On being the church
Now, Stanley Hauerwas
The church is often little more than a social club or a museum for ancient traditions. Rarely does the church make enough difference in its town to be worthy of persecution. Rarely is the church a threat to those who abuse the poor or take advantage of widows. And rare indeed is the church that would be missed if it closed its door. The church is far too often irrelevant — because the church isn’t the church Jesus died to create.
Churches fail to be the church for many reasons, but the first reason is the church rarely creates the kind of community the Bible anticipates. Instead, the church is a place where sermons are preached, people are called to a vague, feel-good moralism, and lives are hardly changed at all. Indeed, those who are part of the church aren’t much holier than those outside the church. They’re nice.
But they aren’t servants.And they don’t sacrifice. And they don’t love — not really. And, therefore, they don’t become a true community. And they don’t look much like Jesus.
We talk of being missional, and I’m 100% for the church being missional. But sometimes we’re so focus on reaching out — evangelism, benevolence — that we forget the command to “love one another.” Yes, we are also commanded to love our neighbors, and we absolutely should do just that. It’s just that we’re never going to be very good at loving others until we learn to love each other.
So what would a church look like that actually loves one another? Well, I’m not going to answer that — directly. I want to approach the question from an entirely different angle, a practical one. How do we get our members to love each other? I mean, it’s not like “love each other” is new. We’ve heard it. We just don’t do it.
And it’s not so much that we’re hard hearted and rebellious. It’s more that we’re structured in a way that makes it hard, even a little unnatural.
I remember our old church building. It had exits on four sides, parking all around and down the street, and a lobby big enough for about 10 people. When services were over, everyone left by a different exit and few people lingered for long in the lobby.
The auditorium was filled with packed-in pews and was poorly lit. It was not a good place to hang around and mingle. And so we didn’t hang around and mingle. Not that that’s an excuse. But our architecture reveals who we are. And when that old building was built, we were all about gathering to worship God — with no thought at all given to gathering to loving, encouraging, and comforting each other. Indeed, the architecture made it nearly impossible. But it was fine for facing the preacher and listening to a sermon. It worked well for the “five acts of worship.” It was lousy for building a loving congregation.
Just so, countless churches only call their members together to worship, to study, or to participate in committee meetings. We don’t call people together to love one another — even though the scriptures say much, much more about loving each other. And we don’t read much about Jesus being in committee meetings or engaging in corporate worship. And these aren’t bad things. It’s just that our schedules reveal our priorities, and for most churches, our priorities are far removed from loving each other.
Worse than that, we have this strange notion that, when we have a problem, the preacher is supposed to show up and help. Even today, we have members complain that so-and-so was in the hospital and the preacher didn’t come visit. Where in the Bible does it say that the preacher is supposed to be the comforter-in-chief? Aren’t we supposed to love each other? And if we took the command seriously, wouldn’t we expect the membership to show up at the hospital bed? And pray for us and with us?
But we’ve hired someone to love our brothers and sisters for us. It’s how we do church — so much so that no one questions it. But it’s wrong. It’s not wrong for the preacher to visit the sick. It’s wrong to imagine that the best way for the sick to be visited is for the preacher to visit them — rather than their brothers and sisters in Christ. “Each other” is the standard. We are all called to be like Jesus — not to hire someone to do it for us.
So in a church that is truly the New Testament church, the sick would be visited by the membership. And there’d be time set aside for the congregation to be together to truly express love for one another. Love wouldn’t be limited to the gaps in the schedule — the hurried times before and after church and between church and Sunday school.
You see, the command is —
(Heb 10:24-25 ESV) 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
We are to encourage one another — not “be encouraged.” Indeed, v. 25 pretty plainly indicates that we should meet to encourage (active voice). And part of what we are to encourage one another to do (v 24) is “love and good works.” Somehow or other, rather than just hearing a sermon on love and good works, we are to be encouragers for our fellow members. And that requires something more than singing all 38 verses of “Just As I Am” after the sermon.
