WHAT IS CHURCH TO YOU?
The word church means different things to different people and it has various definitions depending on what book you choose to read. The word translated "church" in the English Bible is ekklesia. This word is the Greek words kaleo (to call), with the prefix ek (out). Thus, the word means "the called out ones." However, the English word "church" does not come from ekklesia but from the word kuriakon, which means "dedicated to the Lord." Today a church could mean three things to any individual, a group of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship, a place for public (especially Christian) worship and a service conducted in a house of worship. All over the bible we read about Christ talking about the universal church (all who "believe" and are "obedient" to Christ regardless of denomination) that the gates of hell cannot come against, and would be without spot and blemish when He returns for them. What constitute a church are Christians, and the name Christians means "the followers of Christ" and the disciples were first called that in Antioch, so the church is a an individual that follows Christ, the church is also a congregation of believers gathering together in fellowship (Koinonia) and today we refer to the building where believers congregate as a church.
The purpose of Church: As a tripartite being (Spirit, Soul and Body), we have the various doctor specialties to take care of our physical body; we have therapists, psychologist, and psychiatrist take care of our feelings in our soul; and we have the church as the place for spiritual and mind renewal, as well as enhancing our will through faith (by the words we hear weekly or bi-weekly). In his letter to the Romans, Apostle Paul said "His Spirit will bear witness with our spirit", for anyone who has had a spiritual "rebirth" then being fed through the Holy Spirit is very important, so the person or individual can bear the "fruit" of the spirit. The Bible makes it clear that if we choose to feed the spirit then we grow spiritually and if we feed the flesh then we grow in the things of the world. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word(s) of God, the church provides the avenue for our faith to grow through hearing the word of God from the pulpit. One of the main functions of an under-shepherd (Christ is the only shepherd), is to ensure that the accurate and undiluted word of God is shared without human (personal) additions. There are two Greek words for word "Rhema" and "Logos", Rhema is the totality of the word given to us in the Bible and Logos is when a particular word jumps out of the Bible to become a dktu7wrevelation that changes our lives. The phrase "No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against me shall be condemned" would be logos to someone going through a particular tough time in his/her life.
When we hear the word of God repeatedly it helps us with being obedient which is basically helping us "will" ourselves, personally I have made life altering decisions after hearing a sermon or series of sermon that keep prompting me to keep on keeping on. The church is also supposed to be a place where the needs of the less privileged of the society is met, I've shared this with my pastor friends that some percentage of their income must be set aside for "benevolence" for helping the less needy of the church or the community you are located in. In many countries, the welfare of the less privileged has been taken over by the state and the church has even become a welfare recipient as well. In my travels, the church that does this or understands this principle are really blessed and have favor not only in their members giving but with leadership of their city or state. While we can all worship and pray at home, the church enhances corporate worship which is important in our worship with God, the church also provide the opportunity for corporate prayer, many of us would recall Jesus saying "when two or more gather in my name, there I would be".
What Church has become: The Babylonian Empire captured Israel and Judah as a nation and they became minor provinces under many empires (Babylonians, Greek, and Romans). After the death of Alexander the Great, his generals divided the Empire up amongst themselves, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (a general) heading the northern kingdom attempted to wipe out the Jewish worship of God. A band of young men led by Judas Maccabeus resisted the Greek general's offensive against the Jewish religion, the group led by this young man later became the sect called the "Pharisees" that gave Jesus a hard time when in was in the world. Like the Pharisees, many churches start out well and with the right intentions, but soon get caught up with the values of the world, creating more burden on people with man-made rules than what the Bible ask for, in the name of revelation and anointing and to make themselves more important or relevant than God Himself. With the influence of a materialistic, egoistic and worship of man worldview influencing even the church, there is tremendous pressure on church leadership to be different in what they teach and in style, hence some do or say things that are extra-biblical. Today, many of our churches have lost the essence of why we have fellowship, it is the leadership that is been enriched rather than the less privileged in the congregation being fed (spiritually, emotionally or physically), the leadership is now been worshipped with body-guards fencing sheep that needs the direction/guidance of the under-shepherd.
