a short, pithy statement of one or a few words that will help you remember the essential elements of that chapter. I’ve found this process drives me to read the chapter more carefully and to think carefully about what it says.

 

Here’s an example, using the book of Jonah:

Chapter 1 – Jonah Fled

Chapter 2 – Jonah Flung

Chapter 3 – Jonah Preaches

Chapter 4 – Jonah Pouts

 

See how those simple terms can tell you essentially the book of Jonah, or at least help you to remember the essential details. Here’s another example:

 

Habakkuk:

Chapter 1 – Listen up, God!

Chapter 2 – Shut up, Habakkuk!

Chapter 3 – Oh, I see, God.

 

You can make your own headings; there’s nothing sacred about these. But, read through those 2 books and see if you can think through them better with such headings in mind.

 

To give you a benchmark, I’m going to include my headings for some of the New Testament Epistles. From this, you can see what I’m trying to accomplish with these, I hope. Here are a couple of examples (I’ve done this for all the Epistles, and for some of the lengthy Old Testament prophets; and, I keep working on this for other books.) You can download my Headings for Epistles by going to the Resources Tab and looking for “Headlines for the Epistles”.

 

James:

Chapter 1 – True Faith Strengthens Properly

Chapter 2 – True Faith Shows Itself Properly

Chapter 3 – True Faith Speaks Properly

Chapter 4 – True Faith Sees Properly

Chapter 5 – True Faith Straightens Properly

 

Hebrews:

1 – A Better Messenger                          8 –  A Better Covenant

2 – A Better Man                                   9 –  A Better Sacrifice

3 – A Better Messiah                             10 – Final Sacrifice

4 – A Better Rest                                   11 – Faith Displayed

5 – A Better Priest                                 12 – Faith Disciplined

6 – A Better Refuge                                13 – Faith Developed

7 – A Better Priesthood

 

Try it for yourself; I think you’ll find it helpful, sharpening, and fun. 

Tips and Tricks for serious Bible Study

 

As a student of the Bible for many years, I’ve picked up, by trial and error, some unusual tips and tricks that have helped me immensely. Perhaps you’ll find some helpful, too.

 

My favorite approach with a new Bible is to underline in a logical, helpful fashion, using various colors. Here’s a suggestion:

1. Begin fresh with a new (or, unmarked Bible).

2. Assign various colors to certain subjects: Here are my favorite ones:

·                     Red = identifying the Lord Jesus Christ

·                     Green = identifying specific passages / verses on the “end times”.

·                     Yellow = identifying the Holy Spirit.

·                     Blue = identifying God the Father

·                     Brown = identifying Old Testament passages located in the New Testament.

·                     Purple = identifying phrases, verses that clearly indicate God is speaking or commanding (“Thus says the Lord”, “the Lord came to …, saying…”, etc.)

 

Be sure to use either a colored pencil or a ball-point (preferably “fine”) pen. Don’t use gel pens and the like; they will bleed through. Don’t use hi-liters for the same reason. I found a colored pencil type called “Twistables” by Crayola; they’re great, and do not require sharpening. For pens, one of my favorites the BP Zebra F-301, but they’re hard to find in many colors. A simple Bic stick pen works fine, and is very economical. However, they tend to be “medium”, which is not so fine (no pun intended).

 

Get a small, transparent, flexible ruler to use with your pens or pencils for underlining. I use the markers that come with DayTimer products. Find a plastic pencil box to hold all your instruments.

 

Now, pick a simple, short book or epistle and begin. Go through it chapter by chapter. Begin by underlining in Red any direct labeling of the Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus, Lord Jesus, Christ Jesus the Lord, etc.

 

Then, do the same thing for the Holy Spirit; then, for God (Father). Continue through your colors for that chapter until you have underlined anything that fits your categories.

 

What has happened? Well, you’ve quickly and carefully read that chapter 5 or more times. Isn’t it amazing how much you’ve seen and remembered about it, while seeking these specific items?

 

Do this for the next chapter, and on through the entire little book or epistle. I would recommend you start with James, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Galatians. Why? Because these are the first epistles available to the early church, in that order. I’ve found it quite interesting and helpful to go through the New Testament in order of their writing.

 

So, if you do so, here is the rest of the order, as I see them: 1 Cor., Romans, 2 Cor., Philemon, Matthew, Ephesians, Luke, Acts, Philippians, Mark, Colossians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 2 Timothy, Hebrews, Jude, Gospel of John, 1,2, 3 John, and Revelation.

 

When  you’ve finished that, you can try the Old Testament in similar fashion. In a future blog, I’ll suggest a chronological order for this, too.

