Don't Abandon the Biblical Metaphors for the Church: It Is Not a Community, It is Much More

This is an updated and rewritten compilation of several posts from 2007, which was caused by my reading a new book on church life.

One of the new buzz words in the church in the new millenium is community, and the use of this metaphor to describe the church has bothered and concerned me for quite some time. This has been brought to a head by my reading a book on the church by a prominent and popular pastor. His emphasis on the life of the church and how the church functions and disciples, is couched in the term community. In the church's attempt to contextualize all that we do, we have started abandoning Biblical terms and metaphors, and we see this in the church now being called a community of believers.

Webster's Dictionary defines community as a body of people living near one another and in social relationship. It can also be defined as body of people with a faith, profession, or way of life in common. Even though I think that many times, not every time, when community is used in church speak the latter definition is meant, it still winds up way short of how the Bible refers to the church. And since it has become such a buzz word in our church speak, have we really stopped to think about what we are saying, and how what we are saying affects people's perception of what church is to be? We talk of the church as being a community of believers, having community groups, creating a sense of community, or being community oriented. Why doesn't the Bible use that word? How come the Lord did not use the community metaphor to describe the church, and its members? Maybe because the Lord had better metaphors that more accurately and more succinctly picture what the church is, how it should function, and how its members should relate to each other. For example, the Bible uses the word brethren 188 times in the New Testament, the words brother or brothers are used to describe believers, believers are called the household of God or the household of faith. God is our Father, Abba. We are His children, we are joint-heirs, and have an inheritance. All of these are familial terms. Family indicates a closer bond, a shared lineage, a shared future/inheritance, a relationship, and a responsibility; community does not.

Communities are places where people live and hang out while they are pursuing their own interests. All of us live in communities of one sort or another and most of us don't know our neighbors, and they don't know us and could care less. Community is a nice, safe, generic term that does not require intimacy or commitment. You can come and go at will and take what you need. Community describes how the world lives and relates, and, unfortunately, how so many in the church now live as it is all about them and their pursuits.

So church has become another place to hang out, chat with your friends, and leave with no more sense of belonging, acceptance, and commitment than being gathered together at Starbucks or sitting on the stool at the local watering hole. Is it any wonder why people are church hopping/shopping because underneath it all they are looking for somewhere to belong, like a family, not just some place to be.

The Church is more than a community. As I said, it is family. We all are God's children. We are brethren, joint heirs with Jesus who is the first born of many brethren. We are all born from above, born of God, and therefore we all have the same inheritance. The phrase one another is used 61 times in the NT as it refers to those who are part of the church, the household of the living God. As you read through the verses you see the rights, privileges, accountability, responsibility, and affection that family members are to have. This is no accident that it is portrayed in this manner. Let's take a look a few examples:

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:35 By this all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
I Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
I Peter 4:8 Above all keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
I John 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

I Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
I Peter 4:10 As each one have received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
James 4:11 Do not speak against one another, brethren.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK THE TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

We, the church, are the family of God. Why then don't we talk about or portray it in this way? Would not most of us want to be part of a family instead of a community? Is not being part of a family richer, deeper, and better than just being part of a community? Are not our best and most fulfilling relationships our family relationships, not the social or civic relationships that we have through our community involvement? Words are important because words communicate, words portray, words create images in our mind, and words define. The words of Scripture were picked by God Himself to convey exactly what He wants, and, therefore, to achieve specific intended results. God uses the family metaphor for a reason and in the church's rush to be relevant and use new and hip terminology, and rename and reinvent the church, it has missed what God was intending to communicate. Therefore the result is a church where involvement and commitment and the resulting benefits are seen no differently than being involved civically, which for most people is just not meaningful. Yet, you hear the concerns/complaints at how uninvolved and uncommited church members are today. Maybe the reason is that the pastors and leaders in the churches, through renaming what the church is, have communicated to the people that the church is no different than the Lions Club, or the United Way, or the Little League Association.

To me, using the word community to describe the church is hard and shallow and does not really convey the full sense of what a church is. It misses the mark in describing what the church is all about. Could it be that the reason the Lord does not use the community metaphor (and He certainly could have) is because a community does not have the closeness, the caring, the accountability, the support, the sharing, the concern, the forgiveness, the camaraderie, the committment to each other's welfare, the watching each other's back, the standing up for each other, and the relational ties that bind that a family has? All of these things promote the good of the whole at the expense of the individual.

