Acts 4:23 “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people.”
I Corinthians 5:13 “God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you.”
I Corinthians 9:22 “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”
There is a problem in our present church culture today about what our focus should be on. The argument between the traditionalists and those who are pushing relevance tends to revolve around the whole concept of ‘church.’ What is church to be in this day and age?
Should it be a place for Christians to gather and worship and study the Word together? Or is it to be a place where we open the doors, let everyone in, in the hopes of bringing some to Christ? Obviously – I’m breaking no new ground here – the answer is that church is to be both of these things.
When Peter and John were told to stop witnessing by the Sanhedrin, they went back to their 'own.' They needed to be with men and women of a like-mind. They needed their 'church.' That is why in I Corinthians 5 Paul is so adamant about expelling the man living in sin - the church needed to maintain its purity in the pagan Corinthian culture.
The church needs to be a rallying point for people who have the same mind and heart. It needs to be a place of holiness. It needs to be separate and different, for a variety of reasons: 1) so that it is a light to the outside world, 2) so that people may find rest from the fight, 3) so that true worship of one heart and mind may be offered up to God. This could not happen in a congregation that consists of believers and unbelievers. That is why in their time of trial, Peter and John were able to find strength to continue to preach with boldness.
This is where the 'traditionalists' have the right idea. But those in the current age who are crying out for relevance also need to have their voice heard, because it's the same cry that Paul had in I Corinthians 9 when he spoke of doing whatever he could to reach the lost. It's why, when all was said and done in Acts 4, their prayer was to be able to have boldness to get out and bring the lost to Christ. Evangelism is the heartbeat of any church. Without it, the church will rot from within.
A tension exists because there is a tension between maintaining a pure church and a church that has a heart for evangelism. Both elements must exist in our church culture - but we seem unable to find the balance that the early church found. They were able to have their 'own people' that they could gather together with, while still being a tremendous force in the world. They weren't confused by this concept. They didn't think that they had to somehow blend in to be effective. They didn't think that they had to make their message relevant, or their church compromised by the culture. And they were the most relevant entity to ever exist in the history of the church.
I'm not advocating simply copying the early church - they were a special movement at a certain time in history, and when you try to repeat a movement of the Spirit, you always end up a few steps behind. We are to be in step with the Spirit at all times. I'm just wondering why we can't have the same relevance without compromise that they had. Why our churches can't be places of holiness (which is by definition "separation"), while at the same time being a strong, loving arm extended to the lost.
3 comments:
Comment time! For once, I would love to disagree with something you say! COME ON! I am with you 100%. I think our church people have to be of one mind or we will become useless. Where evangelism is concerned, I think there is no doubt that the burden is on all of us to do our part OUTSIDE of the church, and then bring in those who have heard the Gospel, and are hoping to further their knowledge about it. We cannot be a completely seeker friendly church, because there is no growth, simply milk. We need meat if we are to grow and encourage each other. That is church! Support,love, building up and accountability. We should learn how to be servants of Christ through serving our church so that we can serve the world.
dave
Church to me has been a rallying place. Especially where I work with a lot of non-Christians, I've found church to be the energizing point of the week. Almost like a pep rally before the big game - only this game is life, and it's 24/7, and most of the time you feel as though you've got no teammates, only an opposition.
I hear many people say that they "watched" church. Don't get me wrong - the tv ministries are great, but it's the fellowship that is needed. I've been in churches where there isn't a sense of "family". Nobody really wants to talk - it's almost like they are in a meeting and their mind is on lunch. That isn't church.
I agree with your post, Tom. Like Dave, when are we going to get to disagree? :)
Phenomenal topic. Once again, Tom thanks for unleashing this good stuff, I feel like I am getting a much needed dose of spiritual seasoning to sprinkle on my bland day. Just to preface my ultimate response/comment. I feel like there are absolute truths in life (i.e. God created life, God loves us, we should love God, we should love one another), and things and thoughts that you simply do not do (i.e. see 10 Commandments). Then you have everything else in life that God has really given us the opportunity to decide for ourselves. We may be right sometimes, and we may be wrong sometimes, but heck, that is life. To me that is what is so amazing about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The fact that He has given us the tools to then go out into the world and do what we want to do. Now, I know that last sentence sounds like I could star in the next James Bond move, "License to Do Whatever I Want", but in reality, if I am using God's tools he is influencing everything I do.
Anyway my thoughts/answer on your question, "Why we can't have the same relevance without compromise that they had. Why our churches can't be places of holiness (which is by definition "separation"), while at the same time being a strong, loving arm extended to the lost.", is that we can but WE have made it far more difficult for ourselves now, then at that time. There are so many distractions today! We have built so many things that get our minds off of God, that we forget what everything around us is all about. Also, I think we have lulled ourselves to a relaxing Christian sleep, where we have all of our nice Christian stuff that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside but doesn't build His Kingdom. Subsequently, we become narrow minded and unwillingly to feed our minds with the Holy Spirit, because we have gotten caught up in "how its supposed to be", rather than "how does God want ME to be." I may be crazy, but if...and that is a big IF...if I really have it all together like I think I do (I hope I do!), then why would God be caring about my salvation, how about the next guy/girl...how are they doing?
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