The Church's Identity

 According to a study - people who attend religious services weekly or more are happier than those who attend monthly or less, and those that seldom or never attend. So, apparently if you attend Church more often – you'll be happier. So – as we reach out into our community; why don't we just use that as our main message? "Come to Deep River every week – we guarantee your happiness!"

- What is the Church and what's its purpose? Is it just a building where we meet to make us feel happy? Is it a social organization for the betterment of the general welfare of the community? Are we here just to sing a few songs, take up an offering and listen to some guy talk a lot?

What is the Church and what do we expect to get out of 'coming' to Church? Are we coming because of what the Church does for us or how it makes us feel? – And is that as important as what we can do for God and His kingdom? I think it's essential that we start by looking to see what the Bible says about our relationship with the Church.

When we compare different Churches - there's a tendency to focus a lot on what a particular congregation offers - as far as preaching and music and programming. And that's not necessarily a bad thing... But, many tend to overlook the idea of what they are called to do...

I. For The Church

The word translated as Church in the New Testament is ekklēsia (ek-klay-see'-ah). It means 'a calling out', 'a meeting', 'a religious assembly'. The word occurs over 70 times in the New Testament.

If you look at every time that the word Church is mentioned – you won't find anywhere where it says it's the Church's job to make you happy. Now I fully believe the research study – people who attend Church services more often are happier. But I think that's a result of being an active part of the Church - not the purpose of the Church. Biblically speaking, it's our job to meet the needs of 'the Church'.

If we took the time to take an exhaustive look at every scripture about the Church, we'd find that we are encouraged to serve the Church, to edify the Church, to build up the Church, and to strengthen the Church. The Church as a whole is then instructed to welcome people, to teach and instruct people, to not condemn those outside of the Church, to pray on behalf of others, to help others, and to send people out with the Good News of the hope found only in Jesus Christ!

How much of that is focused on us and meeting our needs? Don't just take my word for it – take the time to look it up for yourself. Study the New Testament. The only exception in focusing on anyone's specific needs you'll be able to find is for widows without any family and orphans. But you won't find anywhere that the primary call of the Church is to make you or me happy.

If you look at all of the things that we are called to do for the Church, it can be summed up as…

A. Service

In a rather lengthy discussion about spiritual gifts, the Apostle Paul gave some instructions to the Church in the city of Corinth. Many were focusing on what gifts they wanted rather than on using the ones they had been given by God's Holy Spirit. Many sought high profile gifts that would essentially focus attention on them. After several chapters, Paul explains the confusion and dissension this can cause and shares this in 1 Corinthians 14:12 (NIV)...

So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Paul wanted the people to focus first on the needs of the Church; on things that would build up the Church. And then, if we jump ahead a few verses to 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV)...

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

Those verses, and many others, encourage us to focus on serving, edifying and strengthening the Church. God has given each of us gifts for the benefit of others.

When I preach, I can't just take a poll and see what sounds popular today or might gain me favor with the community at large. My focus must be on speaking God's truth - and building up God's Church - so that the Church can then welcome in people, teach them the full and true Gospel message and instruct them as to how God wants all of us to live!

And as we read the scriptures about the Church, we are to serve and build up the Church here – but the Church is also called to…

B. Send people out

I apologize in advance for ending a sentence with a preposition, but - 'Where do preachers come... from?' Preachers come from Churches; from Churches where some hear God's call to go out to preach and to teach. Where do youth ministers and children's ministers and missionaries come 'from'? They come from people in the Churches!

If a Church is composed of individuals who are only interested in having their own needs met – chances are very slim that the Church body will be built up and strong enough to send out missionaries and preachers and youth and children's ministers. Healthy Churches develop and send out workers.

Going all the way back to my Great Grandfather – there have been preachers in my family for the last five generations now. In fact, my father traced our family history all the way back to a Quaker Minister who served the first colonies here in America. - My family isn't somehow special. But that didn't just happen by accident. It happened because people of faith in the Church prayed and served and poured themselves into the next generation!

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He spoke these familiar words to His followers…

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Not everyone is called to preach or be an overseas missionary – but everyone in the Church is called to fulfill that Great Commission! What are you personally called to do with your life?

I want my children to be happy – of course I do. But more importantly – I want my children to be faithful! I want my children to be serving as a part of a Church. But as I teach them about the Church, they'll also learn that Church is not just about them. They'll also learn that they may not always be happy with everyone in the Church. But we are called to serve side by side under the banner of the cross!

The differences of opinion that may separate us are nothing compared to the unity we can find in Christ! We are here for each other, for the purpose of building up the Church so that we can take God's message out to others. Any thing or any attitude that gets in the way of us doing those things can be a real problem.

