What is the Church?

Evangelicalism is being challenged by the emerging church. Actually the challenge is to what the Evangelical church has become rather than its premise when it started. Evangelicalism was born through rediscovering the truth that the gospel had to be applied personally before it could address and transform the culture. Unfortunately the emphasis on "personal" salvation has created a hybrid of the gospel that sounds and is practiced as more of a self-help, self-realization, self-transforming message, rather than being seen as a call to become part of God's plan for changing the world through reconciliation.

Over at Out of Ur, David Fitch takes and makes this fascinating and insightful quote:

"The term missional asks this question: what is the purpose of the church? To enfold and warehouse Christians for heaven, protecting them from damage and spoilage until they reach their destination? Or to recruit and train people to be transforming agents of the kingdom of God in our culture? The missional church understands itself to be blessed not to the exclusion of the world, but for the benefit of the world. It is a church that seeks to bring benefits to its nonadherents through its adherents." (Brian McLaren)

It seems that too many of our churches are becoming warehouses for the redeemed rather than training camps for world changers. The goal seems to be to insulate believers from cradle to grave with Christian programming and facilities dedicated to making them comfortable and entertained. This approach funnels too much of the kingdom's resources to non-essential activities while those who need to hear the gospel are left with their noses pressed up against the panes of our Christian country clubs.

I don't want to be misunderstood. I love beautiful facilities built to the glory of God. I believe that there needs to be extensive numbers of groups, classes, workshops and other opportunities offered for equipping believers to live like Christians. But somewhere along the way the trained army must be deployed. We are saved to serve. Not saved to sit or saved to be satisfied. Ultimately all of our energy in discipleship, mentoring, equipping or whatever new buzzword is being used, must result in engaging in the work of reconciling the world to Jesus. That is the essence of being a church

Back in the Saddle

Finally! It's been some time since I've been in the classroom but I got my first chance in awhile today. The professor for our Christology class was out of town and he asked me to substitute. I was treated to 19 hungry young people who are part of a mentoring and Bible college campus offered by Logos through the Celebration Church here in Jacksonville.

"Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry" is the charge given to the five-fold ministry ordained by Christ. There is an increasing emphasis in churches throughout the country to raise up their own ministers through mentoring, discipling and church based Bible institutes. No longer do people have to leave their homes and churches to go to traditional ministry training centers as distance education and church-based Bible institutes are becoming the norm rather than the exception. The advantages are many. The most attractive benefit is that the local church can keep many of their best minds and bodies while offering practical application for theological and ministry principles that are taught. Many of these students end up being offered staff positions in their own churches.

I am excited to be a part of this movement. Soon I will be able to teach classes of my own. In the meantime I will finish my initial project which is to analyze and evaluate all things Logos and make recommendations on how to make us more effective and efficient. So far it's been quite a challenge but very fulfilling.

From 1978-1999 I was in the classroom as a student or professor each semester. It's good to be back. There is very little that is more fulfilling to me than to meet former students who are active and effective in ministry. I am hoping that more churches will adopt this model of church-based Bible institutes to equip, not only future staff members, but also their general membership.

There is a tremendous need for in-depth Biblical and theological teaching in our churches. Too many churches resemble more of a community center or country club environment. They expend the bulk of their energies and resources trying to make church members more comfortable or their programs more enjoyable. In the meantime hordes are lost and in danger of spending eternity separated from God because too many Christians are not effectively sharing their faith. I am glad that the next generation is taking training for ministry very seriously and are enrolling in discipleship programs through their local churches all over the country.

It has been a deep conviction of mine since I entered the ministry that every Christian should have at least one solid year of Bible college under their belts. In the past that would have meant having to leave job, home and church and relocating. Now this is possible like never before through distance learning and church based Bible institutes.