Church Still Works!

September 26, 2010, will mark a very important day in the short history of our church. It is a “12-stone memorial” type of day (see Joshua 4). Not only are we closing out a series of messages about the church, but we will be putting our faith, hope, and love into action by signing the church covenant. I truly believe Lighthouse Baptist Church is a church that will stand the test of time – and here’s why…

The Master is in Control

Church Still Works because Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph. 4:15, 5:23). That’s who He is and the position He holds. Pastors and boards might try to usurp their authority – but they are not the head, Jesus is. We are His body and, as long as we are connected to Him, we are given great power and opportunity to accomplish the will (wishes / desires / intentions) of our Head. What’s even more, Christ has died and rose again for His church. Yes, this act was effectual for the lost world too, but several verses in the New Testament reveal that He shed his blood for the church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25). We are indeed the treasure hid in the field and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13). Jesus sold all He had (even His life) as ransom money to purchase us to be His. In addition, Christ has promised final victory to the church (Matthew 16:18). As part of the family of God, involved in a local faith-family, I am assured that I’m on the winning side! It might seem that the other corner has the advantage, that we have been knocked down or nearly knocked out – but the last round is not yet over! Christ has not delivered his final blow! Church still works because my Master is still in control.

The Mission is Critical

Church Still Works when the urgency of our mission is understood. True churches have a mission – they know their purpose. We, as God’s people, have received the Great Commandments: love God and our neighbors. We must be serious about our Upward Mission: learning to glorify God in all things (1 Cor. 10:31). If Christ is the head, then He deserves the preeminence. Since God is God, He is worthy of all pleasing (Rev. 4:11). “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) Our church has an Inward Mission: demonstrating love to one another (Hebrews 10:24-25). We have been compelled to seek the good of each other – so much so that we are willing to ‘push each others’ buttons’ in attempts to motivate them to compassion and to diligence through our encouragement and faithfulness.

Many churches stop with the Upward & Inward Missions… neglecting the Great Commission: our Outward Mission of reaching the lost with the gospel of Christ. We have been sent by God: “as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21b) The banner that reads “You are now entering the Mission Field” as you leave the church isn’t just cliche … it’s very real! It is our mission. The church is not the church without a gospel-centered message nor without gospel-carrying messengers. Each of these three are vital to the health and growth of our church. They must remain in balance; none of these should be sacrificed to the over-emphasis of the others.

The Members are Committed

Church Still Works where the membership take their commitments seriously. The previous post contains our church’s newly-adopted covenant with one another. In signing the covenant, we are
…agreeing together for the unity of the faith. God desires it, the Spirit orchestrates it, the world needs it, most seldom understand it: unity. We are brought together first by the “unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3) and then we commit to the “unity of the faith” (4:13) with the understanding that this will not be complete until Christ comes again (4:13). We have adopted this simple thought which has stood for centuries: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” (see Rom. 14:1-4, 12).

…affirming our care and support of one another. Most of the covenant reflects a level of commitment, not only to Christ, but to other Christians in this church. We are committed to loving each other Biblically and accepting none of the Enemy’s wicked substitutes or counterfeits.

…attesting to our responsibilities as Christian families. As the family unit deteriorates in America, it is essential that like-minded families encourage each other in the faith. When standing so counter-culture and defying such a wind of liberalism, we must stand together emphasizing the values of a Christ-centered life to our children and children’s children.

…asserting our common calling to advance the gospel together. We recognize that we cannot do what we are called to do separated and alone. Not only is togetherness the best way, it is the only way to fulfill God’s command to reach our neighbors and the nations with the good news.

…avowing to remain faithful, wherever God has placed us. The last line of the covenant reads something like this: “If we ever leave LBC, we will find another church to fulfill these commitments.” In other words… we are done with ‘dating the church.’ We stand committed to be faithful and to continue.

Church Covenant

Having been brought by God’s grace to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, we now, depending upon the Holy Spirit, joyfully establish this covenant with one another.