 

You’re not on a time schedule, so go at whatever pace you like. Multiple readings of a few books, using this underlining technique, will give you a better grasp of what they really say. So, just start, and move along as you can. You’ll find it’s stimulating, informative, and sometimes exciting; and, you’ll definitely improve your understanding of what the Bible really says.

 

Another time, I’ll share another technique that has helped me; I call it “headlining”, or writing heads to chapters, as an aid to thinking your way through a book. Look for it.  Bill.

BIBLE STUDY TIPS

 

Over the years, I’ve gone through many bibles, various Bible reading and Bible study plans, always searching for that which will sharpen my understanding of the Word of God.

 

I have discovered that a major help is simply the process of going about it again and again, using various methods.

 

one method I’ve used for a number of years now, continually refining the process, using a half-dozen different bibles, is one that I really believe many would find very helpful, and really (as it’s been for me) a means of sharpening your discernment about many aspects of the Bible.

 

So, I’ll  explain this in a number of entries, trusting that you will find a new, exciting appreciation of their bible.

 

There are three basic components

1)         The right study Bible

2)         The right tools and techniques

3)         The right way to study a book of the Bible

4)         The right order to use in studying the Bible

 

In this entry, I’ll give you some suggestions to consider about which Bible to use for serious study. In succeeding entries, I’ll cover the other three components.

 

WHICH BIBLE TO USE FOR BIBLE STUDY?

 

 The following suggestions and opinions are my own view; I mean no disrespect to other views.

 

Basic Principles for selecting a study Bible:

 

·                     Use a true translation, not a paraphrase.

·                     Choose a translation with which you are comfortable.

·                     Get a good-quality Bible, with proper font-size, good cover, and good pages.

·                     If possible, start fresh with a new Bible, rather than continuing with your old one.

·                     Decide what is really important to have in a Bible (footnotes,  explanatory notes, cross-references, maps, etc.)

·                     Start with the program I’ll be outlining and set aside 30 or more minutes a day for study.

 

Let’s quickly cover these points, one-by-one.

 

USE A TRUE TRANSLATION, NOT A PARAPHRASE:

 

A translation seeks to reproduce the exact meaning of the original Greek or Hebrew text, as accurately as possible, into our English language. This is painstakingly-done by a collection of Biblical scholars, rather than being done by an individual, as a general rule.

 

A paraphrase does not seek to reproduce the original language into English, but seeks to provide the Author’s idea as to what the original language MEANS.  Simply put, this removes you one further step from the Bible itself. When you read a paraphrased “Bible” (it is NOT the Bible, and should not be so characterized), you are reading the opinions of (usually) one person as to what that person believes the Bible should say. Depending on the person, it may be very well done, but it is NOT the Bible; to say it is, is quite misleading. It is not a translation, but an interpretation. One might find it helpful, but you should never use it to really study the Bible.

 

WHAT IS THE BEST TRANSLATION TO USE?

 

That all depends.  There are many translations available, but some have a particular non-evangelical bias that can be misleading, though the general translation may be good. For instance, they may subtly deny the Virgin Birth; they may promote the “feminist” idea of eliminating gender, they may be oriented toward a particular group or denomination.

 

For evangelicals, there are 3 or 4 really good translations, any one of which you may find helpful. They include: the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), and the New American Standard Version (NASB).

 

I recommend using one of these because they are true translations and have stood the test of time.

 

KJV – Many older Christians were “teethed” on this and it is a fine translation. The major difficulty is the use of archaic English terminology, which can be difficult to understand. But, it is a very good translation, based on a good Greek Textual Family (one day I’ll try to explain about this).

 

NKJV – This is my personal preference, because it is essentially faithful to the KJV (comes from a similar Greek Textual Family), but uses modern English terms, and is quite readable.

 

NASB – This is a very popular standard, with excellent translation principles. However, it derives from a somewhat different Greek Textual Family and thus, has certain difference from the KJV or NKJV. However, none of those differences is of major consequences, doctrinally, and most are simply a change of pronoun or article or similar thing. There are a few passages that are substantially different (e.g., John 5:3-4), but most will not find this to be a major problem.

 

There is another hugely-popular “translation” that is worthwhile to consider. That is the New International Version (NIV). This was done with great care by eminent evangelical Bible scholars, and is quite readable. I do not recommend it personally because I do not agree with the translation premise, but it is far superior as a study Bible to any of the popular paraphrases out (e.g.: New Living Bible, the Message)

 

The translation premise is to translate by a process termed “dynamic equivalence”, rather than a word-for-word translation. The idea is essentially somewhere between “translation” and “paraphrase”, in my view. The principle is to alter a word-for-word approach into a more readable set of words that faithfully convey the meaning of the original words, but in more modern expression. The scholars worked faithfully, carefully, and well, and used the same Greek Textual Family as was used by the NASB people.

