Should the Modern Church look like the world?

Should the Modern Church look like the world?

The Modern Church is now known for its innovative design in building architecture and the use of the newest and most advanced audio, visual and lighting equipment available. Many Churches now use their facilities so people can experience Worship in a new a creative way. Some Churches are even now calling their Worship Service a “Worship Experience”.

I believe the Church should represent the best when it comes to Music, Art, Technology, Leadership, Discipleship, and Mission. In the past the Church was actually the place to experience the best music and art.  Today, many Churches are spending thousands and thousands of dollars in Technology to enhance their “Worship Experience” as a strategy to get the "un-churched", and nonbelievers  to come. But are the resources of the Church also being used to disciple and train those who come and become followers of Jesus? Are the resources of the Church being used to develop leaders? Are we helping people become devoted followers of Christ? Shouldn’t the Church's strategy, to get people to come through the doors of the Church to hear the message of hope and salvation, also include helping them become spiritually Mature Christians in order for them make a great impact in the world for kingdom purpose? We need to be careful not to lose sight of the mission God has given the Church.

Let’s take a look at the Great Commission for a moment:

Matthew 28:18-29 New International Version 1984 

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The key here is Jesus is telling us to go out and make disciples. A Disciple is one 
who is a devoted Student or follower of Jesus who adheres to His teachings.

Attributes of a Disciple: (From Bill Bright)

A disciple must have assurance of salvation
A disciple walks in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit.
A disciple demonstrates love for God, his neighbor, his fellow disciples, and even his enemies. 
A disciple is one who knows how to read, study, memorize, and meditate upon the Word of God, to hide its truths in his heart
A true disciple of Jesus is a man or woman of prayer

The disciple is one who is obedient, who studies the Word of God, and obeys 

the commands of God in a lifestyle that honors the Lord Jesus Christ.

A disciple is one who trusts God and lives a life of faith. 
A disciple understands God's grace
A disciple is one who witnesses for Christ as a way of life
A true disciple of the Lord Jesus worships God in the fellowship of his church.

Can we say as a Church that we are helping people become disciples - fully devoted followers of Christ?

When we look at our Church we can see that we have many volunteers who serve in a variety of Ministry related activities. Research suggests that to the degree that one serves, is not an indication of ones level spiritual maturity or devotion to God.

(Barna Group Research) (Use the link below and Read this article!)

Link - http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/165-surveys-show-pastors-claim-congregants-are-deeply-committed-to-god-but-congregants-deny-it

Although large majorities of the public claim to be "deeply spiritual" and say that their religious faith is "very important" in their life, only 15% of those who regularly attend a Christian church ranked their relationship with God as the top priority in their life. As alarming as that finding was, its significance was magnified by research showing that on average pastors believe that 70% of the adults in their congregation consider their relationship with God to be their highest priority in life.

Evaluating spiritual maturity remains an elusive process for clergy as well as individuals. Across the nation, the only measure of spiritual health used by at least half of all pastors was the extent of volunteer activity or ministry involvement. Adults were no more consistent in their self-examination of their spirituality.

So what do we do? How do we help our congregation become fully devoted followers of Christ?

How does the Church become different than the world?

We must first look to God’s provision. When it comes to resources, God can and will support and equip a Church to fulfill its mission. 

Matthew 6:31-33 New International Version 1984 

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 7:11 New Living Translation 

 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Philippians 4:19 New International Version 1984 

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 New Living Translation 

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Ephesians 3:20 New Living Translation 

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,

to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

I have heard many stories about financial provision in ways that can only be explained by God’s intervention. What seems to be the common factor is faith that God will provide. Another factor seems to be the Character and integrity of the Churches leadership.

If motivation is important to God, than we should look at our Church strategy and see if it aligns with God’s purpose. This verse brings to mind a verse from 1 Samuel:

1 Samuel 16:7 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

So God knows the hearts of church leaders and the process by which they operate. God knows whether or not they are fulfilling His Mission for the Church or fulfilling their own personal goals, desires and agenda. The Church becomes unlike the world when our leaders put God and His mission first.

