Is Church Relevant?

John 1:43

Because there are a number of false churches in the world, many false teachers deceiving the unsuspecting, and too many scandals related to modern Christianity people are turned off by religion and church. Even in mainstream Christian denominations people have a growing sense that church has no real contribution to make in their lives. They have their education, careers, and families to worry about and church does not help them much with either. Church is merely one more thing to fit into already very busy lives.

But, what if we entertained the idea of what Jesus deems relevant instead of what we think is relevant. Perhaps we are thinking about relevance in terms far too small…. In John 1:43, Jesus issues an invitation to “Follow me.” What does He have in mind, and how does that relate to church involvement today?

What must we understand about the invitation Jesus made to “Follow me” in John 1:43?

“Follow Me!” These are great words because of the One who spoke them and great because of the privilege they offered. The Savior is still issuing this simple, yet sublime, invitation to all men everywhere.^[1]

There are several valuable points relevant to the invitation Jesus made to “Follow me.” He means the following:

1.       Followers keep company with Jesus and one another.
2.       Followers live His way.  It was a call to live life His way in relation to the Father and to others.
3.       Followers join Him in the redemptive initiatives of God. The call to discipleship essentially means a call to live His way and join Him in the redemptive enterprise.

Furthermore, it was customary for a disciple to take the initiative and select the rabbi they would follow. Jesus intentionally broke with this customary practice by choosing his own followers.  

What does the call to discipleship have to do with the relevance of the Church?  What does discipleship involve?

The call to discipleship is the nature of the church, when that call is lived out in its intended way.  An individual disciple is one part of that body, the church. Discipleship involves joining the company of others who are also disciples and working together with Christ to bring persons to God. Yet many reject church membership and regular attendance because they reject organized religion…they prefer to pray and worship at home privately. They believe that church is a human creation and subject to human manipulations advanced under the administration of fallible human leaders.

While any and every church is not worthy of attending or belonging to, there are some who still afford disciples opportunities to fellowship with Christ, share life with fellow believers, participate in Christian lifestyle, and cooperate in sharing the Gospel of Christ with the world. Truly following Jesus Christ today is effectively executed through serious involvement in a local Bible-believing church. That is a church that understands its nature and mission from Christ’s perspective and not merely one pandering to the culture’s demands, traditions, or expectations.     

What is the essential nature of the Church?

The Bible affords great insight regarding the very nature of the Church. We see in the New Testament several functions and responsibilities that are true of specific local congregations, and these are portrayed in a positive light (Acts 2:40-47).  The church in Jerusalem early on was very pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelizing, worshiping, fellowshipping, training and teaching, and ministering were all major features of this ministry. But, the point here is to define its essential nature.

A closer look at the word “church” should be helpful. It is used 115 times in the KJV. In 114 of those passages the Greek word translated “church” is ekklesia. (In Ac. 19:37, the Greek word hierosulos, meaning “a robber of a sacred place,” is translated also “church.”) Ekklesia means called out. Also philologically, that is the way a word is used, not merely its root meaning, a church is an assembly. We need to be just as concerned about how a word is used, not merely what its roots may be.  The meaning of the word ‘ekklesia’ is defined by its common usage in Biblical times. This being the case, the meaning of ‘ekklesia’ is “a called out assembly.”

Now, a local assembly operated through democratic processes under the laws of the Empire.  A Christian assembly function is the great commission, Matt. 28:19-20, its government is democratic (Acts 1:15-26), and it operates under the laws of King Jesus Christ.  A church is an assembly, city of believers, on earth within the Kingdom of God. A church should be comprised of believers who have been baptized in accordance with the Scriptures and voluntarily covenant together to fulfill the Great Commission. This includes evangelizing the unsaved, baptizing the new convert, training the saved to live and serve as Christ Jesus taught us. This is to continue through starting new churches in new places the world around until Jesus comes back for us.

The first mention of the word “church” in the N. T. is Mt. 16:16-19. Consider some important lessons from this passage:

1. The Church was started and built by Christ (“I will build”). This is one of His most important  present occupations.  This refutes the idea that the Holy Spirit started the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  The Holy Spirit came to Fill and Empower the Church not to start it!  Jesus is the Originator and God’s great arm of creation– and He created the church.
2. The Church was built upon Christ. The “Rock” upon which the church is built is Christ Himself--not Peter (compare 1 Co. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6).
3. The church did not exist until Christ came. It is an entity distinct from Israel.  There was no church in the O. T.  times (1Cor. 10:32; Eph. 3:3-11).

So, a genuine Church is a called out assembly of baptized believers following Jesus Christ, and associating with fellow believers to live out the Gospel and share it with the world. Following Christ requires involvement with one of His genuine churches. Forsaking churches altogether is forsaking God’s plan for Christian fellowship, development, ministry, and purpose. Yet, it is common to plead with believers to attend church regularly and to involve themselves in the life of the ministry!