Also, in addition to family, the Lord uses another metaphor to describe the church, and that is the metaphor of a body. The word body is used 31 times in the NT to describe the church and its companion descriptive, member(s), is used 21 times. If you will give some thought to what is being conveyed by these terms you will see that community does not even come close. Let's look at a few more examples:

I Corinthians 12:27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
Romans 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Colossians 1:18 He is also the head of the body, the church;.....
Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
I Corthians 12:8 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Ephesians 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

I Corinthians 12:22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

I Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

When thinking about a body and its members you see the interconnectedness, the interdependence. You see a living organism, you see purpose and function, you see life, you see personality, you see softness, and you see strength. This body that is the church is not just any body, it happens to be the body of Christ. The world does not see Christ through a community, it sees Christ through His body, the church; it sees Christ through His family, the church. As a body and a family we hurt together, rejoice together, cry together, and celebrate together. We are not spectators, but participants. We don't just live together, but live for each other. What benefits one benefits all. What is detrimental to one is detrimental to all.

Maybe, just maybe, if this was taught in its fullness, we would see a change in the church. Maybe we would see a vibrancy. Maybe we would see that we are truly all in this together. Being a Christian is not about becoming a better community member, it is about becoming more like Christ. It is not about overcoming your shortcomings, it is about having the fullness of Him who fills all in all. It takes all of us, being in the body just where He put us, properly working as He designed us, to build each other up to the fullness of the stature of Christ. A community can't do that, but a living organism can.

Let's don't rename the body of Christ. Let's don't call the family of God other than what it is. Let's don't make the church less than what God has intended for it to be known and portrayed as. Let us stop abandoning the Biblical terms to make the church more appealing, and less foreign to the world. Let's don't think that somehow we know better than God what term to use. So let us use the same metaphors and same terminology the Lord has chosen, and trust the Word to do its intended work, and trust Him with the results.  Let us not be ashamed to be called the family of God and the body of Christ.

The Bible, Sex, and Pastoral Counseling

In regards to Mark Driscoll's latest book on sex, and Ed Young's sexploitation/exhibition, there has been much written by those more erudite and better communicators than me. However, I do want to address the topic, and address it from a more foundational level than I have seen addressed, yet.

This is not the first foray into the arena of sex for either of these two pastors; and I call them pastors, because that is the position they hold.  This is Mark's fourth book on sex, and Ed has preached a series on sex from a bed on his stage and issued a seven day sex challenge to those in his congregation, so they are not neophytes in this area.  But let's go a little deeper into the reasons they have openly stated are behind their books and sermons....their people are coming to them with questions concerning sex, what's taboo and what's not, how much is enough or too much, what does the bible say about these issues? 

The heart of the matter is that many who profess to be Christians are too sex obsessed.  You see, the world, not just our culture, but the world is sex obsessed; and if you are paying any attention at all you can see it is not just an American cultural issue but a world wide issue.  I John 2:16 tells us that all temptation falls under the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.  Sex has its roots deeply in all three of these categories, and as a result is one of the most appealing and controlling sins...maybe the most appealling and controlling.   

My point is this.  As pastors, instead of answering the questions above, instead of playing sex therapist, instead of giving in to the world's influence in this area, shouldn't we look to and bring to light the root of the issue?  Should we not first tell our people that sex is not the most important thing in the world, that maybe they need to take a step back and realize they are not to be preoccupied with it, it is not to dominate their thinking, and they should not be mastered by it. Shouldn't we have them take a good look at themselves and ask themselves if because of their background, television and movie choices, books and magazines they read, internet habits, music they listen to, emails they share or pass along, or conversations they participate in, that they might have a spiritual stronghold in this area.  And maybe perform this same spiritual check-up on ourselves, so that we can be sure our own attitude and thinking in regards to this area has not been colored by the world.

In dealing with this issue, many people want to quote I Corinthians 6:12...the part about all things are lawful for me...but leave out the part about I will not be mastered by anything.  The context of this verse is Paul dealing with the issue of food, and sex both outside the marriage and inside the marriage.  Paul also tells us in Romans 6:12-19 that we are slaves of what we obey...and ends this section talking about the weakness of our flesh. Christ gave the admonition to watch and pray that we would not enter into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. So it is obvious that even for Christians we can have ongoing issues because of the filthiness and wickedness (James 1:21) that is inherent in our flesh.  Pastorally we need to realize that this pre-occupation with sex is a hold over from our life before Christ, or, in some instances, an indication that they have never truly received Christ; and we should not respond in a way that panders to their natural fleshly inclinations, but respond in a way that sheds light on the true spiritual issue that is at its root.

