The issue of divorce and remarriage is a “hot button” issue among Christians and has been a source of struggle and contention over the centuries. In our preaching series through the gospel of Mark we’re pausing in chapter ten to broaden and deepen our study as Jesus responds to a pointed and probing question by the Pharisees. Over the next few sessions we’ll be looking at the Biblical and historical data and presenting an informative, helpful and gracious approach to a touchy but very relevant subject. Tune in to the audio page starting May 4th, 2008.компютри

What is the purpose of the local church?

By Rev. George Zeller Assistant Pastor. Middletown Bible Church Middletown, Connecticut

www.MiddletownBibleChurch.org

Revised 12/01

Why do I come to church? What should I expect the church to do for me? Should the regular services of the church be primarily for reaching the lost or for reaching the saved? Compare the two concepts below:

Ephesians 4:11-12

The ascended Lord Jesus Christ gave certain gifted men to His church, including pastor-teachers (Eph. 4:11). The following may help you understand what Ephesians 4:12 is really saying:

WHY WERE THESE GIFTED MEN GIVEN TO THE CHURCH?

For the purpose of (Greek-pros, with a view towards)

perfecting (equipping, training) the saints

[What are the saints equipped for?]

1. FOR (Greek: eis) the work of the ministry

[SERVING CHRIST EVERY DAY (including evanglism)]

2. FOR (Greek: eis) the edifying of the body of Christ

[BUILDING UP FELLOW BELIEVERS!]

Interpretive Paraphrase: The Pastor-teacher is to equip and train the saints (through a program of total indoctrination involving the whole counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation) so that the saints will go forth throughout the week serving Christ, making known His gospel and building up fellow believers.

THE PURPOSE FOR THE ASSEMBLING

OF THE SAINTS

The saints assemble together in order to be equipped (perfected) for the work of the ministry. This is the genius of apostolic Christianity, but it is rarely taking place in the churches today. God’s purpose is to train and equip His people by way of His gifted men (”pastor/teachers” etc.). When believers are well-fed and well-taught in the whole counsel of God, then the body (the local assembly) will be healthy, the LIFE of Christ will be manifested, and God will be glorified.

We certainly thank God for every sinner who attends a local assembly of believers, hears the gospel message and receives Christ as his personal Saviour. The main purpose of the local assembly, however, is for the saints, not for sinners. The local assembly, according to God’s pattern, is to be primarily an edification center (1 Cor. 14:26), not an evangelistic center; a soul-building station (Acts 20:28,32), not a soul-winning station. Of course, if the whole counsel of God is preached and if the Bible is faithfully taught then the cross of Christ, the grace of God, justification and God’s so-great salvation would be themes heard repeatedly. How can you preach the Word and not preach the gospel? On the other hand, it is possible to preach the gospel in such a way that fails to provide proper nourishment for the saints. Believers need more than a steady diet of “John 3:16 messages.”

Interestingly enough, the cults do not establish evangelistic centers. Rather they establish edificational centers to train their people to go out and do the work of the ministry. The people are immersed in a program of total indoctrination. The average Jehovah’s Witness, for example, is ready always to give an answer to every man that asks him a reason of the false hope that is within him. The average Bible believer is horribly ignorant of God’s truth. The devil knows which system really works. The cults do not lack for converts.

What do unbelievers notice as they come into local churches today? Do they see a healthy organism? Do they see well-fed members? Do they see “Christ in you”? Are they convicted by the awesome Presence and Person of God (1 Cor. 14:24-25)? The greatest need today is for a lost world to see the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting Himself in and through a healthy assembly of believers. The world needs to see Christ-like believers who understand and practice God’s Word. When God’s people are fully equipped for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-16), they certainly will not be lax in gospel outreach, nor allow mission programs to suffer. When a church makes its priority edification, then true evangelism cannot help but be enhanced, as is well illustrated in 1 Corinthians 14:24-25.

The local church is for the glory of God. On earth each congregation is to function as a body that evidences the power and indwelling of the life of God. Each one is to be seen as a manifestation of Christ in its locality, living the truth as well as preaching it. The bulk of instruction and exhortations in Acts and the Epistles has to do with holiness and honorable interpersonal relationships in the local church (1 Cor. 11:27). Each congregation is to see itself as a “body,” and organism, and not merely as an organization….Unless this is understood and made paramount in the thinking of leaders and members, the local church will fail as a witness. But when this truth is embraced by faith unto edification, the community round about will see a witness. The unsaved who attend its services will come under the conviction of sin (1 Cor. 14:25), and the members will be fed, empowered, and equipped to properly represent Jesus Christ in their daily pursuits (2 Cor. 3:3; Phil. 2:15)….The redeemed-together as the Lord’s assembly-constitute an organism to be treasured. Each believer should be helped to see what the local assembly means to Christ and should become most appreciative of the precious privilege of being part of the local testimony.

–Carlton Helgerson, The Local Church

I admit that as a shepherd I’ve always struggled with the “vision thingy”. The impulse from the culture is to market one’s church toward a particular identity. At times I’ve felt a measure of failure or guilt that the leaders of VBF have not had a well defined “vision statement”.

While a clear definition of vision is obviously necessary with regards to secular endeavors, I’ve come to a place of skeptical rest about this apparent blank spot at VBF. I came across a couple of thought provoking statements by Dr. John MacArthur in Light along the Journey:

Planning for church growth? I have no long-range planning, no short-range planning. No planning. When I started at the church, I wanted them to see Christ in all His glory, that’s what I started out with, the Gospel of John, in one hundred sermons.

and another..

I don’t spend a lot of time studying the culture, I think I know enough from living in it. I don’t want to be a student of the culture, I want to be a student of the Bible. Just be an expert on the Word of God, and you will know what to say to the culture. You can be the cultural expert of all experts if you just read Al Mohler’s blogs.