Now, the early church accomplished this in a very simple way —
(Act 2:46-47 ESV) 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The Jerusalem congregation had thousands of members and so met in the only space large enough for so many people — the temple courts. But this was not enough. Even though the temple courts were huge and could accommodate the crowd, the apostles were wise enough to see the need to meet at a more personal level — in their homes.
The members offered one another hospitality, and the congregation was divided into groups small enough to meet in a First Century home — likely no more than 30 at most. That means a congregation of 3,000 would have had met in at least 100 homes, and likely more, as many members would have been quite poor and lived in very small houses.
The illustration to the right shows the foundation of a First Century home. It wouldn’t have held many people at all. And that’s where the early church met.
And they ate together. To “break bread” does not refer just to the Lord’s Supper, at least not as we celebrate it. Rather, the phrase refers to a common meal, which often included the Lord’s Supper. They ate a full meal. (And, yes, this means they met in buildings with kitchens and fellowship spaces — homes — and they engaged in “acts of worship” there.)
You see, eating together binds people together in a way that a Bible lesson does not. In First Century Palestine, eating with someone showed social acceptance and brought those invited under the protection of the host. Thus, when slaves and masters, and later, Jews and Gentiles ate together, they visibly demonstrated the end of those barriers to love and fellowship. Those common meals powerfully demonstrated to the Roman world that the Christians brought a radically different world order.
Meanwhile. today’s church has black churches and white churches, and most members aren’t willing to host a regular fellowship meal. It’s just so much trouble! Let’s eat together at a restaurant instead! But it’s not the same. For a white family to eat a meal with a black family at O’Charleys is not the same as having them over to the house. Strangers can eat at a restaurant together. Eating at home, for modern Americans, is reserved for family. But, you know, the church is supposed to be family.
(Eph 2:19-21 ESV) 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
Jay,
Very good article and I agree with Hauwerwas here about the church being the church. To many the purpose of the church is to be theologically correct and do the acts of worship right. There is little doing of mercy, justice and walking with God. Agreement and fellowship has been on peripheral issues, not the core issues of the Christian faith. I am not sure I have ever seen,except for a few times, what I would call a true ecclesia. There is hope.
Great stuff, Jay!
For me, part of the subtext of what Jay writes about is the contrast between the ekklesia as an organization versus the ekklesia as a community.
Personally, I'm unconvinced that the most common manifestations of the "church" today bear much resemblance to what Jesus intended, when he called the ekklesia into being.
Most people recognize that we tend to gravitate towards people with whom we have some shared experience or common base. I have no interest in avoiding other believers; I cherish the encourage and fellowship we share together
When Paul wrote about "elders" was he doing something more than recognizing that some older folks are better mentors, advisers and role-models than others. When he talked of "servants" or deacons, was he doing something more than acknowledging that some are better organizers and doers, while others are better thinkers or teachers?
My view is that we often turn common sense into our own interpretation of commands.
Loving one another as Jesus loved us will result in the ekklesia taking care of itself. We don't need anything more than that.
We just need that.
Amen Jay. And it is amazing to me that after all of these years, so many are having the same thoughts all at the same time.
Jay,
This is really good stuff. Hank pointed me over here and I am glad he did. I wish most churches could say that they had gotten so busy with outreach that they were now struggling with really loving each other. I think we get it the other way around. We get so busy with two things: 1 – the corporate worship assembly that fosters the idea that you come and go but aren't necessarily connected with anyone, transformed, etc or 2 – we spend too much time with the same people so that we don't even think we have time for outreach. Maybe this is just my experience but the churches I have been a part of knew very well how to spend time with inreach/fellowship and were comfortable with that but didn't have any idea how to really do outreach. So I can't say that I have ever been a part of a church that was so busy reaching out we weren't loving each other like we should. I would guess though that if a church were seriously doing outreach that much, with each other, that serving alongside each other in meaningful ways like that would result in no shortage of love for each other. Just my 2 cents.
Forgive my ignorance, but isn't ekklesia definitionally community? In other words, not ekklesia as anything, but the ekklesia, as in the community?
Actually, the most direct translation of ekklesia is assembly. When the Athenians gathered together they were the ekklesia.
