Sermon: The Church

Preamble

History: Several months ago when we talked as a group and landed on the idea of having everyone share the teaching for a while, someone suggested that we cover the topic of the what the church is and what its purpose is. However, to the best of my recollection, none of us actually focused on that so that is what I’d like to tackle tonight.

Exercise: Before we start let’s do a quick exercise to get us in the right mindset. On the note card you’ve been given, I’d like to you write the following at the top:

The church is ___________

Then, about halfway down the card write the following:

The purpose of the church is __________

Now, turn the card over and write the following at the top:

What I most want from the church is __________

Now, I want to you go back and write a quick answer to those questions. I don’t want you to overthink it. Just go with the first thing that comes to mind.

Caveat: [Share about personal desire not to attack the church and the large number of people in the group who have had painful church experiences in the past year or so]

Problem: In 2018 Sharon and I went to a conference in Chicago on “Becoming a Transforming Church”. The conference was led by Ruth Haley Barton from The Transformation Center. After welcoming everyone and introducing herself she opened with this statement:

"The two most overpromised and underdelivered aspects of church life are community and spiritual transformation.”

It’s actually a quote from her book, “Life Together in Christ”.

Bookmark: Let’s hold that thought for a bit so we can take a moment to establish some basis of Biblical understanding of what the church is supposed to be and do.

When I am doing a topical study, I often find it helpful to make sure I have at least some understanding of the definitions of any key topical words. So, when Jesus, Paul, or other Biblical figures used the word church, what did it mean?

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Definition of church and supporting Biblical references

Church: The Greek word for church is: 1. ekklesia (ἐκκλησία, 1577), from the root ek, “out of,” and klesis, “a calling” so, “a calling out of”. It was used among the Greeks to refer to a body of citizens “gathered” to discuss the affairs of state, Acts 19:39. In the Septuagint (Hebrew Bible translated into Greek in the 3rd century BC) it is used to designate the “gathering” of Israel, summoned for any definite purpose, or a “gathering” regarded as representative of the whole nation. So, the best English translation of ekklesia would be “assembly” or “congregation” and it is used around 114 times in the New Testament and 0 times in the Old Testament.

So, let’s examine a few key passages. Can someone read Matthew 16:13-20

Matthew 16:13–20 NIV

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

So Peter makes a confession of Jesus as the Messiah in verse 16 and Jesus responds to Peter’s declaration with a significant pronouncement about the future of the church and Peter’s role in it.

“You are Peter”:

The name “Peter” (Greek: Petros) means “rock.” Jesus uses a play on words here, linking Peter’s name to the foundation of the church.

“On this rock I will build my church”:

There are various interpretations of “this rock”:

Roman Catholic View: Peter himself is the rock, signifying his foundational role in the church and supporting the concept of the papacy.

Protestant View: The rock is Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, rather than Peter himself.

Christ as the Rock: Some scholars argue that Jesus is referring to Himself as the rock, the ultimate foundation of the church.

“The gates of Hades will not overcome it”:

This phrase indicates that the powers of death and evil will not prevail against the church. It emphasizes the church’s enduring strength and divine protection.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”:

Keys symbolize authority. Jesus grants Peter (and by extension, the church) the authority to bind and loose, which means to make binding decisions on earth that are ratified in heaven.

If we go back to the Garden of Eden we remember that God gave man dominion over the earth but that his dominion was corrupted and frustrated when he rebelled against God. Then several millennia later, Jesus is on the scene with the gospel message (The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand). And now he is announcing his plans to give some measure of authority to Peter, the disciples, and something called the “church”. BTW, this is the first use of the word in the Bible.

All right, next we have the most beloved and oft-quoted of all the passages dealing with the church though the word “church” is not explicitly used. Can someone please read Acts 2:42-47

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT to help out with this study of the church. Here is the question I asked:

Q: According to the Bible, what is the purpose of the church?

And here is the answer I received:

A: The Bible outlines several key purposes for the church, emphasizing its role in the spiritual and communal life of believers. Here are some of the primary purposes:

Worship: The church is a place where believers gather to worship God collectively. This includes praising God, praying, and participating in sacraments like communion and baptism (Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:25).

Teaching and Discipleship: The church is responsible for teaching the Word of God and making disciples. This involves educating believers in the teachings of Jesus and helping them grow in their faith (Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-13).

Fellowship: The church provides a community for believers to support and encourage one another. This fellowship helps to build strong relationships and a sense of belonging among members (Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:24-25).

