Our Definition of the Church

Our Definition of the Church

1 Timothy 3:15
…the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

I was recently asked by one of our members if I might help them find a church to attend while she travels out of State. I thought to myself, “No problem, how hard could that be.” So I conducted my various searches via the Internet and found this task to be a bit more challenging than I thought.

It is absolutely amazing to me how the vast majority of churches present themselves. Far from declaring themselves to be “the pillar and support of the truth,” I find most churches catering to the “felt” needs of people rather than offering them the real substance of their need, the need to have a right and high view of God, while recognizing their own sinfulness and need of God’s only Son as Savior from their dreadful condition. How’s that for a church slogan?

One church website I visited enticed its viewers in with the following opening paragraph:

“We've got good news for you! [Name withheld] church is designed to meet your needs. We're a group of friendly, happy people who have discovered the joy of the Christian lifestyle.”

Where stands it written that the “good news” is that the church is designed to meet your needs? The good news is that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Another church had the following as it description of the church:

The [name withheld] is a dynamic community of faith. We are a full service church. We are people of all ages. Some of us live here all year and others part of the year. We enjoy the blessing of having visitors from around the world. Our faith is positive. We believe in a loving God and strive to bring faith and hope to our world…We are a [Name withheld] Church with open hearts, open minds and open doors. We accept each person wherever they are on their journey of faith.

A “full-service” church? A positive faith? (As opposed to those churches that promote a negative faith). And by saying that they “accept each person wherever they are on their journey of faith” they are saying that they are simply receiving “Christians” at various levels of growth. Rather, they are saying that whatever kind of faith you possess, bring it on in to the church, because we have “open hearts, open minds and open doors.”

Rather than promoting such warm-fuzzy feelings, the church is to make a bold and straightforward proclamation of the truth. Here is another church that I believe has it correct:

Purpose Statement:
We exist to glorify God by making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the whole world through the proclamation of God’s Word, resulting in transcendent worship, kindred fellowship, strategic ministry, and biblical evangelism.

Evangelism:
A sovereign God working through the faithful presentation of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, calling for repentance and faith, in order that His elect may be regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

This is the message of the church – a high view of God in His holiness and sovereignty; a high view of Scripture as to its authority and trustworthiness; a right view of man as absolutely poor and in need of the grace of God; and a right view of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, having died a perfect death for our sins, thus imputing to us His perfect righteousness, enabling us to follow after and live for Him.

The sad truth is, too many churches are following after anything but such a clear message, failing to be “the pillar and support of the truth.”

I close with a rather humorous (yet too often true) identification of the church that was sent to me by one of my members. Oh that none of these would be our definition of the church.

The following excerpt is taken from an excellent book by Glen Wagner entitled, The Church You’ve Always Wanted (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), p. 29-31.

· The Church of Networking—Make contacts to expand your business.

· The Church of the Significant Other—Find that special someone. Hey, it’s better than a singles bar.

· The Church of Social Service and Need Fulfillment—No need is too great or too small.

· The Church of Heavenly Investment with Earthly Dividends—For the amount of money I contribute, I expect a significant return.

· The Country Club Church—Gather to celebrate that you can gather together and that others can’t…at least, not with you. Caters to the right kind of people. Long-term members get the best tables and the best parking spots.

· The Church of Heavenly Fun and Sanctified Pleasure—Keep me and my kids occupied so they don’t get into trouble. If you can’t fill my nights and weekends with fun and excitement, then I’ll have to take my business/membership elsewhere.

· The Church of the Grand Stadium-Watch the gladiators of God do battle with the team of evil.

· The Church of the Self-service, Spiritual Garage—Gives a periodic oil change (or anointing).

· The Church of the Fast-food Restaurant—Get what you need, quick, easy, cheap. Just enough to sustain you for another week.

· The Church of the Celestial Savings and Loan—Stop by and make a few deposits, because you never know when you’ll need to make a withdrawal.

· The Church of the Diving Resort- Come here and be catered to. Others will do you bidding and pamper you.

· The Church of Hellfire—Turn or burn, shake or bake, deny or fry. Others are going to hell…and aren’t you glad?

· The Church of the Citadel—It is a fortress on a hill. Builds buildings, starts programs, and concentrates its efforts within its walls. If it doesn’t happen on this property, it must not be of God.

· The Church of the Mega Mall—Has what the other churches don’t—and, quite frankly, does it a whole lot better. Whatever you need, it has it, tailored and fit to your specifications. Bring the whole family—it’s you one-stop shopping center. If you can’t find it, the church will create if for you, since its job is to keep you happy in Jesus’ name. It won’t threaten you, guilt you, worry you, or overburden you. It wants your time here to be enjoyable, so that you’ll come back and do business again.

· The Church of Evangelistic Fervor—All activities during the week and on Sunday mornings lead up to one exciting moment; the altar call. Get ‘em to the front and get ‘em saved.

· The Church of Sanctified Information—Pours out a stream of biblical material. The people eagerly fill their notebooks; the one will the fullest notebook and the fullest head gets the title “Most Spiritual.”

· The Church of the Latest (and Largest) Program—Presents one extravaganza after another: musicians, preachers, concerts, dramas. The one with the newest, most expensive, and largest attendance wins.

· The Church of Holy Tradition—A museum of and for the saints. The people gather to dust off old relics and be touched by the sacrifices of the past. Nostalgia is everything. Worship amounts to warm feeling about God.

· The Church, Inc.—An organization run like a small business or large corporation, depending on its size. The CEO sets the direction and has little contact with the rank and file. Buy into the vision, baby!”

Again I say, may this not be our definition of the church!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed