J esus and the C hurch
the church is not. Participants choose
those with whom they will meet in such
meetings, typically according to common
interests. However, the New Testament
church looks nothing like an organization
built along lines of affinity, except affinity
for Christ. The numberless multitude
in heaven consists of believers “from
every nation, from all tribes and peoples
and languages” (Rev 7:9). Many of the
problems found in the New Testament
with which the apostles and the epistles
are dealing arise precisely because of
the diversity of age, class, and ethnicity
of the members of the church (e.g. Acts
6:1-7; 15:1ff; Gal 1-3; Titus 2; James
4; etc.). Informal gatherings also lack
accountability. One may simply stop
participating and walk out of the lives of
those with whom one has been involved.
Because Jesus’ words imply
membership, standards, and discipline,
they suggest the mutual accountability
and mutual responsibility of covenanted
relationships. When leading evangelicals
say, “Don’t go to church—be the church,”
their leading is misleading. The gathering
of two or three in Jesus’ name is the
same entity that excommunicates (Mt
18:20, 18:17). We repeat: that entity has
a government. It has a form of discipline.
It has membership. It has standards of
belief and conduct. It has meetings in
which it is constituted as the “church.”
“When you come together as a church,”
the Apostle Paul says, “As a church” is
the church assembled formally, officially
as a congregation under the direction of
the elders (e.g. 1 Cor 11:18; 5:4; 11:17,
20, 33, 34; 14:26). This is not to be
confused with when private Christians
“come together” informally, unofficially,
or spontaneously. One can be included
and excluded from this church with
eternal repercussions (certainly implied
by the keys of Mt 16:19). Informal
gatherings of Christians may be helpful.
Interdenominational community Bible
studies may be edifying. However, they
are not the church. The intimate bonds
created through group Bible studies and
prayer are meant to be forged in the
context of the church, where I can depend
on you and you can depend on me, where
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Children’s Ministry
A
ugust is upon us and so
is the start of back to
school preparations. It seems
our time off with our children
is shorter and shorter each
summer. As we organize and
plan for another school year,
let’s take some time to thank
those that have taken their
summer to teach our covenant
children. Linden Helmly
and Julie McDougall have
worked with our 4-year-olds
and kindergarten students.
Kirstine Flanagan has led
our