The Church--And Could She Be?

One of the questions I am often asked in my travels overseas, training pastors, is what would our vision of the church of Jesus Christ be, if we used scriptural parameters rather than those borrowed from the world.  Here is the answer I give them.

The church would be a healthy, vibrant, fruitful vineyard that brings honor to Christ whether she is gathered on Sundays for worship or scattered throughout the week for evangelism and ministry in the community.  She would be a church after Christ's own heart so that He can look at the sufferings He embraced and endured on the cross and rejoice that they were well worth it.  She would be a church that makes much of Christ by making much of the Gospel by believing it and preaching it to herself for her progress in holiness and to the lost for their salvation.  Risk-taking for the sake of adorning and sharing the Gospel would be the norm rather than the exception.  And the desire of every heart would be to see Christ receive the reward of His sufferings.

When gathered, there would be a feeling of humble reverence as well as an air of joyous familial informality, where each esteems others better than himself, where everyone is important but no one jockeys to become important, and where all recognize Christ as Head.  Among believers would be a beautiful simplicity and a radiant Christian love that makes no room or provision for gossiping, talebearing, and discord.

Childlike candor without duplicity, dishonesty, or disharmony would mark Christ’s church.  Power struggles and power plays would have no place within this Body.  Safe, humble, and honest conversations would happen as we learn to disagree agreeably about the things we don't see eye to eye upon. The seeking and the granting of forgiveness would be as common as eating, drinking, and sleeping.   And at all costs and as much as is possible, strained and broken relationships would be repaired and restored for the sake of Christ’s honor.  

What is done within Christ’s church would be done “in the Spirit” rather than “in the flesh” and if this is the case the presence of Christ would be felt by His beloved.  Sunday’s worship would be entered into, experienced, celebrated, and enjoyed because Christ has been entered into, experienced, celebrated, and enjoyed Monday through Saturday.  The singing of praise would be passionate because Christ is worthy of our passion.  The reading of God’s Word would be honored and done honorably for the honor of God’s Name.   And the sermon would be anticipated as that time when our Lord speaks to us through His Word utilizing the sincere simplicity of a man He has called to be “a fool for Him”.  Prayers offered before the Throne of Grace would be sincere, simple, and straightforward realizing God is not only able to answer but willing.  Prayers would be offered and answered so regularly that it is understood as normal rather than abnormal.   And when necessary, miracles would not be uncommon.  

Is all this, in the light of Scripture, unreasonable to expect in and of a church? . . . Is this impossible?  Is anything impossible with God?  Is anything impossible where the Lord Jesus Christ is on the throne and His people live like it?  Is this unscriptural?  No!  The only thing that is unscriptural about this vision, is that as biblical as it is—it is not yet BIG enough.  The scriptural standards are higher still.  God not only is able, but desires to do far more abundantly beyond all that we could ever ask or imagine, according to the power of the Spirit that works within His church and He desires to do this so that He would be glorified in and through His church (Ephesians 3:20-21).  

If you believe in this vision for the church— if you would like to see this kind of reformation, this change toward the better, this recapturing of the ancient power of God in the souls of His people, then there must be a radical restructuring in our minds and hearts as to whose vision for the church we should embrace--the world's or God's.  The Church--and could she be?