HEY CHURCH – What In The World Are You Doing? – Seriously!

 

HEY CHURCH – What In The World Are You Doing? – Seriously!

 

 

 

 

God The Father gave Jesus His Son His clear Mission, Purpose, Method and Way for all of creation, the End of The Age in preparation for the new heaven and earth and the new Jerusalem – and for all believers to spend eternity with Him and one another in a new and perfect heaven and earth. This is the same Mission, Purpose, Method and Way for Jesus’ Church. But is the Church faithfully following the pattern He established and demonstrated during His time on this earth – and now in His Word?

Let’s begin by reading about the Church as it is described in the Bible – and you will find that the (Greek) word for Church is “EKKLESIA”; EK = out of, or, out from; KALEO = called or summoned; “The Called-Out Ones”.

But for many twenty-first century pastors and ‘church experts’ defining the word Church, too often only gives what they imagine we should be focused on – and it is usually ‘growth for growth’s sake’ – but that is not what Jesus and the Bible says and describes as His Church. Far too many twenty-first century pastors and ‘church experts’ propose we should know about and develop only a PURPOSE of the Church – like the Church is a tool to be used.
The Bible, however, gives a much different picture. First it gives us God the Father’s Mission, Purpose, Method and Way for Jesus – and Jesus tells us that His  Mission, Purpose, Method and Way is the same for His Church and for every believer who constitute the Church. And all of this has been demonstrated in the Person and Life of Jesus during His earthly ministry.

However, discovering Jesus’ intention for His Church has been confused by imposing a man-derived PURPOSE ONTO the Church – as is the case, for example, with Pastor Rick Warren’s (founder of Saddleback church, California) found in his extremely popular and successful book, “The Purpose Driven Church”. Warren, in his book proposes that in order for a church to be “healthy” it must become a purpose-driven church, (in lieu of being “Spirit Led”?) built around the five New Testament “purposes”:

Worship – “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).

Ministry – “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

Evangelism – “go therefore and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).

Fellowship – “baptizing them” (Mattthew 28:19, identification with the Christian community).

Discipleship – “teaching them to obey all that I command you” (Matthew 28:20).

(Note: All these things can be good things and these words are found in the Bible. But the context is misplace and therefore is wrong. And here is where it gets slick (and by slick I mean deceptive). This is Warrens’ way (or anyone’s way) of redefining a text, and in this case, the text in the Bible, to meet his or her personal view and intentions. Warren’s way is a way of marketing. Marketing for the sake of numerical growth. A means to achieve pleasantry and comfort. Warren is using a form of “eisegesis” which is the process of interpreting Bible text in such a way as to introduce his own presuppositions, agendas or biases to fit into and pander to a postmodern world. It is commonly referred to as reading into the text. It is often done to justify or confirm a position already held. Eisegesis is best understood when contrasted with exegesis. Exegesis is drawing out a text’s meaning in accordance with the author’s context and discoverable meaning. Eisegesis is when a reader imposes their interpretation of the text. Thus exegesis tends to be objective; and eisegesis, highly subjective.)

To which I say, HOLY BALONEY! Because if “purpose” as in the “Purpose Driven Church” is the defining factor for Jesus’ Church, as Warren and many others say, then I say that is like comparing your natural body and what is does naturally and calling it your “purpose”. For example, Rich Warren might say to a child, “Now your purpose in life is to eat food, drink liquids, breathe air, and exercise if you want to have a healthy body. And while you are at it, brush your teeth, get regular checkups, trim you nails and your hair…etc. Be nice, be polite, be joyful, be peaceful, be dependable, be longsuffering, be, be, be be…” If that is your “purpose” in life, it is all about YOU. And that might make you a pathological narcissist. And sadly, that is what most churches resemble in varying degrees in this twenty-first century. And some are narcissists on steroids.

Jesus warns against this. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” – Matthew 23:15.

WHAT YOU MUST – PLEASE – REALLY KNOW & UNDERSTAND – And perhaps even in the following order.

The Bible says you are to be “born again”; you are to be made into a new creature; you are to be transformed – not conformed! And only the Holy Spirit can imbue you with these gifts, qualities and characteristics for God’s glory and for your service in building up the Body of Christ – the Church. And as you intentionally go, you must follow Him in order to accomplish His Mission and to follow His Plan which drivesHis Purpose through His Methods and His Ways. (Please – GET THIS).

1. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). (You must GET THIS).
2. YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN PERSON. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body”. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). (You must GET THIS.
3. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD therefore you are now a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for His Own possession, and you are an ALIEN, a SOJOURNER AND an EXILE in a foreign land. “You are (of) a chosen race, a royal prie0sthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not (of) a people, but now you are God’s (person and of His) people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:9-11). (You must GET THIS.
4. TIME IS SHORT. “But this I say, brothers, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). (You must GET THIS. The period remaining before Christ’s return and the completion of God’s purposes is limited. Paul’s instruction arises from the certainty that the present age is passing away, not from speculation about dates. Believers are therefore to order their lives by eternal realities rather than becoming absorbed by temporary concerns.