But that aside, I think community is a better translation of the sense of the NT
Churches fail to be the church for many reasons. what are those reasons? I just see one reason in this article.
Jay said .- is the church rarely creates the kind of community the Bible anticipates. Instead, the church is a place where sermons are preached ( Does the preacher or elders teach the whole counsel of God? Acts. 20:27 ), people are called to a vague, feel-good moralism, and lives are hardly changed at all. Indeed, those who are part of the church aren’t much holier than those outside the church. They’re nice! And they don’t look much like Jesus. Are you saying that the world is holier than your congregation? What is your perception about Jesus? Please explain.
Jay said : “We talk of being missional, and I’m 100% for the church being missional. But sometimes we’re so focus on reaching out — evangelism, benevolence — that we forget the command to “love one another.” Yes, we are also commanded to love our neighbors, and we absolutely should do just that. It’s just that we’re never going to be very good at loving others until we learn to love each other. What about our own family are they a missional field? Is wise for a preacher, elder or any member dedicate their lives to teach the word but, don’t pay attention to his own family?
Are you ignoring the mission of the Church? What is the biblical mission of the Church? Is all just being missional?
The mission of the church of Christ as outlined in the New Testament is to seek lost souls. We accomplish this in three ways:
First, the church is to proclaim the gospel of Christ to the world (Mark 16:15). The gospel is the only power to save mankind (Rom. 1:16) and the church is to profess and teach the saving message of the gospel (Matt. 28: 18-20). The apostle Paul made clear concerning those who reject the gospel message, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." (II Cor. 4:3-5)
Second, the church practices benevolence unto all who are truly in need, Christian and non-Christian alike (Gal. 6:10). James wrote, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27) Benevolent care for those who are in need is essential if the church is to function as God designed.
Third, the church must edify the brethren. After obeying the gospel, the believer is placed into fellowship with those of like precious faith. Unfortunately, many in the religious world often equate the Bible doctrine of edification with "entertainment". The two are not the same. Edification comes through two means, instruction (Eph. 4:15) and example (Rom. 14:19). Christians should seek to live lives so that the beauty of our risen Saviour can be seen in them.
So what would a church look like that actually loves one another? Well, I’m not going to answer that — directly. I want to approach the question from an entirely different angle, a practical one. How do we get our members to love each other? I mean, it’s not like “love each other” is new. We’ve heard it. We just don’t do it.
Why your home congregation don’t do it? Are they hearing the whole counsel of God or just part of the Gospel of Christ?
Colossians 3:1-3
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
And it’s not so much that we’re hard hearted and rebellious. It’s more that we’re structured in a way that makes it hard, even a little unnatural
What do you mean with a little unnatural? What is natural ? please explain.
GOD’S PURPOSE FOR STABLISHING THE CHURCH ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST 33 A.D
The word church, comes from the Greek word “Eklessia,” which mean “the called out” fitly describes the church because God has called it out of a sinful world to fulfill His “eternal purpose” (Eph. 3:9-11; 2 Tim.1:9) The bible compares the church to such figures as a body, a family, a kingdom, a temple and a nation.
A.- THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF THE SAVED
The bible describe the church as the body of Christ (Eph.1:22,23), and describe Christ as the “ Saviour of the body” (Eph. 5:23), Thus, the church is the body of the saved. During the Jewish age, the Old Testament Law separated the gentiles (all other nations) from enjoying God’s special blessing for the Jewish nation (Eph. 2:11,12). But when Christ die on the cross. He “ broke down the middle wall of partition” by removing the old law (Eph. 2:14,15), and uniting the saved of all nations could partake together of Christ’s spiritual blessing (Eph. 3:4-6;1:3), in fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose (Eph. 3:9-11).
People of every nation who obey the gospel of salvation are thus added to the church by God (Acts. 2:41,47). Consequently , faith and baptism are not only conditions for salvation (Mark 16:16), but are also the requirement s for membership in Christ’s Body, the church (I Cor. 12:13;Gal. 3:26,27). Indeed, the church is the body of all the saved of all nation.
