Role of the Church

When you hear the word “church,” what’s the first thing to pop into your mind?

“Seeing my friends.”

“Listening to my pastor tell some of his hilarious camping stories.”

“Hymns.”

“They served the best coffee and pastries before service.”

“Church? We don’t attend one anymore.”

Not every Christian views the church the same way.

So, how should we view the church?  What role should a church play in any community?

We’re living in an age where fewer people are attending church services overall – especially among the younger generations.  For many churches, this is concerning.

This became a concern during the 1970s that led to a new movement dubbed the ‘seeker sensitive movement’  “which aimed to draw people particularly non-believers by adopting more contemporary styles. This movement persists today. Seeker-friendly churches strive to be relevant, especially to younger audiences which means their approach often mirrors current societal trends; as a result, these churches have transformed into something resembling entertainment venues.” (Lion of Judah, Be careful! This Heresy is Destroying Churches!)

The danger lies, when focused solely on the seeker, the church begins to cater to the seeker’s needs and desires – thus finding itself adopting views of the culture and society to fill pews.

The underlying problem here is that the church isn’t supposed to align with the culture; in fact, the church should be counterculture.

In Matthew 21:13, Jesus said, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

The church should be devoted to prayer and worship – not entertainment.

“Den of thieves” essentially is saying that the church is dishonest if its focus is mainly on seekers rather than on God.

Modern churches are more concerned with their members feeling comfortable and at home within their sanctuaries.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

When the church preaches from the Word of God as it should, the Truth can be difficult to hear; even downright uncomfortable.

This is the Holy Spirit working within the Body of Christ – revealing the Truth to the listeners.  It is the power of the Holy Spirit to convict those in need of convicting. It is the power of the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of hearts to receive the message of God.

It is the power of the Holy Spirit to separate true Christians from those who claim to be Christians in name only – thus the pews will grow emptier.

“There is a church within the church—that group of people, often a minority, in almost every congregation who have personally met the living Christ and can never be the same again. The word church comes from a Greek word, ecclesia. This is from a verb meaning “to call out.” The church is composed of all those true believers from Pentecost onward who are united together in Christ. The Bible teaches that we are the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head (Ephesians 1:22-23). As such, the true church is a holy temple for the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22).” – Billy Graham

The very meaning of the word church sets it apart from the world. 

It’s a house of prayer. A holy temple of God. A place where the Holy Spirit resides.

And it’s much more than just a building – it’s a Body of true believers coming together to worship God who loves us and meets all of our earthly and spiritual needs.