The Church Experience: What Should it be Like?

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, leave peaceably with all." Romans 12:14-18 ESV

The early Christians gathered in small groups in the courtyards or dining rooms of the homes of its members. They didn't really understand the concept of "going to church," since what they understood was that they were the church, and it is hard to "go to" something that you already are. After they were empowered by the spirit, their ministry expanded rapidly. Their compassion gained a reputation, as did the way they conducted themselves in public, so much so that Luke notes that they enjoyed the favor of all the people.

Some notable events drew attention to their compassion, and their heart for ministering to people in Jesus' name. Peter and John healed a cripple in the temple court one day, drawing the amazement of the common people, and the ire of the Pharisees. People discovered the loving, caring nature of Christ's church and began to listen to the message it preached. They responded to it, according to the book of Acts, in large numbers. In a relatively short period of time, the message of the gospel, which Jesus had entrusted to his twelve disciples, who became the apostles of the church, spread throughout the entire Roman Empire.

The church grew fast largely because of the dynamics that existed within. It met in small groups because it used the homes of believers as gathering places. Its meager resources all went to the work of the church, or to making sure that the neediest people among them were provided for. When a group in a particular city outgrew its meeting place, they started another group in another home, all part of the same body, identified as "The Church" of that city, not as separate churches. They were empowered by a Holy Spirit which gifted them with abilities to do ministry work, and which produced a long list of fruit found in Galatians 5:22-23. The members of the church took seriously the teaching that by serving others, you were really serving God himself.

It was this very reputation that drew people close to hear the gospel message. It was not just a message from the lips, it was practiced by those who preached it. The words they spoke were backed up by the things they did, unselfish acts on behalf of people, done out of love. Three of the apostles, John, Peter and Paul, all write about the importance of the church's testimony.

"Who will harm you if you are eagar to do good?" says Peter. "But even if you are persecuted, you are blessed."

It was that kind of attitude that opened doors for the church to preach the gospel message to a pagan world and see thousands of people come to know the Lord in the first two or three centuries of its existence, even in the very face of some of the most brutal persecution any human beings have faced in all history.

So what's happened to the church today?

Actually, I think the question is more like "What has happened to the church in America today?" since what we seem to be experiencing is different from many places in the world. If you asked the unchurched person on the street, you would likely not get the same kind of description of the church that we find in several places in the New Testament.

About six months ago, I discovered a book by Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, both from the Barna group, called Unchristian. The subtitle is "What a new generation really thinks about Christianity and why it matters." It is not the typical book full of sage advice from the hottest church growth guru. The opening line of the first chapter is, "Christianity has an image problem." From there, it proceeds to organize and categorize what people think about Christianity and the church, particularly people who are not involved in it, and give no evidence of being attracted to it. It is an eye opening read, at least it was for me, very difficult to put down and yet, in some aspects, apalling.

Let's personalize this discussion and bring it down to the local church level. Join us Wednesday night as we examine the characteristics of the early church and measure ourselves by those characteristics. What is the image of our church in the view of those who are in a position to see it? It is a discussion that is probably long past due at 3206 N. Shepherd Dr.