HoHum:
You Know You're Visiting a Bad Church If... The usher asks if you prefer the smoking or non-smoking section. Baptismal tank has a wave-maker machine. Sign out front has latest preacher’s name written with dry erase markers.
WBTU:
It’s difficult to stand in defense of church when there are so many examples of dysfunctional churches around us. But we need to be reminded that Church is vitally important. We were designed for community, but also something beyond community—we were designed for church.
Many people will object, and nearly everyone has gruesome tales of hypocrites, self-righteous blowhards and sexual predators. I get it. Some parts of the North American church are desperately sick, and in many cases the church hinders the spiritual growth of people. But before we allow some to have coffee and croissants at Starbucks and call it church, I’d like to suggest that God has given us a few clues about what He thinks makes up a church. The truth is this: Church is God’s idea, and we ignore it at our peril.
Thesis: Here is one man’s list (Ray Hollenbach) of at least six vital parts of a real church
For instances:
1. The church meets together regularly.
I am fascinated by churches who emphasize small groups or house groups. Some emphasize them so much that they have the small groups on Sunday morning and the corporate gathering on Sunday night. They tell their people that if they can only make one then go to the small group. Others call quits on traditional church and want to meet at their house or coffee house or some non traditional place and have a house church. Just going to meet at the house church. Admire their willingness to try something new for church but there is a problem here.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47, NIV.
Notice that met together far more than North Americans might find comfortable. In a variety of settings, for a multitude of reasons, followers of Jesus meet together regularly and share their lives together. This much is sure: a regularly scheduled, habitual gathering is a mark of the church. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25, NIV.
The church has a defined structure.
Even with those churches that I mentioned who emphasize small groups, we must notice that they are doing this to promote spiritual growth and evangelism, a definite plan and structure.
Structure is built into God’s order of creation. Single-celled organisms reveal astonishing complexity of function; in the human body there specialized functions. Without the structure of a skeleton, the body cannot stand. These physical realities point toward spiritual truth.
Every New Testament church had a recognizable structure. It’s not possible to read Acts or the Epistles without recognizing the importance of structure.
Church doesn’t need a rigid structure, but there does need to be some kind of structure. “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:20-22, NIV.
Those who church hop or worship on the golf course or have house church, their only structure is what they are against, form these things because against organized church, not a solid foundation
3. The church provides authority.
Authority! Just mention the word and people tense up. Abuses abound and many churches in North American operate more like a business than a church. Yet we all must personally come to terms with passages like “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.” (Hebrews 13:17) Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus could be considered all about authority! Nearly everyone has a horror story about abuse of authority in the church. Here’s my take: Authority without compassion and relationship makes a sham of God’s Kingdom, but compassion and relationship without authority miss God’s Kingdom entirely.
This is what some like about the house church idea, no authority. Oh really, their is no leader, no one who steers the worship. I bet there is.
Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned twice as having a church that met in their house. Dare say that this couple held much sway over that gathering. There are some people out there who will not work with others so they have a house church. There are some out there who only want one leader. However, I find it difficult to believe that even the house churches of the NT did not have accountability and follow up with other church leaders. Too many abandon organized church because they are against any authority, rebels who follow only themselves.
Notice how many times fellow workers or fellow servants is used in NT. No lone rangers
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21, NIV.
4. The church is a proving ground for love and forgiveness.
“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12–14) These words are impossible to live out in isolation. I believe the Father designed families and churches as the venues for love and forgiveness. How can we live out these words apart from our families, or the church—which is the family of God?
Ever been in a discount store where merchandise is labelled “slightly irregular”, or “purchase as is”? They don’t tell us what the flaw is. Once we buy it we can’t return it. In case we haven’t noticed, we all live in the “as is” department. Stop and think about the people if our lives. They are a mixed bag of strength and weaknesses, virtues and vices. The only way to have successful relationships with others is to love and accept them “as is.” Don’t buy into the myth that most folks are “normal” expect the ones in our lives. Thomas Merton said, “Love is letting those we love be perfectly themselves, and not twisting them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we see in them.” A mark of spiritual maturity is committing to love others in spite of their “irregularities”. To love someone “as is” means to focus on their areas of strength and support them in their areas of struggle.
5. The church equips God’s people.
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” Ephesians 4:11, 12, NIV.
Christian maturity requires a nurturing family atmosphere. Using gifts and talents and the development of Christian character thrive in a healthy community. Entertainment apart from equipping is antithetical to God’s plan for the church—there are plenty of churches that amount to nothing more than TV shows. But fellowship and community without equipping also falls short of the mark. If there's no equipping going on, it's not fully the church. Church should be more of a lab class than a lecture class.
“I can serve in a smaller church”, this is a healthy idea. Large churches need to be intentional about letting many people serve. I first preached at a nursing home and Sunday night. A smaller family church is more forgiving of mistakes that people make and they will make mistakes. However, how can they be equipped if they can't fail or do poorly?
6. The church provides a unique corporate witness.
There have been exceptional individuals throughout history. Saints and geniuses appear larger than life and because they are so exceptional, they are easily dismissed as individuals, even freaks. But who could dismiss an entire community of faith? “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another,” said Jesus in John 13: 34. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The early church would either get one healed or care for that individual until they died. Widows, orphans and outcasts of the first century knew there was a refuge called “the church.”
It is amazing to me how it is usually more than one who witness to someone until they come to Christ. Come to church on the invitation of a friend, get to know others, hear the sermons and Sunday school lessons, get involved in some ministry, finally come forward.
Dependable witnesses are as indispensable in the church as in the courtroom. Lawyers and preachers are helpless if there are no witnesses.
So What?
“Of course the preacher says this. It's what he does for a living."
Jesus paid the price for each individual, but the church is his gift to the world. It is through the Church that he continues to work in the world.
