Maranatha Fellowship Church

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reading about the challenges we face with the church in our day.  Some suggest that the church has lost its relevance as it tries to hold onto the archaic forms of previous generations.  Consequently, there are a whole myriad of new expressions for “doing church” in our culture.  This re-creation of the church has resulted in an increased affinity for empty gimmicks of human ingenuity that are all being done in the name of Jesus.  And so, ironically, the church, or the world’s perception of the church, has indeed become more irrelevant as a result of the very things we’ve tried to do to prevent it from being so. 

Let me be more specific.  It seems to me that the church has discarded the distinctiveness of her heritage and has wholeheartedly embraced the exploits of corporate America with its dependence upon secular marketing principles.  The claims and promises of the church growth movement have been widely accepted without much discernment.  Some churches are hiring entertainers (even clowns) to create a more appealing show during their so-called “worship” services.  The question is – what (or who) are they actually worshipping?  Bigger is always seen to be better, and better can only be realized if we adopt the strategies and techniques of big business.  One problem with this approach is that it’s like an insatiable addiction that has to constantly be fed with greater thrills each time, until nothing will satisfy any longer.  And yet, these worldly alternatives are no substitute for the real draw.

I’m absolutely convinced that the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the church that proclaims it and lives it, is the most relevant matter for anyone to consider.  What could be more relevant for those suffering from a fatal disease than to find their only cure?  What could be more relevant to a world living in darkness than to find the true light?  What could be more relevant in a world of death and despair than to find a living hope?  When the true gospel message is articulated properly, nothing can match its majesty and splendor!  The good news of Jesus’ redemption fills the effected hearers with radiance and brilliance that is unparalleled in this world. 

The problem is not the message itself.  The problem is with the vehicles of the message!  If the church were to simply “be the church” that the Lord has called it to be we would see a glorious revitalization among Christendom.  To be sure, we will never be perfect, and even if we were perfect the world would still be at enmity against God apart from His divine grace.  So we can’t treat this statement as a magic formula that would somehow obligate God’s hand.  But we would see the relevance return to the church once again. 

To “be the church” means that Christians would do everything they do for the sake of His great name and for the furtherance of His kingdom.  It means that we would become more serious-minded about God’s holiness and more sober-minded about our own sinfulness.  We would be more concerned about worshipping Him in spirit and truth, and with all Christian sincerity and integrity.  We would greatly revere Him and highly regard His Word.  We would spend significant times in our prayer closets as we bask and grow in the intimacy of divine fellowship through His Spirit.  We would live our lives for His glory and for the good of others, not perfectly but consistently by God’s grace.  Our hearts would beat in unison for the things that please our Lord.  To “be the church” means that the church would be filled with compassion for reaching the lost in our world relationally.  Everything that we did for Christ would be done with more meaning and purpose. 

Whenever someone says that we need “change” (the “c” word) in the church today, I would have to say that I agree.  However, rather than changing our paradigms or methods or styles, I would say that we have to change our hearts.  We must repent of the ways we’re failing to “be the church” that the Lord has called us to be.  Why do we keep looking for other ways to do church when we still haven’t been faithful to the way the Lord has ordained it?

Let us “be the church” faithfully in our communities.  Let us have a renewed passion for the things of God.  Let us zealously pursue a vital, healthy, thriving Christian life that denies self and embraces Christ.  Let us strive to carry out the Lord’s desires for our church rather than the world’s.  And as for the clowns in the church – well, there are already too many of them!