I am confused.
I recently bumped into an individual who was an occasional attender of our church, had participated in ministry we sponsored, and was also saved through our ministry, as a result of money spent here at this church, through efforts of volunteers at our church. This person, when I asked why they don’t come to church began to inform me that everything we were doing here was irrelevant and phony.
This person did not say it exactly like that. But he certainly pointed the finger at the general church crowd. This person is not attending anywhere a regular “church” service. And its not just our church crowd...but all the Sunday Church crowd. Phony. Shallow. Pretender. Hypocrites. Again, not necessarily using those words, but the description fit. And so he doesn’t attend any service.
I scratched my head over that. Around that same time I bumped into him again, but in the context of a bible study. It was a collection of individuals who have ties to a few local churches, and I stopped by to check it out. There I learned, according to them, that the Sunday crowd is phony and unnecessary. This event, this study, was the real church in their mind. They said so.
The two conversations were separated by a little bit of time and other concerns, but sometime later, I put two and two together. Here was the problem.
I did not get a chance to point out to this friend that if our church, or any church is fake, phony, hypocritical or shallow, they certainly do pony up resources, funds, people and effort to make sure that we can do ministry to people like him. If it hadn’t been for people who were serious about making a difference in the lives of people like him, there would have been no outreach. There would have been no resources spent to ensure that we could have events where he could become a Christian. There would have been no volunteers to lead people like him to Christ by telling him the story of salvation. That certainly does not seem phony to me!
Now I need to note that I am not angry at this person. Just confused. And a little bit sad and disappointed. Part of it is because BCC, and other churches around this area really are doing relevant and life changing ministry. The Church is quite alive and well here in Bancroft and Shiawassee County.
But there is more to it than that. Its a question of wrong thinking which certainly has not been taught here.
The Church is the BODY of Christ. Its the Bride of Christ. Its built on the rock of the confession of faith, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. The scripture tells us, in no uncertain terms, that its a dangerous thing to sit in judgment against other parts of it, and forbids us from saying that we do not need the other parts. The Bible enjoins communal worship despite differences that can potentially separate us. It tells us to be in subjection to one another in love and to a divinely appointed leaders/Elders/Pastors/Deacons who watch over us for our benefit.
I am confused because Jesus says, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against my church," but some think that modern complacency has done what the devil could not do!
A Bible study is not church. Its a function of church. Its something a church does and should be present in every local manifestation of the body of Christ. But if that’s all you are in… you are not in church. Church is a collective. Church isdiverse. Church seeks out fellowship, not a place to hide from its other parts. Church is mutual submission. Church seeks to minister to the needs of the people around, both believers and non-believers.
We ought to be seeking out fellowship with other believers. If we think we are more zealous than others, than we ought to go and help stoke the fires of others, rather than retreat from them.
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