I have walked in churches for decades now and talked with Christians within various denominations. In that time, I have found such a variety of ideas about what the church is and its purpose here on earth. I marvel at the differences of perception as to how we walk out our faith as we live out our daily lives. It would seem that for most of the congregations of churches today, the church has been reduced to nothing more than a lifestyle choice. People clean themselves up as in accordance with the required lifestyle ordained by the church they choose.
What do I mean by lifestyle choice?I liken it unto a country club. For those who are into golf, there are any number of country clubs that you can join and be like-minded with other members. Each club places expectations on their members and the members feel pressure to comply to the rules certainly, but also to expected etiquette within the membership. The way one dresses, talks, and projects themselves will quite
often be the result of pressure or requirements from the club. Same with tennis, as many clubs exist for the sole purpose of gathering for fellowship over this main common interest. There are clubs for chess, cards, motorcycles, bicyclists, equestrian, birding or other activities. There are clubs for children such as boy scouts, girls scouts, and any number of sports activities.
I propose that in many cases (not all, of course) the churches today, at least in Western societies, have become much like these country clubs. Denominations tend to have certain expectations for their congregations. And their pews fill with like-minded people who are looking to work out their salvation (Philippians 2:12) in such fashion. The way they dress, the vernacular they speak, the version of the scriptures they utilize all following due course. And in country club style, the calendars are filled with events suited to their corporate structure. Members are kept plenty busy with learning opportunities, social events and children’s programs.
I do not take issue with churches offering such boundaries to their members, nor that having social events poses problems in and of itself. However, in too many cases, I have experienced the masses within churches becoming impassioned about these things. Their central focus becomes activity after activity as the church is perceived as a place for people to seek safe harbor, protected from the rest of the world. And sadly, in too many cases, discussions center around particular doctrines that their particular church centers on and how others just don’t seem to be as enlightened as they are. Many go so far as to judge others who name the name of Christ as “unsaved” if they do not follow the requirements of their church or denomination.
But is this the perception God had envisioned when He initially set the church in motion? The church by definition has one function and one purpose. The function is that the church is the physical body of Jesus Christ remaining and operating on this earth today, and the purpose is to continue His work He began before He departed to the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33). The church is to be about the Father’s business and doing only what it hears from the Father (John 5:19).
You see, the church should be a safe harbor… for those recently saved from the “fire” of the world. But for those among us who are mature in Christ, it is not so. The mature should be fully functioning servants in the Kingdom of God whose focus is squarely on Jesus Christ alone, following His Spirit as He leads us toward reaching the lost, discipling, teaching and serving others, and revealing the love of the Father.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…and all were made to drink of one Spirit. I Corinthians 12:12-13
Let us tear down denominational walls that separate us – that keeps us skeptical and suspicious of one another – and keeps us focused on internal activities of our individual churches.
If a Kingdom is divided against itself, that Kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24
What a powerful picture to envision churches unifying as one body – His Body – all of us working as one new man unified as His church doing His work as the Father wills!
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