In the process of engaging our Doctrinal Rethink series, we have begun to question certain beliefs, church structures, and practices of the western, contemporary church. Too often we have discovered unbiblical doctrines and activities. This causes us concern.
Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched? How did we arrive at our doctrines?
For the Saved or for the Lost?
It seems to us that churches are organized around certain ideas and emphases. We would speculate that those emphases influence the way churches engage their ministries and how they conduct their Sunday services. It will also affect the makeup of attendees, the content of the sermon, and how people view the effectiveness of the church.
Our question is, what is the central organizing principle for Sunday church? Is it to target the lost, or edify the saints? Some would say that this is a false choice, because the church in general and the Sunday service in particular ought to be both. We don't think so, because it is clear by the way Sunday service is expressed that there are implicit assumptions that govern those expressions.
We need to say that because a church is oriented around one thing or the other that it does not mean that everything else is neglected or non-existent. A church for the saved would most likely still have outreach. A church for the lost may well have excellent worship.
It's a matter of emphasis.
A Church for the Lost
If a church is focused on accommodating or attracting the lost, we would expect to find a large contingent of evangelically-oriented people who regularly engage the lost, a focus on outreach programs and community involvement, and intensely Gospel-centered sermons that are designed to equip and instruct those who engage in outreach efforts.
Ro. 10:14-15 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” [Isaiah 52:7]
Ro. 15:20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
Ga. 2:7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles...A church for the lost would a preaching church. This is different than teaching.
Mt. 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.Matthew tells us here that Jesus was teaching and preaching. They are different. We will discuss teaching below.
Preaching is κηρύσσω (kérussó), specifically used of the public proclamation of the gospel and matters pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the apostles and other Christian teachers... That is, a church that proclaims the Gospel as a herald.
The message from the pulpit will frequently be explanation of the gospel with a call to the assembly to repent and believe. The music would also tend to follow this emphasis.
In order for this to be an effective church, there would need to be some sort of discipleship program. Otherwise, what good is it to get people saved if they never grow in the faith? There must be a purposeful push to maturity.
Unfortunately, it is our experience that the basics of the faith occupy the major portion of even supposed "teaching" sermons, so that the people never advance beyond the basics. They remain sheep, they never delve into the doctrines, they never engage their faith outside the church walls; they simply occupy the pews Sunday after Sunday, content with doing their Christian duty.
This is the difference between being saved for 10 years and being saved for one year, repeated 10 times.
A Church for the Saved
A church that focuses on the saved would look quite different. Its priority would be teaching the deeper truths of the faith, manifesting a spiritual expression of worship, and building relationships and fellowship within the church.
That is, this church would be about discipling and maturing the people.
1Co. 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Ep. 4:11-14 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants...A church for the saved is a church devoted to the ministry and maturity of the saints. This usually centers around the teaching.
Ro. 12:7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach...Teaching is διδάσκω (didaskó), to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses... So teaching is instruction, to impart information. It is to effect the maturity of the saints.
This is the most common organizing emphasis. Those who attend this sort of church value content and scholarship. The pastor's sermon generally takes center stage in the typical teaching church. In fact, the other ministries and activities of church seem to revolve around the sermon, and in fact feed into it. For example, the songs are often picked for their lyrical content so as to tie into the sermon topic.
We note parenthetically that just because a church is centered around the sermon does not mean it is actually a teaching church. If the sermons are inevitably about basic matters of faith, if there's little or no instruction on deeper spiritual principles, or if there's no spiritual growth in the attendees, then it is not a teaching church. A teaching church is to prepare God’s people for works of service...and become mature...
In addition, if the teaching is over-emphasized or "off center," then the pastor will be idolized, the people will be consumers looking to have their ears itched, and the success of Sunday service will be judged by the cleverness of the teaching.
If worship is the emphasis, then the church will likely have an extremely skilled group of musicians, there will be original songs, and the worship time will likely be extended and intense. The sermon might be based on the truths expressed in the songs. Though not required, there would be a tendency for the church to be charismatic in doctrine. Often there will be spontaneous singing or prophetic utterance.
But if the worship is over-emphasized or "off center," then there will too often be self-oriented music, endless repetition, and/or manipulation of the assembly to engage in certain behaviors or activities during worship. In addition, the teaching may take a back seat.
If fellowship is the emphasis, Then the church will probably have potlucks, home groups, Superbowl parties, picnics, and church camp-outs. They will tend to tarry at the church after the service, chatting and praying for each other. There will be a lot of intentional relationship-building. There will likely be a fairly effective discipleship ministry as well.
But if fellowship is over-emphasized or "off center," then the church will be social but not edifying. It will be friendly but superficial. It will be together but not spiritual.
Other Organizational Centers
Some churches will organize around one or more of the "five-fold" ministries. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers... So a church might tend toward apostolic, in that they emphasize church planting or church growth. Others might emphasize the prophetic ministry as a way of building up the people.
Or, the pastoral will be emphasized. By this we do not mean the contemporary understanding of the pastor as the teacher, leader, and CEO. We mean the biblical pastor as shepherd, caring for the flock, meeting their needs, encouraging and comforting. Such a pastor might not be the teacher and might not be in charge of the church.
Some churches will organize around a social issue, such as ministry to the poor or the widow. Some will emphasize prayer. Some will have a distinct cultural feel. Others will unfortunately fall into line with secular calls for justice, equality, or with issues of race or sexual orientation.
Conclusion
Depending on the emphasis, each church will have a different feel. Some may feel much more comfortable in one church than another. These distinctions will attract certain kinds of people, either for better or for worse.
We believe there is a place for a variety of church styles, because God's call is different for each person and each church. And of course, everyone's tastes are different. The Body of Christ is expansive and diverse, so it needs an expansive and diverse church expression.
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