What is the Church

One of the many topics on my mind as of late has been church structure and strategy. I am surprised to see in various areas, including Douglas, when multiple churches are erected and separately managed. It is unavoidable and understandable that there are those that depart from sound teaching and are given over to their depraved minds. Nonetheless there is a simple fact, there is one church, one Body of Christ. Some would say that they each have their own purpose, though I don’t support that. I believe there should only be one Bible believing and Bible teaching church within each community or city limits that is understood to be the church in that area. Over the decades and centuries we have clearly divided over preference, ritual, and other areas where such division is simply wrong. If we do not agree it could be an opportunity to sever a relationship and seek like-minded individuals to validate ourselves, but rather than divide, we should grow. We learn from each other, grow and support one another, and strive for unity even in difficult times. We grow in the knowledge and Truth of the Gospel, the only area we should concern ourselves with unifying as the assembly, and only when a false gospel is taught should it be used as a valid reason to depart from one another.

Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist... the list goes on, as does the extent of the confusion and division in the church that we have played a large roll in. Myself and many others I find in my generation are seeing this division and wisely choosing to avoid, or at best, approach such practices cautiously. The ones I see approaching denominations more openly tend to prefer a set of rituals or specific atmosphere over sound teaching. It inherently promotes an institution catering to a people, rather than a people coming together for the glory of God as the very Body of Christ.

I think of my very own personal experience when searching for a Bible-teaching church here in Douglas. We skipped right over all the “P’s, C’s, and B’s” that promoted division before even entering the door to the church, so we headed right off to the next city. We eventually found what was generally a healthy Bible-teaching church. Though the Holy Spirit, in His infinite wisdom and purpose, kept drawing us back, to be a part of the local Body. I could give mention to negative observations and conflicts we observed in the church. Though, I won't focus on them now, but rather on how to continually work toward the support and strengthening of the local church.

One of the many areas I am observing unity with, over many borders, is the desire to start breaking down the man-made walls that have divided the church over the centuries. There isn't a deterioration of theology, but rather an acceptance that we can follow the same Christ and occasionally disagree and study and seek truth in unity.

One area that seems so simple and easily overlooked is what we refer to as the name of a church. The church, which the general population in America (and Merriam-Webster) has widely come to believe as being a building, needs to be settled and focused once again on being defined as the gathering of Christ followers for the purpose of Gods glory. So what are we here? Do we boastfully take ownership of the sect we've created and endorse, or are we simply the church? How would Paul have addressed us?

As we seek God's glory together and as we take the same approach with the church as we do ourselves, in ridding ourselves with what displeases God, we will see Him bless that and add to it. When I see the other buildings on the corners here locally and spread over the country and world, people think the church is dying. What I see however is not the death of the church, but the crumbling of the man-made institution and the strengthening of the church that Jesus talked about building; “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” We can either be a part of the failing church men build or a part of the radical and life-changing and God-glorifying church that Jesus is building, that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against.

Changing how we refer to our gathering may seem nominal and inane, but I believe it is a clear and inspiring foundation of a simple truth; we are the church. Removing the focus on what appears and seemingly is referred to as a business will naturally emphasize the reality that the church is the people and the people are the members of the one Body of Christ. Simply being the Church, we take an important step in the breaking down of barriers that divide, and put focus on the members of the Body to know the Gospel, and that the beliefs of the church are in fact the beliefs of the Messengers that bring that gospel to the rest of the community and the world.