Yes, there are many different 'kinds' of Churches, many different congregations - each with a different feel, style, different focuses, and apparently different 'target audiences'. And while many of those things are based on preferences and opinions...

II. Who sets the mission?

When people were trying to figure out just who Jesus was during His ministry, He had a discussion with His disciples, this passage from Matthew 16:15-18 (NIV)...

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" (16) Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (17) Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. (18) And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

The Church – this Church belongs to Jesus! Who sets the mission? Jesus does, because God said so...

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, (23) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Who gets to establish the purpose and function and mission of the Church? Jesus Christ and Him alone! Our difficult task is to submit to Him and accept our mission - in full. Paul shares this in Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)...

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (26) to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, (27) and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Even as I say that our focus should be on our responsibility to the Church and not the other way around - that is not to say that no one cares about meeting your needs.

If we look again at scriptures that talk about the Church, you also find that – Jesus is the head of the Church, the Church is the body of Christ, the Church submits to Jesus, Jesus loves the Church and Jesus takes care of His Church!

When the Church is functioning as the body, the head of the Church will meet our needs. When you are focused on being the Church instead of going to Church - your needs will be met through your service to and fellowship with the Church. That's God's design! Jesus loves the Church and as a part of the Church – Jesus wants your needs to be met as you serve His Church!

And how does Jesus meet our needs in the Church? Sometimes through direct action by His Spirit - but many times it's through our brothers or sisters in the Church. But those needs can only be met if we're close enough in relationships with each other to share those needs together.

That's why people who attend services more are happier - they really know the people with whom they're worshipping! They've studied together - they've eaten together - they've prayed together! They've built relationships and help carry each other's burdens.

So in light of all the Church is really called to do, I think it's important to make sure we're on target, to occasionally ask...

III. How are we doing?

I think it's helpful to both individually and corporately take the time to evaluate - to see where we're strong and what areas might need attention. That's why we're partnering with Ignite for this coming survey and evaluation - to get an outside perspective on how we're doing.

And I think for us to evaluate where we are spiritually - it's helpful to look at our prayers. I'd like to suggest that you can tell a lot about a Church, and the people in the Church, by their prayer life. I want you to 'fill in this blank' in your own mind, "My prayer life is most about... __________" - What are the concerns of the majority of our individual prayers? If you're like me, if you're not intentional - those prayers can become mostly focused on you and what you want...

What are the majority of our prayer requests as a Church? Are we only praying for the healing of ailing people - or are we also praying to help us fulfill the mission of the Church? Now don't misunderstand me, we are to pray for healing for sick individuals. It clearly says this in James 5:14 (NIV)...

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

However, I believe that in many Churches - we'd be a lot better off if we prayed as hard to keep sinners out of Hell as we pray to keep Saints out of Heaven. - Yes, we are to pray for the sick – but are we also praying for those who don't know Jesus? Do we pray that God would make us better servants? Do we pray for our Church leaders? Do you pray for your preacher – believe me, I could absolutely use it! And I truly thank those of you who I know do pray for me! Thank you!

But if all we ever do is pray for the healing of sick people without praying for the purpose, for the mission and for the leaders of the Church – we will be a very spiritually weak Church. Do your prayers solely reflect only your desires or physical needs or do they also focus on helping to fulfill the mission of the Church?

There are a lot of Churches doing a lot of very good things – but are they neglecting the best things for God's Kingdom? Does the perceived identity of those Churches match up with what Jesus says the identity and purpose of the Church is? When any Church is more interested in its own needs rather than in making disciples and helping them grow and spreading the Gospel – we're straying from God's given purpose for the Church!

So What?

Too often when people complain that the Church isn't meeting their needs, many times it's because they're not focused on what the real purpose of the Church is. If you feel that your needs are being neglected by the Church – sometimes that's an indication that you may need to focus more on the needs of others. When you focus only on having your needs met by the Church, or any one person in the Church – you will be disappointed.

Don't get me wrong - there are times when people have legitimate genuine physical and spiritual needs and sometimes we miss that. And we can always do better together as a Church. I don't want anyone to think I'm suggesting that our concerns and needs don't matter - they do! But those needs can be best met if we first follow God's design for His Church.

Please read the scriptures about what God says the Church is all about. Believe me, Jesus is all about the Church – Jesus gave His life to meet your needs! He wants you to serve His Church! We are a part of something much bigger than ourselves. God's Church was around way before we were and it will continue long after we're gone. But God has specifically invited us into His Church to be a part of His plan to bring the lost back to Him!

What might we need to change in our lives so we can become better servants for God's Church? And please always go to God's Word for those answers.