Another way for the Church to be unlike the World is the Christ-likeness of its leaders and congregation. How do we as a Church act in accordance to God’s principles when it comes to relationships?

Let’s take a look at how we are supposed to treat and relate to one another according to God’s principles: These commands should not be taken lightly!

Mark 9:50  -
 “....Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

John 13:14  - 
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should 

wash one another’s feet.”

John 13:34 -
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, 

 so you must love one another.”

Romans 12:10 -  
Be devoted to one another with mutual affection. Honor one 

another above yourselves.

Romans 12:16  -
Live in harmony with one another.

Romans 14:13 - 
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another...

.

Romans 15:7   -  
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

1 Corinthians 12:24-25 - 
...But God has combined the members of the body and has 

given greater honor to the parts  that lacked it, so that there should be 

no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern 

for each other.

Colossians 3:13 -  
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have

against one another..

Galatians 5:13 - 
....But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, 

serve one another in love. 

Galatians 6:2   - 
Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

Ephesians 4:32 -
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in

Christ God forgave you.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - 
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, 

just as in fact you are doing.

Jesus said this very important statement:

John 13:35 NIV
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The love we have for one another will separate us from the rest of the world. No

Technology or modern Worship Experience can create that in us. Only the work of the

Holy Spirit is powerful enough to transform us from the inside out. So we must remember

what real growth in the church really means.  We must remember as individuals How God has intervened in our lives to develop us spiritually. Because of Jesus we have salvation. Through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit we have been transformed us into a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Character in a follower of Jesus is important to God. Those who reflect Christ in their lives will bring Glory to God and be different than those who love the world. We must remember that as followers of Jesus We must not love what the world has to offer.

1 John 2:15 NIV
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.  

In fact, we must renew our minds in order for us to keep us from falling prey to the patterns of this world.

Romans 12:2 NIV
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Jesus said that those who desire for the things of this world will lose their soul.

Matthew 16:26 NIV
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? 

Jesus tells us to free ourselves from our worldly desires in exchange for the blessing of eternal life.The Holy Spirit has the power to transform our minds and our hearts.

John 12:25 NIV
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

2 Corinthians 3:18 New Living Translation 

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

We must remember that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20 New International Version  

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 

A good reason not to love the world:

1 John 5:19 NIV
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

But even as we are God’s new creation we can still have a bad day so we need to adhere to this teaching:

Ephesians 4:22-24 New International Version 1984 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

If we want to become more like Jesus then we have to strive to persevere on those bad days and not let our emotions get the best of us. We have to remember, even as followers of Jesus, we can conjure up the ugly side of our character. The good news is we don’t have to stay in that ugly place for very long. That is why forgiveness and grace are important principles to carry around with us each and every day.

So with all those verses above we can see how important it is to God that we treat each other well and not love the world and what is has to offer. Our obedience to these commands show that we love God.

God is pleased when we are obedient to Him and there is a blessing that comes with that obedience.

John 14:21 NIV
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,  and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

 John 14:23 NIV
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

So let’s always strive to be unlike the world by being excellent in character and integrity. When the world sees us in action, they should see that we truly are Jesus’ disciples by the way we act and the way we love.  

We can enhance our daily worship experience by living a life set apart to God. When Sunday Worship comes we should display the true heart of the Church by the way we love each other and by the way we conduct our worship experience. God will be pleased if we worship Him in spirit and in truth.  

John 4:23 NIV
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

When it comes down to it, all the technology and innovation in this world can’t compare to a person’s heart devoted to God. Even with all the new bells and whistles available to the Church today, we can’t accomplish our mission without God, without Jesus, without the power of the Holy Spirit.

We need to be the Church of Jesus Christ not the world. His Glory should shine. Our love for Him should be the motivation for everything we do. 

Just Sayin........................Dave