The congregants today flock to churches where they get their ears tickled with emotional messages that make them feel good or messages that focuses on wealth as defined by Wall Street and not the Bible. Today, the aim of churches is to be mega, rather than focus on spreading around the city to reach the un-churched, mega means more bucks and power however you dice it (I attend a mega church). You rarely find churches that speak regularly on holiness, righteous living and obedience to God’s word. For many of us born in the church, the church is now a social gathering place where we show off the latest clothes and hats, where we gossip about what's happening to the neighbors and a place where we get titles like Archbishop, Bishop, Rev. Dr., Pope, Senior Apostle, Deacon/Deaconess or Elder/Mother or even a Minister so we can put it in our resume that we hold such a position in church. The Bible did say come as you are and that is true, but if church is just a place you go to confess the junks of Monday to Saturday and get an emotional high from the pastor and then go right back to your vomit on Monday, then you are missing why church is important. The messages are "life" in themselves and should be sharper than a double-edge sword dividing asunder the soul and spirit to bring about change when allowed to have full impact.
Going back to the Church: I think it is fair to say wherever you have humans you are going to have sin, so just like the world is full of materialism, egoistic super-star and people doing anything for 15 minute fame on television, the church has some as well, because it is not everyone that calls the name "Jesus" that is truly saved. It is true that the church is held to a higher standard than the world because of who we represent, unfortunately we do have true Christians make mistakes and repent - thank God for Grace. The spiritual man in every person needs to be fed, and it is going to be fed in one way or another and there are enough junk out there. The current bestseller is Harry Potter, most of the movies coming out this summer (2007) are relating to spiritual good and evil, new age junk is over the place with spiritual junk that lacks the power thereof. Every sociological studies point to the fact that every human wants to know their purpose, self-help books with some spiritual tone have been New York Times bestsellers for months now ("The Secret"). "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren is the best crossover book in recent times, it even help save the life of a young lady facing a murderer (the guy in turmoil was looking to fill a spiritual void). Our young men and women in gangs are filling their spiritual voids with drugs, alcohol and are running from church because of what the church has come to represent (hypocrisy and materialism).
There is no replacement for the church when it comes to meeting your spiritual needs (when I say church I mean gathering of brethren of more than one, in bible study, as a cell group, as a group on Sundays and Wednesdays or however we fellowship). It is from the church that you hear words that set you free; it is from the church that a good worship team leads you into the throne room of Grace.
It is in church that your emotional needs is best taken care of, it is from the church that you are supposed to get the good company you hang out with. It is from the church that one should get a good friend that would challenge you when you are making mistakes (compare to worldly friends that would cheer you on). Getting away from the church because of what the pastor, Brother Paul or Sister Janet did is not enough because you are leaving yourself vulnerable spiritually and emotionally, especially when the trials of life come (which is guaranteed), as a prison/jail clergy veteran, I have seen many come to the Lord in jail/prison, when the same words they heard in jail could have prevented the time they spent there, please always remember that to God, "obedience is always better than sacrifice", while He'll take you if you call on Him in jail/prison, He'll rather you come to Him without going to jail/prison.
The church also plays a more important role for your next generation, as much as it will feed you spiritual and emotionally, it is setting a strong foundation for your children and grandchildren. Our kids do more what they see us do, not so much what we say, that is why kids of divorced parents divorce more, kids of those who smoke are more likely to try smoking or smoke. I was born in a church and grew up in that church, while in high school and college I went away from church (because of the hypocrisy I saw in leadership), I came back to church on my own after college, because the Bible is right "train up your children [in the way of the Lord] so that when they get older, they would not depart from it [what you taught them as youngsters]". Find a church (mega or small) near you that speaks the truth, because it is the truth in the word of God that sets you free, don't look at the deacon or the Mother having an affair that you know, because that leader would be answerable to God (judgment would start in the house of God). Many of us expect our doctors (that take care of our physical body) to drive nice cars but not our pastors (that take care of our spiritual and emotional needs), I do understand that some of them over-do the materialistic things but again, that is not our problem, what they do with the money in the offering basket is between them and God.
Seek God yourself (like the Bereans), get involved in bible study with a fellowship, have a routine to read the bible and set time aside to pray not only for yourself and your needs but ask God, what is on His heart for your city, your neighborhood, your leaders that He wants you to pray into. If you know a church leader not doing very well (in any way) rather than gossip about him/her get your prayer group to intercede for that leader ("uneasy lies the head that wear the crown"). Salvation has nothing to do with the Church you attend, to be saved you must decide to renounce your old ways and ask Christ to be your Lord (Master) and Savior (save from damnation), so please say this loud in your room, office room, bathroom or wherever, "Dear Lord, I confess every sin in my life and ask for your forgiveness, I ask that your Son, make His abode in my life and be my Lord and Savior, I yield my life to the leading of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name - Amen" Now go get involved in a good church after reading this article and let me know about it.
Written By Dr. Lewis Akpogena
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