Service: The church is called to serve others, both within the church community and in the broader world. This includes acts of charity, helping those in need, and promoting justice and compassion (Galatians 6:10, James 1:27).

Evangelism: The church is tasked with spreading the gospel and sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others. This mission is often referred to as the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).

Edification: The church exists to build up and strengthen the faith of its members. This includes providing spiritual guidance, encouragement, and accountability (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:12).

These purposes highlight the multifaceted role of the church in nurturing the spiritual growth of believers, fostering community, and extending God’s love and message to the world.

Okay, I have just a few more passages to look at.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Q: What are the key points in this passage?

1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV)

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.

Q: What stands out to you in this passages?

The Problem

Let me wax deconstructionist for a few moments...

In “Renovation of the Heart”, Dallas Willard says the following...

What characterizes most of our local congregations, whether big or little in size, is simple distraction. The oft-noted “failures” of many kinds that show up within them and around them are not the fundamental problem of church life today. They are much more a result than a cause. By contrast, one of the most helpful and profound statements I have read in recent years for the understanding of contemporary church life is by Leith Anderson. He notes:

While the New Testament speaks often about churches, it is surprisingly silent about many matters that we associate with church structure and life. There is no mention of architecture, pulpits, lengths of typical sermons [or sermons!], rules for having a Sunday school. Little is said about style of music, order of worship, or times of church gatherings. There were no Bibles, denominations, camps, pastor’s conferences, or board meeting minutes. Those who strive to be New Testament churches must seek to live its principles and absolutes, not reproduce the details [ed. because those details simply aren’t given].

Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ with Bonus Content (Designed for Influence) (pp. 235-236). Navpress. Kindle Edition.

Frank Viola, in his books Pagan Christianity? and Reimagining Church, offers a detailed comparison between the early church and the modern church. Here are some key contrasts he highlights:

Modern Church

Institutional and Hierarchical:

Modern churches often follow a hierarchical structure with a single pastor or priest leading the congregation. Services are typically more formal and structured.

Sermon-Centric:

Modern church services are usually centered around a sermon delivered by the pastor. This creates a more passive experience for the congregation.

Buildings and Rituals:

Modern churches often have dedicated buildings and follow specific rituals and liturgies. This can sometimes create a sense of formality and distance.

Professional Clergy:

The modern church relies heavily on professional clergy who are formally trained and often paid for their services. This contrasts with the early church’s model of shared leadership and volunteerism.

Early Church

Organic and Participatory:

The early church was characterized by a participatory model where all members contributed to the gatherings. There was no single leader dominating the meetings. Meetings were often held in homes, fostering a sense of community and intimacy.

No Formal Sermons:

Instead of formal sermons, the early church engaged in open discussions and mutual edification. Teaching was more interactive and less hierarchical.

Leadership:

Leadership in the early church was plural and local. Elders were appointed to oversee the community, but there was no single pastor or priest in charge.

Simplicity:

The early church practiced a simple form of worship without elaborate rituals or buildings. Their focus was on fellowship, breaking bread together, and prayer.

To summarize: Viola argues that many contemporary practices have strayed from the original intent and simplicity of the early church, advocating for a return to more organic and participatory forms of worship.

Church History - The Early Church

I would suggest that the church was conceived when Jesus made his pronouncement to Peter and its birth took place in Acts 2:14-41 where, following the arrival of Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter addressed a crowd of people and argued that Jesus was in fact the Messiah. The scripture tells us that around 3000 were added to their number that day.

Over the next 3 centuries, the number of Christians would grow to include 30-40% of the population of the Mediterranean region (around 5-6 million people). It was, without a doubt, the most explosive period of church growth in its nearly 2000 year history (that 2000th birthday is just a few years away).

All of this explosive growth happened before there were church buildings, pastors, para-church ministries, seminaries, or even the Bible itself which wasn’t canonized until around the year 382 AD at the Council of Rome. In fact, it happened during a period in which the Roman empire, the Jewish religious leadership, and much of the world was actively persecuting Christians.

Persecution of Christians followed volatile periods of intensity until Emperors Constantine and Licinius decriminalized Christian worship with the Edict of Milan in 313 CE and in 380 CE Christianity became the state religion of the now Holy Roman Empire with the Edict of Thessalonica. Was this a good thing or a bad thing???