B.- THE CHURCH IS A FAMILY OF FELLOWSHIP
The church is “called unto the fellowship” of Christ (1 Cor.1:9). The church enjoys fellowship as the family of God. God is the father (Mt. 23:9); Christ is the “firstborn” Son (Rom. 8:29); and all the church members are God’s children (Rom.8:14-16). One become a member of God’s family through faith and baptism (Gal. 3:26-27). As a family, Christians freely pray to God as their father (Mt. 6:8-13) and love each other as brothers in the flesh (1 Jn. 4:20- 5:2). Together, church members enjoy each other’s presence and supply each other’s physical needs (Acts. 2:44-47). Also, they bear one another’s spiritual burdens, strengthening the weak and restoring the fallen (Gal. 6:1,2; James 5:16,19,20). Indeed, God has a good purpose in establishing the church as a family of fellowship.
C.- THE CHURCH IS A KINGDOM OF SERVICE
The church is also Christ’s kingdom (Col. 1:13). Christ’s kingdom is spiritual rather than worldly (Jn. 18:36; Luke 17:21) and, thus, is composed of the saved of “every kindred and tongue, and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9,10). Thus, one enters the kingdom, like the church, by being “born of water and the Spirit” (Jn.3:5).
Since Jesus is king (Rev. 1:5; 17:14), Christians, are servants in the kingdom, must let Christ rule their lives (Mt. 6:33). Church members serve Christ by serving their fellowmen. Thus, each Christian must be a good citizen of his country, obeying civil rulers (Rom. 13:1-7).
The church, both collectively and individually, must help the needy (Mt.25:35-40), “do good to all men” (Gal.6:10) and teach the Gospel of salvation to everyone (Mark 16:15; Acts. 8:1,4). As a kingdom of service. God planned the church to be a blessing to the whole world (Mt. 5:14-16).
D.- THE CHURCH IS A TEMPLE OF WORSHIP
The church is also described as God’s spiritual temple or sanctuary (Eph. 2:19-22). In Old Testament times, the temple was a material building in Jerusalem where God’s Spirit dwelt with those who went there to worship him ( 1 kings 8). However, God established the church not to be a building of stones (as many consider the church today) but rather to be a “spiritual house” of people (1 Pet.2:5, Acts 5:11, Acts. 14:27).
God’s spirit inhabit this temple by dwelling in individual faithful Christians (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). God planned the church so that people could worship him, not only in Jerusalem, but everywhere “in spirit” and in “truth” (Jn.4:20-24). Thus as a church or temple, all Christian are priest (Rev. 1:6), and offer “spiritual sacrifices” in worship to God (1 pet.2:5-9). Each New Testament Christian has direct access to God’s presence through Christ, the Only High Priest (Heb. 4:15,16; 1 Tim. 2:5).
E.- THE CHURCH IS A NATION OF HOLINESS
The church is also called a “Holy Nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Since God is holy. His children must also be holy ( 1 pet. 1:15). Holiness, sometime translated sanctification, means “separation from that which is sinful or unclean.” Thus, the bible says that every church member is a saint (one who is holy and pure) and must abstain from sinful practices (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:9,10; Phil 1:1). Church members who refuse to repent of sin must be disfellowshipped by the rest of the church (1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Tess. 3:14). God planned the church to be “holy” and “without blemish” (Eph.5:27). And to be a shining light of truth (1 Tim.3:15), honesty and purity in the midst of an evil world (Philippians 2:15).
Thus, God’s purpose in establishing the church was to form a body of all the saved who could unite in enjoying a blessed fellowship serving Christ, worshipping God, and living holy lives (Heb. 12:14).
God’s plan to establish the church of Christ is indeed marvelous. He purposed it from the beginning, promised it, prophesied it, sent His Son, who die to purchase it, and sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles in establishing it and spreading it over the earth. But God’s purpose for stablishing the church make the church worthy of even higher esteem. Only in the church can all the saved united in one body to fulfill God’s eternal purpose for mankind: to enjoy the spiritual blessings of salvation and fellowship and to serve and live holy lives for God. No wonder that the Bible says, “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Eph. 3:21).
God’s great plan and noble purpose for establishing the church truly make it the most important Divine institution on earth.