A sprawling campus is being developed on a hundred acres at the edge of a large suburban area, near the front entrance of a popular housing development with prices “starting in the low $300,000†bracket according to a sign erected by the property development company. Everyone’s wondering about this beautifully landscaped campus with its winding driveway, small lake, and ultra-modern structure of concrete and glass toward the rear of the property: is it a medical clinic? a health club? an exclusive restaurant? an advertising agency? an animal hospital? a bank? Whoever it was, they obviously had deep pockets and seemed to be sparing no expense to impress their upscale neighbors next door.
Finally, a sign appeared that read, “Coming Soon! Mountain View Church. Offering fresh perspectives on the timeless principles of Jesus Christ!†A church? They must have spent a small fortune on their logo…really cool…portraying mountains, a rushing mountain stream, and a cross. In small print at the bottom, it gave a little more information: “Mountain View Church, Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation and a member of the Green Valley Baptist Association and the Southern Baptist Convention.†Looking up their founding documents online (through the state department’s searchable database), one will discover, sure enough, they are a bona fide company with officers, trustees, and articles of incorporation.
So is this really a “church†or just another corporation with a cool logo and trendy name? How are we supposed to know the difference? Are we trying to cross-pollinate a living organism with an organizational chart and marketing plan? Is that even desirable? When Jesus declared, “I will build My church,†is this what He had in mind? Or did we misinterpret the statement as “We will build His 501(c)3 ministry organization?â€
Bill,
If memory serves me right, the N.T. Church owned absolutely nothing. I have often asked my congregation if they would still be Christians if there were no Churches? I honestly fear that most would have no idea how to continue their walk with God without a Church to direct them.
I am not saying that a Church should not own any property, but I am not at all comfortable with a Church that is involved in the “commercial†activities you mentioned in this article.
Grace Always,
You’re right, Greg. The early church didn’t own any property or buildings until the 4th Century. But my description in this article is exactly where many 501(c)3′s are heading in America: if they’re not there yet, it’s where they would like to be. By the way, the picture above is First Assembly of God in Orlando, for quite a few years the venue for the annual conference of Ligonier Ministries.
So what do you think someone’s “walk with God” would look like outside the institutional church? Have you ever thought seriously about it? I have asked this question in various ways over the past couple of years and, so far, no one has really taken up the challenge to answer it.
Oh Bill, you know you’re just jealous. Besides, doesn’t the Bible teach us that we are to tell the government how much we’re giving to the Lord so we can get a good tax break?
.
James 1 25-27 is a good picture of the Church to me.
The Church, although in the world is not to be of the world. It is to be a living organism, not a organization.
Members of the early church sold everything, possessed nothing, used the funds to meet one another’s needs.
We in reality possess nothing. God owns it all.
We only use what He lets us use.
Paul W. Foltz
Bill,
You ask “So what do you think someone’s walk with God would look like outside the institutional church?â€
That is a great question, and one I am not in any way qualified to answer… I think we would need to look to those brothers and sisters living in countries where the institutional church is banned for our answer… say like China.
I do however know this; there would be no “Accidental Christiansâ€â€¦ one would by necessity have to pursue their faith “Intentionallyâ€.
Grace Always,
Profession without Possession equals Nothing.
That’s the plight of Christendom today.
In China, Persecution has purged The Church.
It may soon happen in our Country.
America hates Christ and Christians.
The Church then will go underground, but it will be stronger then she is today.
Greg: You said, “That is a great question, and one I am not in any way qualified to answer…”
Of course you’re qualified to answer! You’ve read the Bible, haven’t you? You’re a follower of Jesus! C’mon, what do you think it might look like in the Panhandle of Florida? If you no longer had to “go to church” every Sunday and you could divert all that extra time (previously spent attending endless “church” meetings) to being salt and light in the community…
Bill,
Ok… but only because I feel like you are trying to teach me something here
If it were no longer an option for me to attend an organized church within my community, I am sure I would worship with my family on Sundays… and spend much of my newly found free time sharing the Gospel with those in my community and inviting them to come to my home for bible study and worship with my family on Sunday mornings… at which time as soon as anyone takes me up on it we have an underground or house church (where two or more are gathered…)
I guess I would be more of a missionary in my community if there were no organized church… Wow, now that is confession I was not expecting to make.
So Bill, can it be true that an organized church can lead to less sharing of the Gospel in a community?
Greg: Thanks for taking the risk and exploring my “what if” question. It’s amazing how Father reveals the most profound truths to those who are willing to look past the status quo and our traditions.
That’s why I changed my tagline to “Exploring the freedom and simplicity of relational Christianity” several months ago. It’s not about meetings and programs, but a deepening relationship with God and with one another that brings maturity and new life as we journey together.
Recently, I heard someone express the basic essence of Christian living this way (substituting my own surname), “Asking me where I go to church is like asking me where I go to Lollar. It doesn’t make sense, because I am a Lollar and that identity goes with me everywhere I go.” We ARE the church: we don’t GO to church.
Here’s a great article on A typical week “outside the box” of organized religion.
To answer your last question, I would say that much of what we do (within the institutional church) is a distraction from the main task before us. God’s people become spectators instead of participants. It doesn’t have to be this way and many traditional congregations are discovering fresh new ways to reinvent themselves for the sake of their community. Our church here has moved to one service on Sunday morning and we are placing more emphasis on meeting together during the week in one another’s homes. Eventually, we hope to become known as a network of home-based congregations with a weekly celebration, rather than a program-based church that has home Bible studies.
The institutional church has not hindered evangelism, but worldliness with in it has.
Most churches members dress like the world, frequent the same places, as the world, that they have lost their testimony’s impact in reaching the lost.
Brother Greg, Brother Bill, that’s why we need REVIVAL, which would lead ultimately to a Spiritual Awakening.
Paul W. Foltz
Bill,
I really like the model you have laid out here… actually, this is exactly what our Elders started praying about doing 3 months ago… We are still praying, and will do so until we are in unity of agreement that this is what God would have us do… But, it is encouraging to hear that you have been lead to go this way.