What is Church?
So what is church...?
I’ve had some interesting conversations and experiences around this topic. Having grown up in a Baptist church, spent 12 years a part of Free church and now leading a house church, The Gathering, I’ve got some varied personal experiences of what ‘church’ is. I have also chatted a lot around the format of church, with the various leaders of the churches I have attended, the general members of those churches and people who have been ‘burned’ by the church. Leading a house church has led to some very interesting conversations about church. Opinions vary from “it’s the future and we will end up there” to “but that’s not a ‘real’ church is it...’’ and most things in between.
It does beg the question - ‘What is church?’
It would seem that there is a huge variation on what the opinion of what church is, especially within ‘the church’!
In our lovely village of Bosham, we have a beautiful old church (building) called Holy Trinity. It’s on the ‘high’ end of the Anglican things but is led by a very open and accepting vicar. However, in order to be an accepted member of things down there, confirmation and (a certificate of) baptism is required. When I said, “I baptized my wife in the bath, how would that work?” He asked if it was done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Fascinating that there are requirements of service in the Anglican Church. Also, that there are requirements for the requirements. My wife was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. She was also pregnant at the time, does that mean our daughter has fulfilled one the requirements to serve in the CofE?! Only wish I knew where I put her certificate!
But who is to say that the labels and requirements that some denominations put on the attendance and taking part of church is wrong or right? After all church does exist for the benefit of its members and if the members desire certain requirements then so be it. However, the church does also exist for the benefit of its non-members too. “Go and make disciples” is the call of Jesus. So maybe at that point the requirements mapped out can become a barrier. It’s almost impossible to say whether church requirements and cultures are a hinderance or a benefit and you would need to take each person in their uniqueness to get the real picture. Their belief system, social comfort levels and their willingness to share themselves with others. Thus, it’s impossible, and futile, to say a particular church expression is wrong or right.
‘But what IS church?’ - stop skirting the subject Derek and answer the question!!!
Jesus says in Matt 18 “for where 2 or 3 gather in my name, there I am with you”. Does that mean church? Wherever Jesus is there’s church? Jesus also talks about the church being the Bride of Christ, and that he’s coming to get her one day! What are the requirements for that!? For being the Bride of Christ? Maybe that’s another blog post, but maybe there’s a something to think about when it comes to the question of ‘what is church?’. It is the bride of Christ.
Ok I’m going to stop tickling the topic now and answer the question.
Church should have 3 main elements. I call it the (wait for it, this is good) ‘The 1,2,3’ of church.
I intentionally used numbers to describe this because numbers clearly have an order. I see the order being of up most importance and helps us, those of us called to this, to build church with the right priorities in mind.
So, here’s what they represent, and I’ll unpack each one a little:
1 = God/The father
2 = Each Other/Community
3 = The World/Sharing
It’s important to say here that within these 3 elements of church creativity is, not only encouraged, but essential! Any of these things can be done in anyway, as long as the order is correct 3,2,1 doesn’t work, nor does 2,1,3. Only 1,2,3 really gives us a powerful connection with God, each other and the world.
1. THE MOST IMPORTANT element of church: God/ The Father
Facilitation of, whether it’s communally or individually, a relationship with The Father. Our intimate connection with God is the most important aspect of church life. Without knowing the father personally, numbers 2 and 3 both become duties. Our perception of who The Father is and how He behaves will determine how we treat ourselves and others. A right understanding of the Father and His heart is our first point of call. If that challenges you, then stop reading, go and ask the Father to show you Himself and His heart, ask others to help you reach a right understanding of who He is and come back once you do. The rest is pointless, tiring and wasteful unless you know the Father.
On a practical level. Relationship with the Father works in exactly the same way as relationship with anyone else. Talk, listen and share life with Him. The more we hang out with people, the more we know them. We also have an added bonus that there has been a lot written about who the Father is, the Bible for starters! Worship of the Father is where this lands too. Allowing yourself to walk into His presence and tell Him what you think of Him. We can do that because of Jesus.
2. Each other/Community
It’s not until we know the Father, that we see ourselves and others in the right light. You can’t build the Kingdom of Heaven in other people’s lives unless you know what Heaven is like.
Once we are comfortable in our relationship with the Father, then we know who we are, His Sons and Daughters. We allow ourselves to become mighty and free and powerful and carry authority and perform miracles and transform lives and work in partnership with the Holy Spirit and able to tell people about our Father.
If we are comfortable there, then we can really start to serve those around us in our family. Bringing all those things to the people we know and love. 1 Corinthians 14 talks about how all should seek to prophesy. Because prophesy strengthens, encourages and comforts the whole church. Imagine a church full of people who felt, and were consistently reminded, that they are strong, courageous and felt comfortable in themselves... imagine...
3. The World/Sharing
It’s at that point that 3 becomes inevitable. We won’t even have to plan how to do 3, we won’t have to lay it on thick that we should invite our neighbour or serve in a school or give financially where there’s need. We will just do it. We won’t need an ‘evangelistic event’ or an ‘outreach program’. The love that brews inside of us, from the ‘1’ of church, our relationship with the Father, will compel us to act. We will all feel encouraged to be ourselves, from the 2 of church, and have the strength to be courageous in showing the world around us our relationship God and using the gifts He has given us. However, that looks. And it really is up to you how it looks.
So ‘What is church?’
It’s as easy as 1,2,3!
See I told you I was tickling the topic. It’s simple!
Derek Garner
(Artwork by Lauren Van Niekerk)