What is the mission of the Church?

The mission of the Church is to make known the manifold wisdom of God: the Gospel (Eph. 3:10).  Christ gave his churches the responsibility of unbinding the gospel, letting it loose in the earth.  But with this responsibility comes also the possibility that a church might not unbind the gospel and, by this very default, will bind it.  Not all children obey the Father.

A church is a fellowship of disciples making known to all the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its mission is not to be a fellowship. That is its nature.  It is a fellowship.  Its mission is to make the gospel known.  It is a fellowship on a global mission.

A genuine church from Christ’s point of view affords believers opportunities to follow Him corporately. Being a part of and engaging a church in meaningful worship, ministry, and mission are practical ways of following Jesus Christ today. The Lord Jesus did not start another entity to support Christian living and missions, so it is safe to conclude He deems His original plan as relevant still. To belong to a solid Bible-obeying church with a heart to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and devoted to life and ministry Jesus’s way is the plan of God for every believer without any exceptions.

I know there are those who have had bad experiences with rotten churches who feel they are the exception. Yes, you may feel justified by walking away from that awful church, but Christ expects you to follow Him still. That means finding a solid church who understands its nature and mission from Christ’s perspective and joining it. Join it to live in right and fuller fellowship with Christ Jesus. Join it to support and cultivate biblical Christian thinking, values, living, and service. Join it to advance the only hope God offers lost humanity of eternal value, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The invitation to follow Jesus Christ is the most valuable invite you and I will every give consideration to. Accept it and follow Him with as little interruption as possible until He returns for us in the Rapture.

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^[1] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1472). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

It Is Still Wise to Wait on God!

Waiting on God? Feeling a little awkward while trying to patiently anticipate the LORD's timing? Every Believer has been there once or twice. Our minds race back and forth between doubts, fears, and perplexities, and we can literally feel our hearts pounding away with anxiety. The Psalmist of Israel understood this kind of tension and concludes Psalm 27 with the wise counsel, “Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD” (Ps. 27:14). He emphasizes patience before the Lord and stresses the importance of waiting confidently in anticipation of His aid, provision, direction, protection, wisdom, and blessing. Waiting is an activity that requires real courage and commitment. This is especially true in moments of danger, threat, uncertainty, and pressure. Without such courage, we are inclined to faint, lose heart, and reach for some quick fix ‘solution’ that will only exacerbate our situation. In the end our independent actions will actually increased our level of anxiety, stress, and regret. "O', why didn't I wait? Why was I in such a hurry? If only I knew then what I know now…."

Perhaps you can recall uttering those very words and now merely reading them brings back some serious regrets related to hasty decisions. I understand and you are not alone. Far too many young people experimented with drugs and alcohol just trying to be cool and fit in. Now they are dependent on these substances, and others being penniless are selling their bodies to get their next fix. The list of teenagers and college students who lost their virginity in the heat of passion, to keep a boyfriend, or to be viewed as a player is far too long. Now STDs has forced them to rethink some things. Who can number the couples who rushed into marriage unprepared only to later stomp off to divorce court filled with a sense of failure. For yet others it is their overwhelming debt, poor career choices, conflicting priorities, or a decision to reject the college option and just find a job. Now they have fewer and fewer options as technology and the job market demand higher/advanced training, skills, expertise, and specialization. The lists of regrets, sorrows, pains, and frustrations are long and continue to multiply every moment! In my ministry I meet people all the time who would do a lot of things differently if they could change the past. In the interest of complete transparency, I have longed for a few ‘do-overs’ myself. Regret related to hasty decisions is a painful look in the mirror, but it is extremely necessary! Such mistakes can be learned from. We need God to help us make decisions; though it is uncomfortable admitting this, it is never-the-less true.

The opposite of haste is patience and another way of defining patience is endurance or perseverance. Zero patience equals quitting, not enduring--giving up. A quick escape from the pressures may appear expedient in the heat of the tension, but these decisions typically set us back further. There is always some detail, element, or insight we failed to calculate or consider. Dr. J. Vernon McGee agrees that the cure for a fainting/quitting heart is confident anticipation as we wait on the Lord saying,

There is a lot of heart trouble today among believers. It is known as faintheartedness, or the coward’s heart. All of us have a little touch of it. How can this be cured? “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage.” When we do that the Lord will strengthen our hearts. He is really the great heart specialist. (Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee)

So, that uncomfortable awkwardness that settles upon us when we are waiting for the Lord to come through is a potential ‘fainting’ spell. If it persists unchecked by courageous faith in the Lord, we will opt to rush into something without praying and thinking it through. We need the Lord’s strength to endure and patiently wait while He works out His timing and excellent plans. We can be assured that He is not incompetent or too ignorant to work providentially on our case. We can always rest assured that He is working out His good, acceptable, and perfect will (Rom. 12:1, 2).