The church has been too quick to give in the mind-set of the world; and I think that it is most pronounced in the area of sex.  Pastors, we need to take a stand against the mind-set of the world and tell our people and counsel our people that they are not to be sex-obessed like the world which has no control over its lusts, and is, in fact, controlled by those same lusts and indulges in the desires on both the flesh and the mind; and tell our people that this sex-obsession is not from the Lord, but from the world.  For knowing the truth is the key for them to be set free from the sex-obession that controls the world.

Contextualization

Much has been said, as of late, regarding the subject of contextualization.  The problem with much of the discussion is that almost everyone has their version or defintion of what the term means.  David Sills, in his new book "Reaching and Teaching" has devoted an entire chapter to this topic; and, in my opinion, is the most balanced and fair treatment of the topic.  Although his book and his discussion are concerning foreign missions, much of it is transferable to church life here in the states.  The chapter entitled "Critical Contextualization" is relevant for any discussion on contextualization regardless of the culture. 

In this chapter, on page 199, he makes statement that not only sums up the entire chapter; but sums up what the entire discussion on contextualization should be centered upon.  It is this, "The goal of contexualization is to be culturally relevant and faithful to God's word."  He also gives many good examples of contextualiztion and shows how we all do it. 

A very good read, and I think that those interested in church planting should also read this book.  As I mentioned earlier, even though this book addresses foreign missions, much of what is said is transferable to church planting and evangelism here in the states.  I could not help but see the similarities, and there is much in this book that is both challenging and affirming.

Engaging the Culture

This is a repost from October 2007.  In light of the theme of T4G (Together for the Gospel) this last week, I thought it might be appropriate.

The phrase "engaging the culture" has become one of the new buzz phrases of many in the church over the last couple of years. For some it seems to describe their method of doing church, for others it seems to be their reason for doing church the way they do. I am not real sure that many who use the term have actually given much thought as to what that term means when they say it, as it has become the term du jour if you are cool and trendy in your ministry. In our post-modern time of deconstruction and redefinition the word engage is one of many that has been hijacked and given a new meaning.

I recently asked a friend of mine how he would define engaging the culture and his first response, off of the top of his head, was that it meant the church was doing a good job of getting them in the door. I thought this was an accurate assessment of how many churches define engagement and what engagment ultimately means to them. There are several ways to use the word engage. Mechanically, when we engage it means a meshing or fitting with, or an interlocking, like the gears of truck or engaging the clutch. When we engage in conversation, engage in sex, or engage in politics it means we participate jointly and are involved in the activity and there is some give and take. If you are engaged in an activity then you are busy or occupied with that activity. An engaging person is attractive, charming, compelling, occupies your thoughts, and commands your attention. So if the church is engaging the culture as defined in these ways the church is then meshing, fitting with, or interlocking with the culture. It is jointly participating and is involved in the same activities as the culture, gives and takes with the culture, and is busy and occupied with this activity. The church would be attractive, charming, compelling, and would occupy the mind of the culture and command the attention of the culture. To me it looks like this is what is meant by most of those who view themselves as engaging the culture and appears to be where the emphasis is placed in their church life. If you think about it, is this remotely what the church is called out to do?

I know that many would point out that this is just the methodology, the means through which the gospel is shared, but at the same time it has also become the measure of how they are sharing the gospel. Does the method and means by which the gospel truth is shared matter? Does the venue through which the truth is presented create a certain expectation in the people whom you are engaging? Does this expectation become a mindset that influences how they hear and what they hear when they come? Does their mind then have preset filters that are there and remain because of what is done to attract and retain them? Does what you are known for as a church precondition them and color what they see and hear? Is the gospel truth obscured by all the other stuff that is done to engage them? Is the gospel truth watered down or certain parts ignored or deemphasized so that it will be charming and compelling? Can the gospel truth be be veiled in the garb of what is attractive to the culture of the world and still be discerned by those who are coming with their senses attuned to that worldly attractiveness? Is doing church like this really a subtle from of manipulation? Is it rank salesmanship much like the bait and switch? If so, is it God honoring, can it be God honoring? If it is not, then can God be expected to honor this being done in "His name?"

But there is also another use for the term engage. When we engage someone we come to grips with them or confront them. When the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview should it mesh with the secular worldview? When the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview will it be, should it be, charming and attractive to the secular worldview? Is this what the Lord wants from His church, His people, bought out from the world and its culture by His blood? Or when the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview will it come to grips with it and confront it? Is it important to tell the gospel truth truthfully and forthrightly? Can we dilute the gospel truth and expect it to be effective or expect the Holy Spirit to honor and work through what we are doing? Is diluted truth, partial truth, anything apart from the full truth, still truth? The rub is that truth, by its very nature, is confrontational, especially biblical truth. Biblical truth is offensive, it separates and divides. If churches are trying not be be offensive, but attractive, then is telling the gospel truth their priority; and if it is not their priority then can they claim to be engaging the culture from a Biblical basis?

