The Glorifying Church

Ephesians 3:21 – “To him be the glory in all the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (NASB)

The local Christian church is a messy place. There’s the old joke about the church member talking to his non-church-going friend. The friend says, “Yes, but I don’t like organized religion.”

The church-goer responds, “Well, then you should love our church – there’s nothing organized about it!”

This phrase, “Glory to God in the church” – is a striking phrase in this prayer or benediction by Paul. This is a man who saw a lot of non-glorifying stuff in the early church. This phrase is arresting for me who worked in the church of the 21^st century. There was sooooooo much in church life that did NOT glorify God.

Yet, the sense is that part is just as true as the next clause, which is that Jesus glorifies God. We know that is true – of course Jesus glorified God. The two clauses are treated as equally true. So, in some way, the church glorifies God.

Lots of questions: with the church continue forever, “to all generations?” And there are others. But the key thought is that the church, as with all things, exists to glorify God.

This was a good thing to remember as I went through the grind of ministry work.

Is "Love" Enough?

Last month, a dear brother in our church sent me a link about churches (within our very loose movement) who are closing. 

Here’s the link (hoping it still works):

http://assemblyhub.com/checking-the-pulse-of-dying-assemblies/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

I read the article and appreciated the notions and sentiments expressed. But something nagged at me about how the article was thought through. I collected my thoughts and bounced them off my church member. Here’s the email I sent to my brother …

“Thanks for the article.

 “As nice as the conclusion was; that we should fuel the assembly with love, that is not the whole picture. Loving the saints in the assembly is exactly what has happened in all those assemblies that have closed. They loved their own deeply and well: great fellowship, shared life, deep connections. It is comfortable, agreeable, and safe to love one’s own. There is great comfort in ministering to other believers.

“But. 

"Love of the saints is not enough to fulfill the Great Commission. We must love our neighbor – the unsaved, the troubled, the difficult, the messed up, and the irritating. If we do not love the lost, we will fail with the task of preaching the gospel to those who need it. Believers – all believers – need to see themselves as missionaries.

“God will, in his mercy, allow a disobedient assembly to continue to live out its life, but then will let that body die. Many assemblies, who loved each other – but not the lost – have enjoyed 'rich fellowship' but have closed their doors.

“Churches that are thriving, 'assemblies' or not, are those who are faithful to speaking and being the gospel to those who are far from God. They have moved from, ‘every member a minister,’ to, ‘every member a Missionary.’

“The sister is not wrong that saints within an assembly must love and minister to each other, but she did not say enough. Loving each other is not enough for a church to thrive. Loving God and loving people – all people – is what Jesus told us to do. That’s when his people, doing what he commands, will see his blessing.

“Many Blessings, Bro –

-->

“-          Eric”

Any thoughts out there? Is love the only answer? What does that mean? Is it enough to love my church family - or is that insufficient?