The nature of God’s timing requires that we practice trust—He does not honor our timetables necessarily. His ways and timing are higher and far more comprehensive than ours tend to be. As a result, we must decidedly resist the temptation to jump ahead before receiving the Spirit’s direction. Running ahead of God never ceases to be a concern for us Christians in our walk with the Lord. Each of us must diligently examine our motivations before we act. By cultivating an attitude of patient waiting while looking to the Lord for guidance, we can give God control over the direction of our lives (James 4:13-17). Are you waiting and wondering what your next step should be? Be patient. Do not jump ahead—trust God’s timing.

According to James 4:13-17, some of us mistakenly make plans without first consulting with the Lord. At times we are aware of this gross failure and on other occasions we allow for certain shifts in priorities. Of course selfishness is not at all shy about taking care of number one! In contrast, the Lord would have us make plans with a great  deal more humility and submission to His will. The following are some common ways we talk about the future and make our plans, while leaving God out (not original):

i.          When we describe retirement in selfish terms as our time to enjoy the fruits of our labors.

ii.          When we see work and careers as ways we can make money in order to buy what we want.

iii.         When we define money as a symbol of independence.

iv.         When we imagine ourselves in control of major areas of life under the rationalization that God is not interested in such mundane matters.

v.         When we make practical decisions about education, job changes, moving, investments, and spending—all without serious prayer.

In humility (Ps. 25:9) and submission to the will of God we formulate and execute the plans we believe will please Him. Planning is not wrong in and of itself, but planning without consulting God or waiting on His direction is. Replace that awkward feeling with a patient anticipation of God’s guidance by trusting Him to deliver in His timing. Resist the temptation to permit fears, pressures, pride, our priorities, others, and our plans to rush our decisions. Remember things would have been different if Eve had waited on Adam before taking the fatal bite. The Middle-East would be different if only Abraham and Sarah had waited on God—that Hagar and Ismael thing has not worked out so great for Israel.

In order to recover from regrets and the related guilt we need to seek God’s forgiveness (1Jn. 1:9). At the heart of the Christian faith is the promise of forgiveness and healing. Yes, though we often do not mean to, we fail our Lord and miss His plan for us. The reality of our guilt and of God's provision of forgiveness in Jesus Christ is woven throughout the biblical text. God's Word tells us that when we acknowledge our sins and turn from them, God forgives us.

·        Proverbs 28:13-14,  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. [14] Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

·        Jeremiah 31:34, And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Yes, but how do I let go of the past? Once you have requested God's forgiveness, the next and vital step toward being free from guilt is to let go of your past. In the course of my ministry, I have met countless people who are haunted by their sins. They have not been able to forgive themselves and let go of their past (Stanley). There may be consequences or responsibilities that we need to address, but God's forgiveness is assured repeatedly. 

The Bible tells us that once we have repented of our sins, God both forgives them and forgets them (see Isa. 43:25). It is not the Lord, therefore, who reminds us of past sins that we have already confessed to Him. Rather, it is the one whom the Bible calls the “accuser of our brethren,” the devil (Rev. 12:10). When we are confronted with images or memories of sins we have already confessed to God, it is time to say, “I refuse to accept these thoughts. God has already forgiven me of that. I am letting this go right on by. Devil, you'll have no hold on my mind.” (Stanley) The next time the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!

·        Isaiah 43:25, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

·        Psalm 103:11-14, For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. [12] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. [13] Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. [14] For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

By the grace and wisdom of God’s Word put the past behind you and look to the Lord anew to direct your path. The forgiveness God offers is real and substantial; fully accept it and walk in the reality of a forgiven past. Pursue His plans for your life once again. Wait on the Lord; look to Him continually through His Word and His Spirit. Accept His priorities; embrace them as your personal mandates. No excuses for refusing His directions. Trust the Lord to come through on His terms and according to His timing. It has well been said, "He may not come when we want Him to, but He is always on time!" Also remember, an apparent delay from God is not automatically a denial from Him. God is busy arranging and orchestrating a complete answer that not only satisfies our needs, but also each life that our life will touch. He is quite comprehensive in His marvelous workings—respect and highly value this truth. As you wait on God, He will give you a heart strong enough to embrace His timing and plan. Always bear in mind that it is still wise to wait on God. If you decide to do so, you will avoid some of the regrets, pains, and frustrations that accompany hasty decisions. May you always walk in the grace and beauty of God’s perfect plan!