In the Eye of the Storm: God is Building His Church - Winds of Change Blowing in the Church

In The Eye of the Storm

Part I printer friendly
The First Phase of the Church
The Spiritual Family Concept

Chapter 1

Winds of Change Blowing in the Church

Many Christians today are coming to believe that there must be a better way to "do church" than to organize some hierarchal structure we have devised in our minds, or copied from religious tradition that ends up being building-bound and clergy-centered. The tendency these days is for disillusioned Christians to say, "The church turns me off." Could it be that they really mean they have not found a sense of belonging or a vision beyond themselves within their local assembly of believers? Do they feel lost in the crowd, uninvolved in church life because there is no place for their gifts to be utilized or no sense of a greater mission to be accomplished? (You can have only so many Sunday School teachers, youth and children's workers, ushers, etc. in a traditional church structure).

People, too, are disappointed in their leaders. The highly visible shortcomings of several American televangelists and their demise caused many of God's people, not only in America, but worldwide, to newly realize the necessity to function as a priesthood of believers (I Peter 2:9) rather than to place leaders

on pedestals. Spiritual priesthood means all believers have direct access to God (Hebrews 4:16) and as a part of the priesthood, we commit ourselves to a local body of believers who can pray with us and hold us accountable to what God is saying to us.

We desperately need other believers to surround us with care and concern, and help us get trained so that we can go out and make disciples, according to Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make d i s c i p l e s of all the nations ... "

Notice that the Bible does not tell us to go out and make Christians; it tells us to go out and make disciples. The concept involves practical training, just as Jesus trained His disciples.

But how can we do this? Old structures and methods in the church rarely get the job done. However, with the resurgence of people meeting in small groups as they did in the early church, I believe God is providing us with a solution for today's dilemma. Small groups provide the setting for Christians to join spiritual families so they can grow and mature in their faith.

God wants us to be a community of believers who are like a city on a hill, an example of a community that loves and serves one another. Before we discuss the value of small family groups, however, it is important to realize that it is Jesus Christ who will build the church. No method or person can do it, but Jesus can!

I Will Build My Church

Church is first mentioned in Matthew, where our Lord Jesus responded to Simon Peter's confession, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God," by saying, "And I also say to you, that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Although this was a prediction of something not yet in existence, a new age began with this tremendous confession of faith. When the church came into existence (by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ), the wall separating sinners from God was broken down.

Until this day, supernaturally, through an amazing mystery, God reaches out and immediately brings those who trust in Him as their Savior and Lord into a relationship with Him so that they can be a company of people, one body, the church. As soon as a believer makes this confession of faith, he is part of the church or body of Christ through this supernatural birth. Jesus Christ will build His church among those who name Him as Lord and seek to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit who will lead, guide and direct a believer into all truth.

Scripture then goes on to tell us that "where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I will be in the midst of them." How is Jesus building His church today? Within His people as they gather together.

The "church" Jesus speaks of is not a building or a denomination. It is comprised of all who have been united inseparably to Jesus Christ and have His life in them as they meet together. The Lord wants a relationship with His people who are being built together into a "building" which He can inhabit for eternity. "The Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands ... " (Acts 7:48).

After the incredible Day of Pentecost, when 3,000 people were converted, the believers "praised God, and had favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). Were these 3,000 new Christians gathered into a temple and taught weekly by a pastor until they matured in their faith? Not according to the Scriptures. Then how did they do it? The next chapter holds the key.

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