Tuesday, November 13

Not About Me!

Still not feeling well, and not up to thinking about what to write... so I thought I'd re-publish one of my earliest posts that might have missed alot of you guys. Hopefully, it will stir up some dialogue (it did before... haha). Here goes:

THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR NON-CHRISTIANS! There... I've said it. It's out! Hang me for heresy! Or... is it? Although it is true that the Church is the body of Christ, made up of those who have accepted His free gift of salvation, the church's mission is to be about making disciples! The Church doesn't exist for the "already convinced"; it exists for those who are far from God.

Now, when I say that the Church "exists for" non-Christians, what I mean is that our primary target is them... we exist to - first and foremost - do ministry in their direction. Isn't that what Jesus said His mission was? "Healthy people do not need a doctor - sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent" (Lk. 5:31-32). "There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away" (Lk. 15:7). "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost" (Lk. 19:10).

Our Master models the way for us... we are to GO AFTER those who are far from Him, and to make them disciples who follow hard after Him. The Church exists for non-Christians... not for us to cater to ourselves.

1 comment:

BlackCalvinist aka G.R.A.C.E. Preecha said...

Hey old friend,

I think you're confusing the purpose of the church (rather ONE of the purposes of the church) with the primary function of the church.

The church's primary mission is not evangelism, but to show forth the glory of God in a fallen world. That includes evangelism, but is not limited to it. It also includes loving oneanother in the body of Christ (John 13:34-35). Thus, all of the oneanother commands in scripture (pray for oneanother, spur oneanother on to good works, sing to oneanother in songs, hymns and spiritual songs, etc...) are all intended for the body of Christ, not outsiders. In fact, they only make sense in that context, since the non-Christian has no concept of these things, nor ability or a desire to please God (1 Cor. 2:14). The great commish also includes DISCIPLESHIP (not just conversion). Discipleship happens with disciples... not non-disciples. If you'd like to call this 'catering to ourselves', I'd say you misunderstand the nature of the church.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Kerry