In all we do, we will aim to glorify and enjoy the God of our salvation, giving Him the preeminence in all things. (1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36; Col. 1:17-18)

We will eagerly maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace by walking together in love and in the Spirit and by putting away all bitterness, anger, and injurious speech. (Eph. 4:3; Gal. 5:16, 25; Eph. 4:29, 31)

With humility and gentleness, patience and love, we will be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, never taking legal action against another member. (Eph. 4:1-2; Luke 17:3; 1 Cor. 6:1-8; Col. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:22)

We will carry each other’s burdens, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. (Gal. 6:2; Rom. 12:15)

We will train our children in the instruction of the Lord, seeking to walk in a way that adorns the gospel of Christ before our family, friends, and neighbors. (Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4; 1 Pet. 3:1)

We will strive to live self-controlled, holy, and godly lives in this present age, as we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Gal. 5:22-24; Titus 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:14)

We will not neglect to gather together, but will support and treasure the biblical preaching of the whole counsel of God, the faithful observance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the loving exercise of church discipline.  (Heb. 10:25; 2 Tim. 4:2; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 11:26; Matt 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:13)

We will contribute cheerfully and generously to the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the advancement of the gospel both to our neighbors and the nations.  (Matt. 28:19; Luke 12:33; 2 Cor. 9:7)

We will, when we move from this place, unite as soon as possible with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

In all these things, we rely on our God who has made a new and everlasting covenant with us, saying: “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good… with my whole heart and with my whole soul.” (Jer. 32:38-41)

A Church in Covenant

Our society has a serious problem: we are scared of commitment. “Commitmentphobia” (as it has been coined) is not only affecting men with cold feet but also keeping many Christians distant from the core group of the church.  The consumerism of our American culture has fed the downward trend of commitment in both marriage and church membership.  Church shoppers & hoppers now have more influence in a church’s direction than Christ Himself.  For instance, most new ministries are not started with the question, “How can we better glorify God?” but rather, “How will this affect church growth?”  Tragically, many churches have become seeker-sensitive instead of Savior-sensitive.  The cure: a church in covenant, committed to Christ and to each other. (Nehemiah 9:38)

The Value of Church

As a means of review, please let me remind you of two previous articles: A New Covenant & A New Community.  Church is important because of Christ’s commitment to us.  Hebrews 10 emphasizes that we have been given access into the Holy Place by His precious blood – the full atonement for our sins (v19).  In addition, we have an advocate who is appearing (even still) before the throne of Almighty God, interceding on our behalf (v21). And, based on what we have, we are urged to respond with faith, hope, and love.  Drawing near to God in faith (v22); holding fast to hope in the promises of the Word (v23); motivating each other to love and to good works (v24).  This happens when we purpose to gather together and encourage each other (v25) – but not just on Sunday!

The Value of Covenant

A covenant is a ‘clear expression of a church’s commitment to love one another as a community of faith.’  It is a promise of action to each other, before God. Even though churches are not commanded to adopt covenants in the New Testament, they can be very beneficial (plus, there is a Biblical precedence in the Old Testament – below). Just like good employers provide job descriptions and good parents post chore-lists for the kids – good churches make their expectations clear to the membership.  This is why a covenant can be so valuable.  Think of it this way… where do most marital problems start?  Unclear, improper, or unrealistic expectations, right?  If you asked the average church member what membership really means, would they have a clue?  In fact, in most places, membership is an unclear enigma – it is meaningless, because it is not clearly defined and because the so-called members are not truly committed.

The Value of a Church in Covenant

In Nehemiah 9:38, the people of God committed themselves by signing a covenant.  This was important to them – to set up a monument of commitment for God, for each other, and for the generations to come.  This covenant was grounded in the Word of God. Nehemiah 8:1-8 tells of how much they loved and respected the Bible (Moses’ Law). When Ezra the priest stood up on the pulpit to read, they all gathered in unity (“as one man”).  When he opened the Book, they stood. When he prayed, they worshiped by raising their hands, shouting ‘Amen, Amen’ and falling on their faces.  He then gave them some interpretation and application of what he read.  This went on for six hours… and nobody moved.  (Compare that to today’s church.)

This covenant was to be sustained by God’s grace. Nehemiah 9:1 records the events of another service (about 3 weeks later).  This time, God’s people spent three hours reading the Word and three hours in prayer.  They recounted God’s choice of Abram and how God moved him and changed him.  They remembered how God brought their ancestors through the Red Sea, gave them the Law, fed them with manna, and made water to flow from a rock (v5-15).  They also rehearsed how that their fathers had, with hard hearts, disobeyed God and practiced wicked and abominable acts (v16-18).  But then they remembered how that God was gracious and merciful, even with a people who had squandered so many second chances (v19-20).  We too should remember that where we are is only because of the grace of God.  Our church is full of people who have agreed: Only by the grace of God,  we are what we are!

This covenant was important because it promoted the good of one another. Nehemiah 10 lists all who signed the document with a heart full of commitment.  They committed to purity & godliness, to help each other, to worship together, to support each other (v29-35).  Again, this was a clear promise to God and to each other.  They even agreed that if they went backward, they would be cursed.  What an intensely intimate moment this would have been.  All of these people, agreeing together to show ultimate love for each other.

