ON MISSION: The Role of the Church in Gospel Ministry
Amazingly, November is upon us. You may be asking the same question I have been asking lately – where in the world did 2021 go? At the time of this writing, it is exactly four weeks until Thanksgiving. I find that astounding. You may too.
With October ending, it means we have come to the close of another month of Mission emphasis at Grace Baptist Church. During this year’s Missions month, we focused on the role of the church in gospel ministry. Over the course of the month, our church was challenged in many areas regarding the local church and its role in missions. In this month’s article, I would like to share two foundational lessons we learned during the last few weeks.
1. The church is about honoring God, not building an organization.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18
As the words of Jesus indicate, the church is a divine body initiated by God to reach people in this age with the glorious message of redemption. But with a contagious sense of indifference settling over many Christians in our country, the importance of the local church seems to be fading from the hearts of these believers. Undoubtedly, this troubling trend has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic. We never want to be arrogantly consumed with numbers, but Scripture is clear – habitually neglecting the assembling together with the people of God is sinful (Hebrews 10:24-25—And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near).
Today, the habit of an increasing number of Christians is to neglect the body of Christ. In my estimation, the COVID-19 pandemic simply accelerated a trend that was already developing. The shifting priorities of many believers did not originate with the pandemic. But as these habits have become more pronounced, fewer Christians are fully committed to a local body of believers. And yet, the church is of such importance to our Heavenly Father, He sent His Son to establish the church as His chosen people in this age. If the church matters to God, it should certainly matter to His children.
Jesus did not command the disciples to start a political organization or a parachurch organization. Politics has its place, and parachurch organizations accomplish many wonderful objectives. Nonetheless, Jesus commanded His disciples to start a church. God’s promise is simple: until Jesus returns, there will be a local gathering of believers who are submitted to the rule of Christ and willing to worship Him. And even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The church is God’s specially designed place for his people. It is where they grow into the image of his son. It is also where God’s people are called to serve.
The church is called to be the place where God’s truth is proclaimed. Orthodoxy may not be popular in our increasingly secular culture, but the unchanging commandments of Scripture and the message of redemption through Christ alone must never be compromised. If the church caves on the truth, how will the unredeemed repent of their sin and come to faith in Christ? How will sinners like us find the answers to life’s most complicated questions? How will Christians stand against the lure of the culture without faithful proclamation of Scripture? We must stand for the truth. And we must do so together.
No local church is perfect. Nonetheless, it is still God’s plan for today. Because God is not finished with the church, it stands to reason that believers should not forsake the body of Christ either. Rather than forsaking the church, believers should embrace the church, which Christ established through the hope found in His death, burial, and resurrection.
2. The church is about ministering to people, not maintaining programs.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
All churches have programs. They are what brings organization to a church. For instance, the moment a group of believers form a church and agree to meet each Sunday morning at ten o’clock, they have instituted a program. In this case, the program is called a worship service or worship gathering. Obviously, programs are not wrong. In fact, they are necessary. But starting, growing, and maintaining programs is not the end goal of a church. Programs, sometimes called ministries, are a tool that directs the body toward fulfilling the ultimate purpose of the church – the faithful proclamation of the gospel.
Before I share my thought process on programs, let me suggest that there is only one required program the church must have – a consistent gathering of believers for the purpose of corporate worship, instruction, fellowship, evangelism, and service (W.I.F.E.S.). Please note that this program cannot be done in isolation or exclusively online. The church is a life-on-life ministry, requiring people to be in close proximity to one another.
In order for a church to be healthy, there must be consistent in-person gatherings of believers. Note, there are no other specific programs ordained in the New Testament. Sunday school, Sunday night services, Vacation Bible School, choir, youth group, children’s ministry, etc. are not commanded anywhere in Scripture. But these programs can certainly be used to accomplish the primary goal of disseminating the gospel.
Since my time in seminary, I have thought about programs through the following philosophical grid:
Philosophy one: getting programs done through people.
The main objective of this philosophy is getting the program done no matter the cost. The people are the tools used (sometimes overused) to man the program – the oil in the cogs. Before long, the program takes on a life of its own. When a program becomes ingrained, the church cannot imagine it being eliminated for any reason. In other words, it seemingly becomes essential to the church. If the program has to happen or else, whatever means necessary will be taken to ensure that the program never ends. This philosophy is program-centric.
In reality, practically all programs – other than corporate worship – run their course and have expiration dates. This philosophy can quickly lead to frustration and burnout.
· Philosophy two: getting programs done for people.
The main objective of this philosophy is getting programs done for the common good of people. The people become the consumers who must be pleased at any cost. At first glance, this philosophy looks appealing. And while it is arguably nobler than option one, it also falls short of the ultimate goal. The reason being, the goal of this philosophy is man-centric.
People are finicky. What they think they want today will inevitably change tomorrow. This philosophy quickly creates a culture where the felt needs of people become the driving force behind what ministries get started and which ones come to an end. Rather than being gift-based, they are driven by a consumer mentality. This philosophy can quickly produce a lot of spectators who sit idly by and watch ministry happen. When programs are done to please people rather than for the purpose of honoring God, the church will become fad driven and man-centered.
· Philosophy three: getting people done through programs.
In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
When I lived in Florida, there was a lady who would correct me every time I asked the question, “Are you done?” She always said the same thing – “Food gets done. People get finished.” By “done” in this context I mean spiritually mature. The main objective of this third philosophy is leveraging programs for the purpose of making and maturing disciples for God’s glory. Various programs can be implemented to glorify God through the salvation and sanctification of individuals. Once the body’s collective giftedness is determined, the right programs can be selected and put into practice.
People need the gospel for redemption. It is through the life-changing power of the gospel – not programs – that people are changed into the image of Christ. Sanctification, the process of becoming more like Christ, is what takes place once a person receives Christ as personal Savior. The church is to be a place where people are taught the Scriptures so they increasingly become more like Jesus. Programs facilitate this process, but they cannot replace it. When a program no longer functions to help make and mature believers, it should either be adjusted or eliminated.
At Grace, we desire to be a gift-based ministry. This means we want our church to be a place where Christians are developing their gifts and using them for the purpose of ministry. The church is to be a place where the entire body is serving sacrificially rather than mindlessly spectating. The purpose of our service is to assist others in becoming more like their Savior.
If we learned nothing else through the month of October, I pray we recognized the importance of the local church. I also pray we learned that the spiritual maturity of people, not programs, is to be our priority. And ultimately, we minister, not to please finicky people, but to bring glory to our Heavenly Father. We accomplish this goal through the local church.