When I read the NT and apply the most simple and obvious interpretation, I come to the conclusion that the church of Jesus Christ was be centred around families and households. Apostles who were sent out by fellowships would found new fellowships. Teachers and preachers would go from house to house, teach, have love meals, and break bread. Prophets would bring strong messages watch jealously that the fellowship continuously holds fast to the truth. Evangelists would take the lead to reach out to non-believers. They would be invited and depending on their faith and repentance either join or leave. Discipleship would happen almost naturally, no pew sitters, everybody would find abundant ways to serve. Gifts of the Spirit would abound and the preached word confirmed with signs and wonders. As the church grews new houses would open up for fellowship. The church was a spiritual house, but also a movement. There would be few tares among the wheat and few goats among the sheep. Money could be used very efficiently as the financial need of the church do not have to support a huge budget. We would know most people personally and no one would be lonely. We would quickly find out any sin and hypocrisy or sin among us as this is difficult to hide when you visit someone’s home. Satanic forces would constantly batter this heavenly entity with persecution and seduction to no avail but rather spurn further growth and purity.Is this utopia or can this be reality? If you know such a church or are part of one, please let me know.
Nowadays the church is at best a house but no longer a movement. Let us say we preach the message with great unction and many come to Christ. How can they possibly grow strong in a building based institutional church with paid staff, and a managed programme to cater for all needs and tastes? Would not be there great restrictions? Would we not have to work out many compromises and come out with a hybrid that is half corporation and half house of God?
I am all for revival, but if we just fill an institution that is ill-equipped to facilitate true discipleship would not all our efforts and prayers be half-wasted?
Jesus said new wine needs new wineskins. I believe one of the reasons we do not have revival is because we want to revive the old wineskins rather than let God’s word guide us how to build a church. Nobody fills new wine into old wineskins lest it burst the skin. In the past God may have graciously sent revival to certain places. It is good to look back into the past and study what the great men of God did right. But we cannot just simply re-live the past. There is a lot of idolatrous nostalgia in all the revivalism that I see around me. “O that John Wesley would come out of the grave or Spurgeon be resurrected.” I have once preached in a church that had bust of Spurgeon on the table; that borders on catholic saint worship. Spurgeon was a hero of the faith, no doubt, but I wonder how many of those in Spurgeon’s church were more than mere admires of this great teacher but real does of the word of God in a place of service.
These revivals always would restore truth to a certain degree but it quickly died down as Christian leaders stopped leading the church further in to the whole truth of God. Churches became fossils, trapped in their own ways, sidelined by God.
The word revival implies that something that is dead and gone is revived. This is wonderful but perhaps only a fix until we lapse back into our old ways. I have been driving through Wales and seen some of the Churches that were effected by the revival 100 years ago. Some had their windows lined with fiberboard to guard it from deterioration and vandalism - and keep the light out (!?)
Time is short. The world is getting darker and darker every day. Apostacy is increasing, the love of many is growing cold. Christ is waiting to return for a spotless bride; not one that is beautiful only in her own eyes.
We need a new reformation.
narrowpath