This covenant demonstrated the glory of God. Anytime we follow the example of Christ, we give Him glory.  This was such an occasion, it demanded a celebration.  I mean no disrespect when I say that God & His people should know how to party – we have something to party about!  They dedicated the finished construction of the walls by climbing up on them (12:31) and got loud (v43).  The critics had predicted that little foxes would tumble the walls – now they held God’s people.  This wall still stands around the Holy City as a testimony to a committed people – the people of God.

Covenant in Community

I recently heard of an English Bishop compare the mission of the church to that of a museum:  “I suppose… keeping alive aspects of the Christian heritage for those who are interested in that sort of thing…”  Statistics seem to back him up: last year, 2.7m church members left, never to come back again. Every year in America 4,000 churches close their doors (while only 1,000 are planted).  There are now half as many churches as there were a hundred years ago.  Is this the church’s last hurray? Will our generation witness the death of the church?  A recent poll revealed that less than 9% of Americans have a Christian world view (believing that the Bible is accurate, in a literal hell / heaven, that salvation is only by grace).  Does church really still work?  The honest answer is yes and no.  Some do and some don’t.  The difference: great churches are communities where the new covenant has united membership in a common grace and a common purpose.  (Ephesians 2:14-22)

A Common Grace

If you can’t find yourself in Ephesians 2, you’re not looking!  It covers all groups (ethnically and spiritually).  It begins explaining about our shared fallen, sinful condition (v1-3, 12-13).  We were dead in sins, children of disobedience, captive to sinful lusts, without hope, doomed to hell.  But God intervened!  The Father planned our salvation (1:3-6), even before we the creation of the world.  Jesus, the Son, purchased our salvation (1:7) with His own blood.  And the Holy Spirit preserves our salvation (1:13-14) for the continued glory of the Father and Son.  The amazing thing about salvation is that it was all God (2:8-9).  Salvation is only because of God’s grace, appropriated through faith.  Have you received the greatest gift ever given?  I’m thankful that my testimony is all God, none of self.

We are now His Body (1:23,2:16,3:6,4:4,12,16,5:30).  If you are saved, you are His body – in your family, in your neighborhood, in your factory, on your shift, in your class, at your church.  Our Head is depending on you and me to be His hands, His feet, His tongue.  Not only are we His body, but we are His building (2:22, 1Cor 3:16).  I am not the temple of God alone; we, together, are God’s construction project. In addition to being His body and building, God also calls us His Bride (5:23, 27).  Let us look forward to the trumpet’s sound, hearing the angelic announcement, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!”  Wow — what a day that will be! Let us make ready our wedding garments as a church together.  Let us invite many guests to the ceremony.  Let us look for and long for His appearing.  Oh, what grace we share as a church!

A Common Purpose

God’s plan is to display His glory to all of creation through the church (Eph. 3:9-11): to angels, to demons, to mankind, to all of creation.  In other words, when people (and angels/demons) look at the church, they should see Christ.  Not only will they hear our statement of faith or read our church covenant, but they should witness the gospel (good news) of God modeled in our lives and spoken on our lips.  This isn’t just about what we can reveal in a few hours on the first day of the week, but how we live our lives every hour of every day of the week.

Together, we are filled with His Power (1:22-23, Col. 2:9-10).  To accomplish the tall task of glorifying God for the universe, He has equipped us with “the fullness of him that filleth all in all.”  There is no higher authority than that of Christ’s.  No title, no position, no government, no kingdom (visible or invisible).  In Him dwells all the fullness of the God-head.  But that’s only half of it… The Bible says that Christ has shared His authority with the church.  He put all things under His feet for the church (1:22 – dative case states personal interest, denoting advantage).   “All things are yours… all are yours.”  (1 Cor. 3:21-23).

The church is NOT in danger of extinction.  It is not weak and powerless.  We have all of Heaven’s resources at our disposal… available anytime we decide to get with His program!  We have a guarantee: “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Matthew 16:18-19)  We have been called to a mission, commissioned for a purpose (Matthew 28:19-20) – but not without His power (Matt. 28:18, Acts 1:8).

If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell and people could be going to hell—and you think that, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. . . . How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?
- Words of Atheist, Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller), after he was given a Gideon Bible by a Christian

Together, we display His Love (1 John 4:9-11; 3:16-19; John 13:35). Real love is the identifier of Christ-followers.  Forgiveness, acceptance, sacrifice are foundational to a family – to God’s family.  If we are to be a living proof of the gospel (and we are), then we must take the message of John 3:16 as our example.  When a church fails to building relationships, creating a community of hope and deep friendships, it is doomed to fail.

“We gather together to celebrate His grace,
to demonstrate His power, and
to communicate His love to all nations!”