For the church, the pillar and support of the truth, is true engagement the confronting of one culture by another, the confrontation between light and darkness, truth and deception, sacred and secular? Doesn't the gospel truth engage by confronting? Can the Christian worldview engage the secular worldview without confrontation? If the church is salt and light then can it be anything less than confrontational with the world around us?

So when you say you are engaging the culture what do mean by that? Is engaging the culture from a Biblical perspective really what you are doing?

A False Notion of Children's Ministry

This is the first part of a two part post. Really, it is the preamble to the post to follow, and they both deal with false notions. Satan is a deceiver and the father of lies and I believe he has foisted a lie into the minds of parents concerning church for their children. 

Have you ever sat and listened to parents as they pick up their children from church? What do you think is the first question most parents ask? Is it. "What did you learn about the Bible today?" Is it, "What did you learn about God or about Christ today?" Are they checking to be sure their children are learning correct doctrine, or about the great men and women of faith in the Bible, or having the gospel presented to them? No, the question most often asked is....."Did you have fun?", followed by... Did you enjoy it?". For so many, their main concern is not the quality of the biblical content and teaching their children are getting, but the amount of enjoyment or entertainment they are getting. Instead of hearing from the parents about the ability of the teachers to communicate spiritual truth, the joy of the Lord, and the love of the Lord, or their care and concern for the spiritual formation and welfare of their children; you hear comments regarding how playful the teachers are or how they get down on the children's level (whatever that means).  

Don't get me wrong, I don't think church should be a dour and sour place where your children are screaming not to go back, like they do when you take them to the doctor's office; but the church has bought into and is selling and the parents have bought into and are buying, the false notion that church is all about fun, games, and excitement for their children. And, honestly, many parents expect it to be the same for themselves, as well. As a result, many churches market themselves through the children's programs knowing that if they make and keep the children happy they will keep the parents coming. 

For your children the church should be a training ground, laying the foundation of spiritual truth that will give your children the wisdom that leads to salvation. It should supplement and support what you are giving them at home in preparation for a life on their own. There should be the joy and love of the Lord present. It should be enjoyable, but there still must be the goal of the bigger picture of spiritual preparation and spiritual formation. As a parent, your criteria for judging the value and quality of a church for your children, should be based upon what I have just mentioned, not upon the emotional whims of your children or which church is the most Disney-like in its facilities and programs. In fact, this concern about your children having fun communicates to them the church is all about having fun; and this is the false notion that is built into their minds so that the minute it isn't all fun and games, they lose interest. 

Step back and analyze what your church is really doing to your children in and through their children's ministry. Look past the all the hoopla, facilities, and hype. Can you discern the eternal values that are intentionally being built into your children, or is the emphasis on the temporal, shallow fun of the world. What do you want them to have? Are things of eternal value what they are really receiving, or have you and your church been deceived by the schemes of Satan to be enamored with fun and entertainment so that you trade the truth for a lie.

A Few Quotes to Think About

I am reading through David Wells' latest book, The Courage to be Protestant. It is one of those books that is a must read for anyone who loves the church, and offers penetrating insight into our American culture and its affect upon evangelical church culture. I am going to quote several lines from this book that I think are worthy of giving some thought.

"By speaking about faith in terms that are familiar in our world of self-fulfillment, self-esteem, and the whole many-sided self movement, the gospel suddenly is on the cutting edge of where-we-are. By assuming access to God that is as swift and certain as the swipe of a credit card, a spiritual purchase without waiting, the gospel makes itself appealing to consumers. They are getting it when they want and how they want it. By speaking of the gospel in terms not of truth but of feelings, evangelicals of this stripe guarantee for them selves instant success. Feelings are easy to arouse while thought is hard and slow."

"The self-movement is all about feeling good about ourselves, not about being good. It is therapeutic, not moral."

"Evangelical faith, which has lamely followed along this cultural path, has lost its integrity in the world."

"The problem is that study after study over the last four decades has been unable to show any correlation between low self-esteem and all the social maladies that have supposedly followed it."

"The language of sin is not a part of the way people think of themselves."

"The majesty of God's forgiveness is lost entirely when we lose what has to be forgiven."

"When we miss the biblical teaching, we also miss the nature of God's grace in all its height and depth."

"The glory of Christian faith is the grace that has bridged the chasm sin has created, the heights and depths of God's saving love expressed in the person of Christ."

These are some good things to think about as we consider the state of the church in our land.