Church and Kingdom

I want to try to start working the word kingdom into my daily vocabulary. I welcome any suggestions.

The word church makes my head spin.

Recently I'm always stumbling with my wording around the use of the word church. Whether talking about dropping someone off at a building where some believers often gather. Or discussing plans for a specific Sunday event when believers gather. Or talking about a sub-group of believers who make decisions and plans and organize programs for other believers. But I don't see the word church in Scripture being used to refer to a building, a Sunday morning event, or an organization.

Lately when I talk with my family, I've been trying to use the word 'church' to refer only to people. If I'm going to start using it to refer to a gathering of believers I believe it can be used whenever believers assemble to build each other up to become more like Christ.

But I'm finding it quite difficult. The term church gets used quite often. My family is starting to understand why I talk so differently, but I don't expect others to understand so I often end up giving in and speaking the common language.

Kingdom

I find the term kingdom doesn't get used very often.

We have 100 records of Jesus speaking the word kingdom, and only two passages where he spoke of church.

However, since kingdom doesn't get used very often today, there may be less confusion with the term. If I talk of God's kingdom, nobody will be thinking building, local organization, or Sunday morning event.

We can simply talk of God's rule in our lives, how He reigns, or how He is Lord/Master/King. I believe the Kingdom of God is a present reality that will expand into eternity.

I'm not suggesting everybody needs to drop using the word church. I love seeing discussions around what the word church should be about. Yet for myself I find my head spinning when I hear the word church used in daily language. I'm always trying to figure out if they are talking about a building, organization, event or about people and/or when they get together.

So I sense I should shift my focus toward the Kingdom and the King. I know there is overlap between the kingdom and the church. But I find the Kingdom easier to focus on, and since that is what Jesus spent most of His time talking about I feel this may be a healthy change of focus.

I still don't know how best to respond to scenarios where I find myself discussing a particular building, event, or organization... I welcome any suggestions.

Related Posts:

• Church Etymology
• Jesus on Church
• Recognize Church
• My Role with Church
• I don't go to church
• My 95 Thesis - Point 13 - Temple Worship
  
• Kingdom of God
• Secrets of the Kingdom Summary
• Is Caesar Lord?
• Good News

Kingdom Like Yeast

Continuing my series on the secrets of the kingdom. The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given to us (Matthew 13:11). Jesus came to share this kingdom message (Luke 4:43). So I'm examining different passages related to this kingdom message.

Matthew 13:33 (HCSB)

"He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through all of it."

Reading different commentators on this one there is a range of thought on what Jesus is saying here. Some take the position that yeast is representing sin spreading in the church. It is true that in many other passages yeast is used to describe the way sin or bad things spread, but I don't see the yeast being a bad thing here.

In this parable the woman put yeast into the flour on purpose. She then mixed it into the flour on purpose. I think she wanted the yeast to spread throughout the flour and change it. And it did. It was a good thing. The kingdom of heaven is like that yeast. Jesus shared the message of the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and the reign of God has been spreading through the world ever since. At a personal level, I sense the reign of God growing in my life as well.

I pray that God's kingdom come, that His will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven. I pray His reign will be evident in my life, and that His rule would continue to spread in my life and in the world around us.

To My Protestant Friends

It's been around 500 years since the Protestant Reformation. I'd like to ask my Protestant friends some questions about where they find themselves now. If you are part of the Protestant branch of Christianity, are you still protesting? Do you know what you are protesting?


The Reformers first took issue with:

• the sale of indulgences.
• the practice of buying and selling church positions
• purgatory
• Particular judgment
• devotion to Mary
• the intercession of and devotion to the saints
• most of the sacraments
• mandatory celibacy requirement of its clergy
• the authority of the Pope.

They also took a stand for the 5 solas:

1. Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
2. Sola fide ("by faith alone")
3. Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
4. Solus Christus or Solo Christo ("Christ alone" or "through Christ alone")
5. Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

I once considered myself a Protestant.  Yet I don't think I really understood these issues.  Yes I'd heard a bit about why the other side was wrong, but I hadn't examined the issues with much of an open mind.