 

But, I prefer the word-for-word approach, because that minimizes the “interpretive” aspect and keeps me closer to the original text.

 

But, it’s a matter of choice. You would not go far wrong with any of these. However, I would strongly suggest you don’t use a paraphrase, and I see little value in some of the newer translations out, relative to the ones noted above.

 

Next time, I’ll share some Bible Study tips and techniques that I think you’ll find helpful.

 

Bill Allen 3/8/2008

EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT A CHURCH IS AND DOES, RIGHT?

IT IS A COLLECTION OF ORGANIZED CHRISTIANS WHO MEET ON SUNDAY MORNINGS (AND, OTHER STATED TIMES) TO DO THESE THINGS:

   SING HYMNS

   MAKE A NUMBER OF ANNOUNCEMENTS

   RECOGNIZE VISITORS

   PASS AN OFFERING PLATE

   HAVE A PASTORAL PRAYER

   HAVE THE CHOIR OR CHOIRS PERFORM

   PERHAPS RECITE “THE LORD’S PRAYER” TOGETHER, OR HAVE SOME RESPONSIVE BIBLE READINGS FROM THE HYMNAL.

   HAVE SOMEONE READ A PASSAGE FROM THE BIBLE

   FINALLY, THE PASTOR WILL GIVE A BRIEF BIBLICAL SERMON OR HOMILY

   AFTER A FINAL PRAYER AND BENEDICTION, RETIRE TO FELLOWSHIP HALL FOR COFFEE AND CAKE.

NOW, CERTAINLY THAT (OR SOME VERSION OF IT) IS A TIME-HONORED APPROACH TO SUNDAY SERVICES. I CERTAINLY DON’T WISH TO BELITTLE THOSE WHO SO FUNCTION; THAT IS BETWEEN THEM AND GOD.

BUT, I CONFESS, I’VE OFTEN WONDERED JUST HOW MUCH OF THIS AGENDA MIGHT HAVE BEEN PRACTICED BY THE CHRISTIANS’ MEETINGS NOTED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.

I’VE BEEN CURIOUS, TOO, THAT VIRTUALLY NONE OF THE ABOVE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE FOCUS OF OR THE INTEREST OF THE WRITERS OF THE EPISTLES. THE ORIGINS OF SUCH AN APPROACH COME FROM ELSEWHERE, I SUSPECT.

HAVING SPENT YEARS AS A NEW AND YOUNG CHRISTIAN IN JUST SUCH A CHURCH PATTERN, I WONDERED IF PERHAPS WE MIGHT BE A BIT REMOVED FROM WHAT CHRIST INTENDED FOR HIS CHURCH

IT APPEARS TO ME THAT EPHESIANS 4:12-16 LAYS OUT THE BASIC PURPOSE OF THE GATHERED CHURCH.

   EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS, SO THEY CAN PROPERLY MINISTER (4:12)

   THAT MINISTRY IS INTENDED TO EDIFY (BUILD UP) THE BODY OF CHRIST.

THE MEASURE OF THAT MINISTRY IS:

   WE SHARE A CLEARLY-UNDERSTOOD, COMMON FAITH, GAINED BY THAT EDIFICATION

   WE SHARE A CLEAR KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

   WE ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME, MORE AND MORE, MATURE CHRISTIANS – MORE AND MORE CHRISTLIKE IN OUR DEMEANOR AND BEHAVIOR.

   WE BECOME IMMUNE TO THE PURVEYORS OF FALSE DOCTRINES, FOR WE KNOW WHAT IS TRUE DOCTRINE AND WHY.

   WE LIVE THE TRUTH IN LOVE – GROWING CLOSER TO AND IN HARMONY WITH THE HEAD – THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

   WE BEGIN TO BENEFIT FROM THE APPROPRIATE FUNCTIONING OF EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE FELLOWSHIP AND THE LARGER CHRISTIAN BODY.

   WITH THE ULTIMATE RESULT OF THE MATURATION OF THE BODY AS A MANIFESTATION OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

HOW CLOSELY DOES THE TYPICAL CHURCH PATTERN OF TODAY ADHERE TO OR TEND TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MANDATE? FOR ME, IT IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE AND, IN FACT, WRONG, HOWEVER WELL-INTENDED. I MEAN NO DISRESPECT TO CHURCHES WHO FOLLOW THE PATTERNS LAID OUT EARLIER, BUT I DO THINK SPENDING THE BULK OF OUR TIME IN THE WORD IS A DESIRABLE THING TO DO.

