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What Makes A Church Strong?
Chuck Northrop
It should be no surprise that strong
churches are not necessarily large churches. It seems some have
confused the two. They think large numbers make strong churches.
There are multitudes of examples in the Old Testament that show
that numbers have nothing to do with strength. Our strength is
from the Lord, and the Lord taught most people would reject Him
(Matthew 7:13-14).
Actually the answer to the question depends upon our definition
of strong. Are we speaking of strong physically, strong
academically, strong in assets, strong emotionally, or strong
spiritually? I am, of course, speaking of being strong
spiritually because that is the only thing that really matters.
The things of this world along with the works thereof will one
day be consumed with a fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10).
There are certain components within a congregation that makes it
strong spiritually. Again, it has nothing to do with numbers,
and it has nothing to do with money although they may or may not
result from being strong spiritually. To be strong spiritually
means to have the following components:
Christ as Her Head
In Colossians 1:18, Paul taught, “And he
is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence.” Since Christ is the head of the church, by
implication that means we are to be subject unto Him. A strong
church will have Christ as her head and will be subject unto Him
in all things.
Christ is the only one worthy to be the head over the church. It
was Christ who built the church as He prophesied in Matthew
16:18. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it.” It was Christ who purchased the church
with His own blood (Acts 20:28). It is Christ who is the only
mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
The Gospel as Her Message
Sadly, the message in many churches is
“make me feel good in my sins” and “give me an emotional high to
get me through the week.” Often the sermons have little or no
scriptures.
The Bible teaches quite the contrary. By inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, Peter declared, “If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the
ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11). To the young evangelist
Timothy, Paul decreed, “Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). In the following verses, Paul
warned about changing the message. “For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And
they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Fables are stories with
moral applications, and this is the message of many churches
today.
Strong churches will not tolerate a watered down, weak, story
telling message. Strong churches demand “Bible toten’, Bible
quoten’ preachers” who preach the gospel of salvation. They are
congregations of God’s people who are “not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans
1:16). Thus, they demand their preachers to be the same.
Disciples as Her Work Force
The term disciple means a learner in
contrast to a teacher. It denotes one who follows one’s
teaching. Christians are disciples of Christ because they abide
by His teaching. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then
are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
Strong churches realize the work of the church is not for just a
few. They endeavor to get disciples involved in the work.
However, they do not try to involve everyone — only those who
are faithful to God in their lives. Paul instructed, “I will
therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). In this passage,
Paul taught that men in contrast to women were to pray every
where. Further they were to do so “lifting up holy hands.” This
is a figure of speech referring to the holy life of the one
leading prayers. The prayers of one who persists is sin is not
heard past the four walls of the church building.
Strong churches perform only those works authorized by God. The
church of the Lord has a threefold work: evangelism,
edification, and benevolence. Any thing other than these are not
authorized by God and, therefore, should not be done by the
church. It is not the churches’ responsibility to entertain
youth or anyone else. It is not the churches’ responsibility to
be a social club. It is the churches’ responsibility to “Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”
(Mark 16:15). It is the churches’ responsibility to edify
“itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). And, it is the churches’
responsibility to “do good unto all men” (Galatians 6:10).
There is much talk these days about whether or not the church
will survive the twenty-first century. As long as we keep Christ
as the head of the church, the Gospel as the message of the
church, and disciples as the work force of the church, the
church will survive. It will more than survive this world of
death, pain, and sorrows. It will abide in eternity for it is
the eternal kingdom of God. That, my friend, makes it a strong
church, one that endures the test of time. |