As you can see with the links above I've written some posts in the past on many of these topics.  I haven't written on all the topics yet - we will see if I get the urge to finish at some point.

But how about you, my Protestant friends?

Does this list of issues summarize where you stand today? Do you strongly feel the need to continue protesting these issues? Or are you ready to drop the label 'Protestant'?  Or does being a Protestant mean something different to you today?

Playdough Scripture Acts 2:41

"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day, so they quickly started the first megachurch building project, hired on more staff, and expanded their programs."

Acts 2:41 (Playdough Version)

My Role with Church

In my last post I worked through how I am trying to recognize Christ's Church whenever and wherever I meet together with other believers. I suspect that is how the term church was used in Scripture. I don't view Church as a building, or a Sunday morning event, or an organization. However I can recognize that the Church (assembling of God's people) does exist Sunday mornings in many buildings and organizations. It also exists every day of the week all over the place.

So my next point is: What is my role when I get together with other believers wherever and whenever that may be.


Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.and all the more as you see the Day approaching. "

This passage is often used to encourage people to 'go to church'. But if we look again we also see instructions as to what we should be doing when we meet with other believers. Why do we get together as church? To encourage one another, and spur one another on towards love and good deeds.

This means more to me than having one or a few people at the front encouraging the others.  I believe each member of the body can and should play a role in building up one another when we get together.

1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV)

"What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up."

Again, building each other up when we get together.

There are many 'one another' commands that we should pay attention to as well. Of course these are best done when we get together.

• Offering hospitality to one another
• Show humility to one another
• Be at harmony with one another
• Not slandering one another
• Encouraging one another
• Teaching one another
• Admonishing (giving advice) one another
• Forgiving one another
• Submitting to one another
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
• Be kind and compassionate to one another
• bearing with one another in love
• serve one another
• Accept one another
• Agree with one another
• kissing one another (ew)
• and the repeated call to love one another.

There is a lot for us to consider when we get together (as the church).  As I take a look at this list it seems clear that healthy, loving, and active relationships with each other is key.


Consider one more passage Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)

So Christ himself gave the apostles [messengers who are sent out], the prophets [those who speak a message of God], the evangelists [those who shares the good news], the pastors [shepherds - those who care for other believers] and teachers [those who teach], to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

One may think this passage supports the idea that it is the job of a few select people to build up the body. I'd like to push you to consider that God is calling most of us to do these tasks. To be messengers sent out into the world, to share the good news, to care for others, and teach each other. Some may be more gifted in different areas than others, but I don't believe anyone is exempt from considering their role in each of these areas.

And to the point of this passage. That the whole body works together, to build up the body to become mature and more like Christ. So that we can be Christ's living body in our world today.

And I think that is the role for each of us as we get together with other believers (the church - whenever and wherever).

Related Posts:

• Recognize Church
• One Another
• Jesus on Church
• I don't go to Church
• Church Etymology

Recognize Church

So how do I Recognize Christ's Church? Now that I understand church according to Jesus is not a building is not a Sunday Morning event is not an institution or organization

Jesus talks simply of when two or three are gathered in His name. Church (ecclesia) was a word used to refer to an assembly or democratic gathering. We see in other New Testament passages the early believers also used the term church to refer to all the believers in a geographical area. So in my mind church is simply believers and whenever they get together.

So how do I move forward and relate with my brothers and sisters who view church as an institution, building, or Sunday Morning event?

Well... if church is simply the whenever two or three are gathered in Christ's name... I can recognize that I am part of Christ's church whenever I build relationships with other believers

• as we walk up the sidewalk as we 'go to church'
• as we visit before and after the 'church service'
• (as we chat during the 'church service')
• as we visit in each others homes
• as we visit in parks
• as we visit at work
• as we visit whenever

You get the point?

I am looking to recognize Christ's church within the institutional church and beyond the walls.

I guess the next question is... What is my role as I meet with the church (wherever/whenever)? I'll work on that for my next post...

Related Posts:

• Jesus on Church
• I don't go to Church
• Church Etymology