Challenges in the Church

(Philippians 1:27-28)

As Christians we have been called to change our ways and live a different and better life. A big part of the transformation comes through the working of the church.

It is by meeting together as a church that we learn the ways of the Lord. In Church, we learn what we need to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

There are foundational teachings we need to know to commence the journey of transformation, and some of these we need to apply as individuals. But it is in the church setting that we grow as a collective in the fellowship of the people of the Lord and the Lord Himself.

Power of the Church

One of the aspects of this scripture today is the power of the church in the work of transformation. This is what the first scripture today says.

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)

The goal identified in the first half of this scripture is to lead a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the call from these words.

The second half of this verse shows us that it is through the collective power of the church that this can be achieved or is necessary.

There is no way that we can stand firm and be of one mind in the faith outside of the fellowship of the church. It is only through the work of the church that we can learn and grow into maturity in Jesus Christ, and be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Repentance is a necessary part of the transforming process as an individual, but meeting together as a fellowship is essential as it is in the church that Christ has given the ministry gifts that lead to a full and complete transformation.

The Ministry Gifts

The ministry gifts are given to the church to enable the church to grow into the body of Christ. Ephesians chapter 4 shows us these ministry gifts.

11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Each of these ministry gifts were given to the church for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. The goal is that through the correct working of these gifts in the church, the members of the church should come to spiritual maturity and adulthood into the image of Jesus Christ.

This is the method and process by which our transformation may be completed. It is in the power of the church and the gifts given to the church by Christ that we learn and grow to be transformed. It is as we work and fellowship side by side with our brethren that we are encouraged, strengthened and overcome.

One of the peculiarities of Christians in the 21st Century is that there are more and more people who are leaving the church to go it alone. These people are getting all or most of their spiritual needs met through the Internet, or rather are trying to do so. For example, a survey conducted by the Barna Group in the last year or so indicated that as many as 15% of Americans (approximately 49.3 million people), are now getting all of their spiritual needs via the world wide web, and that number is growing. And it is probably similar elsewhere in the western world.

Failure of the Church

This raises several important questions.

The first is, why are people leaving the church? It is my experience that many people leave the church because they have disagreements with the church over a range of different things. They disagree with doctrine or practices in the church. They have been hurt by the church, and being hurt by the church is not that uncommon.

While I can understand why people have left the church, the scripture repeatedly tells us that it is important we meet together as a church. As we see in the verses quoted above, it is only in the church setting that the gifts of ministry exist. It is only as a church that we can learn to strive side by side in one mind.

The church should offer encouragement, protection and security so that we are not standing alone. It is in the church that we should be learning how to grow and to become mature Christians.

So the second question is: if this is not the case and people are leaving the church, what has gone wrong with the church?

To be honest, I believe the reason why people are falling away from the church is because much of the church has strayed from the straight and narrow paths that lead to righteousness. The devil has infiltrated the church over the last two millennia and his influence has brought in all kinds of false doctrine. These lies are damaging to the church and destructive to individuals.

It is the church that is failing the people and thus the reason why people are leaving the church to seek spiritual fulfilment elsewhere.

The power of the church to do what it is supposed to be doing needs to be restored. The church needs to find it’s way back to the truth of the gospel and the teachings of the New Covenant so that it can be a transforming force in the lives of the people.

Go Outside the Church

When these things occur and the church returns to the path that leads to Christ, and is operating according to the plan established by Christ in the Bible, then there will be power in the church. It is then that we will see the fulfillment of the second half of the verses we are looking at today.

28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. (Philippians 1:28)

There are many opponents to Christianity in the world today. There are false religions, humanism, atheism and more. All of these work under the power of the devil and they disdain the church.

When the truth of the ways of the Lord manifest again in the church, and all of the false doctrine is erased through the knowledge of the truth and the power and guidance of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, then we will see these things Paul spoke of in Philippians 1:28.

But restoration will not come from the established churches. Just as the reformation had to happen outside of the church, so too a restoration of the modern church has to occur outside the church. False doctrines are burying the modern church. They do not even have an inkling of how to move forward. And worse than that, they don’t even know they are in trouble.

Consider for a moment the seven churches in Asia that John wrote about in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Not only were these actual churches to whom John was writing, they are also “types” of churches that still exist today.

Of the seven churches, five of them have significant problems and issues with their teachings and doctrines. And these are the same types of issues we see in the churches today.

But worst of all is that they don’t even realise they have these issues. Look at these two excerpts from Revelation as examples.

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works; you have the name of being alive, and you are dead. 2 Awake, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. (Revelation 3:1-2)

And;

14 “And to the angel of the church in La-odice’a write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (Revelation 3:14-17)

Here are some of the issues the churches face today. There are churches today like both of these churches in Revelation.

There are churches that have the appearance of being alive, but in God’s sight they are dead.

Why are they dead?

Because the Lord looked at what they were doing and how they were operating as a church and found them less than perfect. There are many churches today that have been so infiltrated by false doctrine that they are not following the ways of the Lord but are following dead works and dead teachings. And you may be surprised who these churches are.

Then there are those like the second church. They are rich, wealthy, prosperous and they think they need nothing because they think they have it all.

But what does the Lord say? He says they are lukewarm to the point that He will spew them out because spiritually they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. They have amassed the wealth of the world, but are in spiritual poverty because they think the world’s riches are the same as the wealth of Jesus Christ.

And the worst thing about these two churches is that they don’t even know they have a problem! So how can they turn around?

Restoring the Church

This is why I say that restoration will not come from within the churches. It must come from outside. And it MUST come if the work of the Lord in the final days is to succeed.

The work of restoration has been occurring for centuries and it began with the reformation. The Lord has been gradually revealing more and more aspects of the way church should operate. Slowly the Lord is revealing the true doctrines of the chruch.

We have seen churches split away from earlier congregations as the truth of doctrines were revealed or re-revealed by the Holy Spirit to devout men and women.

But now all of those things need to be brought together so that the church is not based on a partial doctrine along with a lot of false doctrines, but based on ALL of the truth.

Those of us who want to see the true church of God and be part of the Bride of Christ need to seek the fullness of the truth. We need to learn the ways that the Lord taught and be built up through the truth so as to learn how to stand before God as He wants us, and not as we think we should.

And this can only occur when the church or a church is operating correctly in the ways and the direction of the Lord. So pray about it. Seek and ask the Lord to show you the way. The truth is there waiting to be found by those who seek diligently.

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