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.

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