THE SIMPLE FACT IS THE TIME CONSUMED BY ALL THESE THINGS (NOTED EARLIER) IS TIME TAKEN FROM THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD, IN MANY CASES. WHERE THAT IS SO, I BELIEVE IT IS NOT REALLY BENEFICIAL.

SIMPLY PUT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE GATHERED CHURCH IS TO EQUIP (OUTFIT) AND MATURE THE SAINTS IN SOUND DOCTRINE AND FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE. A STRONG SECONDARY POINT IS TO ENGAGE IN GENUINE, HEARTFELT CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, REALIZING THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE BODY IS IMPORTANT TO THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF EVERY OTHER PART (1 COR.13).

WITH THAT IN HAND, WHEN I LOOK AT THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE GATHERED CHURCH IN ACTS 2:46-47 AND ACTS 4:32-35, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE TYPICAL CHURCH MEETING AGENDA IS QUITE FOREIGN TO THOSE DEPICTIONS, AND IS CERTAINLY FOREIGN TO THE POINTS OF EPH. 4:12-16, IN MY VIEW.

STILL, FOR CENTURIES WE’VE “DONE CHURCH” IN THIS WAY – SO, IT MUST BE GOOD? YOU’LL HAVE TO JUDGE THAT FOR YOURSELVES.

OUR APPROACH TO SUNDAY MORNINGS IS QUITE SIMPLE:

   WE SING HYMNS (SEEKING TO SING THOSE WITH A CLEAR, BIBLICAL MESSAGE).

   WE HAVE A BRIEF PASTORAL PRAYER.

   WE HAVE AN EXPOSITION (OPENING UP) OF THE WORD OF GOD, WITH ALL OUR PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THAT WORD (FOR 30-45 MINUTES).

   WE CLOSE WITH A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP AFTER THE SERVICE.

THAT’S ALL WE DO

NOTICE THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE ITEMS NOTED IN THE FIRST LINES OF THIS BLOG ARE ABSENT FROM OUR APPROACH.

IS THIS PATTERN CLOSER TO THE ACTS DESCRIPTIONS, OR IS THE USUAL PATTERN?

ARE PEOPLE MORE AFFECTED BY, KNOWLEDGEABLE OF, AND INTERACTING MORE WITH THE WORD OF GOD, BY FOLLOWING OUR PATTERN OR THAT OF THE TYPICAL APPROACH? WE THINK SO.

I REALIZE WE ARE NOT A PERFECT CHURCH, EITHER, AND THAT WE ARE LIKEWISE SINNERS AND, OFTEN, HYPOCRITES IN OUR BEHAVIOR, BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS APPROACH HELPS TO DIMINISH THAT, FOR MANY.

IN A FUTURE BLOG, I’LL SEEK TO EXPLAIN MORE OF OUR APPROACH TO EXPOSITION OF THE SCRIPTURES AND WHY WE THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS.

THANKS FOR READING. BILL

Welcome to Pastor’s Ponderings. I’ll be using this space to cover Biblical matters that are on my mind, that hopefully you’ll find interesting and helpful. I’ll try to keep this up at least weekly. Here are a few of the things I want to cover.

Good books to read for spiritual growth: Huegel, “Bone of His Bone”; Miles Stanford, “Green Letters”, Major Ian Thomas, “If I perish, I perish” are just a few wonderful little books that have helped me a lot.

My very favorite book of the Bible is “Hebrews”. Why? Because it covers the “waterfront” of Biblical Theology and puts the issue of Substitutionary Atonement in clear perspective, among other things. In future meanderings, I’ll review some key passages and show you what I mean.

Here’s something to think about: Did you realize that the writers of the Epistles rarely used the name “Jesus” by itself. Almost always (over 95% of the time), when referring to our Lord, they used terms like: “Lord Jesus”, “Jesus Christ our Lord”, “Lord Jesus Christ”, etc., always giving Him a title? Isn’t it a bit strange then that most of our modern writing and hymns tend to use simply “Jesus”? One would think that Peter and Paul, having known our Lord, would speak of him on a first-name basis; since they don’t, perhaps we should re-think what we call Him and why. Also, when they did use the name “Jesus”, it was apparently to call special attention to His humanity. Think about it.

I recently read a great book by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Life in Christ”, studies in 1 John. It’s worth your while to read it, though it is fairly long.

Next blog, I want to share my views on what “church” really is, as I understand Scripture. Hope you’ll check it out.  Bill.