But you and I and all the rest of us as Christians are told me must “go to church” instead of being told we are to “go into the world”. So we all go to church and a special select few “go into all the world”. (I am not saying that all Christians should be ‘foreign missionaries’. I am saying we are all called to be on mission – as missionaries – where we live.)

Instead, we seek our own ways and comforts even in the Church – instead of taking up our cross and following Jesus. You stake out your spot, establish yourself and your place inside of a building that you call “the church”. You work hard to establish your legacy as a “long standing church” organization. So, I have to ask, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?

JESUS SAYS,

1. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
2. “You must be born again.”
3. “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.
4. “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.”
5. “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is deserving of his support.”
6. “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.”
7. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Now, does this sound like what you have been doing as you “go to church”?

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “He (God) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be childlike, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”   (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Okay, okay. I imagine that this can be starting to sound critical and somewhat negative for some. But, honestly folks, what do you think Jesus would say if He came back today and visited most of the churches, today? What if He came to your church today? Would He say, “Wow. Great work folks. You are doing it exactly like I did it and exactly how I told you to do it”?
And, if you really read your Bible and understand even a little about Jesus, I have to ask if He would even be welcomed in your church – with all of His “radical Christian speech and behavior”?

Here’s the deal: Jesus spoke and demonstrated what He intended for His Church and He spoke those words to you and for you, otherwise why preserve His Words for a few? Over the centuries, religious and church leaders (pastors, teachers, theologians and even political leaders) have divided the church into a non-biblical hierarchy of “clergy” and “laity” which may be similar to Christ’s giving pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. (The Church belongs to Jesus Christ, not to a professional religious class. Its leaders are called to equip the saints for ministry, not to monopolize ministry. Its members are not passive spectators but disciples of Christ, responsible for learning His Word, discerning truth, proclaiming the gospel, and serving His people. Notice the distinction: leaders are given to equip the saints for ministry. The passage does not describe ministry as the exclusive work of professional clergy. Furthermore, the terms ‘clergy’ and ‘laity’ are not found in the Bible; they originated later in church history and are manmade terms. The Bible does not create a distinction between these groups, as it emphasizes that all believers are part of God’s people.)

That does not mean every believer is called to be a pastor, teacher, evangelist, or apostle. It means that the Church’s ministry cannot properly be reduced to what its paid or formally appointed leaders do. The clergy in most places are required to be highly educated and politically connected to certain influential circles. Conversely and unfortunately, the “laity” are often referred to as the “dumb sheep” who must be led and fed. (This is not found anywhere in the Bible).

WHAT WE, AS THE CHURCH, MUST KNOW

1. His Mission – and we must get on His Mission Stay on His Mission at all times in all ways. (Jesus’ mission is not merely to save people from something; it is also to save them for something—to restore them to fellowship with God, conform them to the image of His Son, incorporate them into His people, and bring them into the life of His coming kingdom.)
2. His Purpose – we must know His purpose which is driven by His Mission. (Perfection/perfecting). Purpose is the end God intends; mission is the work Christ accomplishes to bring that end about.)
3. His Method – we must now His Methods as revealed in scriptures. No deviation. His Methods are defined by His purpose and driven by His Mission. (His method identifies the divinely appointed way that work is accomplished. In the biblical account, Jesus Christ is not only the One through whom God’s method operates—He is also the divine Son, Creator, Redeemer, and Lord in whom God’s purpose reaches its fulfillment.)
4. His Way. We must know that He is The Way – and He is the only Way. Know Him. Know His Mission. Know His Purpose. Know His Methods. Know His Ways. (Jesus Christ is the central divine Means or Way of creation’s existence and redemption, but He is not merely a means in the instrumental sense. He is Himself the eternal Son, Creator, Redeemer, and Lord. The Father and Son act in unity with the Holy Spirit, and the ultimate glory belongs to the triune God.)

It is incorrect to assume that the church (Christianity) is in any way or fashion a separate entity from the Body of Believers of Jesus Christ. The “EKKLESIA”, The Church, is the “The Called-Out Ones – people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church, the mystical body of Christ – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom – both now and for all eternity.

So please, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, think on these things. For there is one foolproof litmus test for the Christian – that you have confessed with your mouth what you believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead, you have repented and are following Him as your Master, Teacher, Lord and Savior; and that on that last day He will say to you “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” And there is but One Way and that is indeed the Way of our Master – Jesus Christ.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young.