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.