Church History - The Great Schism

For the first millennia there existed one catholic (universal) church with many geographic expressions. Unfortunately, the tensions that would ultimately lead to its demise began in the 2nd century with the installation of the Bishop of Rome and his claim to primacy. Then, in the third century the schism widened significantly with the addition of the the Filioque clause (“and the son”) which was added to the Nicene creed in 325 CE without the Eastern church’s consent to clarify where Holy Spirit proceeded from. This ever widening division culminated in the Great Schism in 1054 CE when Pope Leo IX excommunicated Patriarch Michael Cerularius.

And if I keep going, you are all going to start falling asleep...

Modern Church - Off Mission

The point is that the church today has been rent by schism after schism and has devolved into what we have today. The Catholic church claims to still be the true church based on papal authority going all the way back to Peter’s installation as the first Pope via Jesus. We still have the Eastern Orthodox churches who developed after the Great Schism. We have a multitude of churches and denominations waving the protestant flag that Martin Luther first waved when he sought to bring about moral and theological reform in the Catholic church. We have a multitude of denominations who have split over things as non-essential as whether or not musical instruments can be used during the worship service. The church that Sharon’s dad planted sadly split a few years ago because the regional denominational leadership failed to take counsel from the church elders when they installed a new pastor after the previous pastor accepted a new position.

Many of us have experienced hurt ourselves as we have participated in political issues in our own churches that have led us to seek greener pastures, take a break, or stop attending altogether. Clearly the church is off mission.

So, what is the mission of the church?

Matthew 28:18–20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The problem is that we are not making disciples. We are making converts. Converts are people who have been hoodwinked into thinking that they bough an eternal hellfire life insurance policy. If converts are the objective then we will have churches filled with what’s-in-it-for-me Christians who are largely there because by attending church, putting something in the offering plate, and doing the occasional good deed are the payments that keep the insurance policy in force.

[Exegete the passage]

Modern Church - On Mission

Okay, enough deconstruction. Let’s speak more constructively.

Not being part of a church is not an option for a Christ follower. It is mandatory as we read in the passages earlier. In fact, if we are going to get back on mission, church, by definition, will be necessary. All meaningful growth happens only in the context of community.

If we are going to make disciples then we have to be disciples ourselves. It starts with us.

So what is a disciple?

Dallas Willard had a profound and holistic understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. He often described a disciple as an apprentice of Jesus, someone who is learning to live their life as Jesus would live it if He were in their place. Here are some key aspects of his definition:

Apprenticeship in Kingdom Living: Being a disciple means being an apprentice in the Kingdom of God. This involves learning from Jesus how to live every aspect of one’s life in alignment with God’s will.

Transformation from the Inside Out: Discipleship is about becoming like Jesus from the inside out. This transformation involves systematically and progressively rearranging one’s life under the guidance of the Word and the Spirit.

Whole-Life Orientation: Discipleship is not limited to religious activities but encompasses the entirety of one’s existence. It means that every action, thought, and decision is oriented towards following Jesus and embodying His teachings.

Active Participation: Discipleship requires active participation. It is not a passive process but involves intentional effort to grow in grace and knowledge, putting off the old self and putting on the new that we might be transformed into Christ’s image.

In essence, Dallas Willard saw discipleship as the greatest opportunity any human being has, involving a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus that affects every part of life.

God's aim in human history is the creation of an inclusive community of loving persons, with himself included as its primary sustainer and most glorious inhabitant.

If we ourselves truly becomes disciples of Jesus and begin teaching others what it means to be his disciple, then we will begin a radical revolution that will change the world. Remember, we cannot push people into discipleship. We pull them into it by living glorious, content, peace-filled, and joy-filled lives that result in them coming to us begging to know how they can experience life like we do.

Shallow Christians by contrast, live fractured, joyless, legalistic, and hypocritical existences that make others throw up in their mouths when they use the word “Christian”.

Purpose and mission: The purpose and mission of the church therefore is clear: To make disciples of Jesus who manifest the Kingdom of God in the world.

If we can get back on mission and do this then we will can deliver on the promise of community and spiritual formation that we are missing out on.

Personal Thoughts

[Share some personal thoughts on R-Com and church as time permits]

Genesis of R-Com and naming

Challenges of being in community with others.

Socioeconomic differences, age differences, differing life views.

How I have learned and grown in the process of this community.

Last week was a gift to me (most valuable possession). Return the gift.

Brandon (Obedience)

Nicole (Purity)

Jared (Contentment)

Rachelle (Zeal)

Brian (Steadfastness)

Crystal (Devotion)

Josiah (Humility)

Bradley (Joy)

Alexis (Confidence)

John (Peace)

Misty (Enthusiasm)

Sharon (Sacrifice)

My personal tension about church.