A Community of Faith - part 9

What is a Church?

This week we are looking at what makes a church a ‘church’. The Baptist Faith & Message has a relatively short description, but it is packed with descriptors. In order to clarify what a Southern Baptist church should look like, we are going to look at point 6 just a bit at a time.

A Local Covenant

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel;

The first line of the BFM points to the organization of Southern Baptist churches. The SBC, like other baptist groups, believe each local body is autonomous to itself. We do not have a presbytery or hierarchy of churches. Though one could make an argument for the benefits of having such a structure, we have also seen in recent decades (as well as other times of church history) where a governing body that exists miles away from the local church can wreck havoc for the local church.

Instead of a hierarchy, the SBC constitutes autonomous churches who freely associate together for mission endeavors. These associations come in the form of the local association, which ours is the West Central Missouri Baptist Association. We join with other churches in and around Johnson County to plant new churches, run the youth and children’s camp, host training for church leaders, as well as many other programs. At the state level, we are a part of the Missouri Baptist Convention which organizes mission efforts in Missouri. And, at the (inter)national level, we are a part of the Southern Baptist Convention which organizes mission efforts through the North American Mission Board, the International Mission Board, as well as supporting seminaries and promoting religious liberty through the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Despite these associations being prominent in the life of the local church, they are not governing associations. At the end of the day, should our church decide our mission no longer lines up with the mission of the SBC, MOBC, or the WCMBA, we are free to disassociate.

We are bound together under the Lordship of Christ not any earthly association.

Secondly, we are “baptized believers” associated together. Church membership is reserved for those who have confessed their allegiance to Christ and have followed in baptism by immersion. The pattern in the New Testament is that a person believes in Christ, repents from their sin, and then they are baptized.

When Philip preached to the Ethiopian, he believed first, then asked to be baptized. This pattern is throughout Acts and in the rest of the New Testament. Why can someone who has not been baptized be a member of the church? Paul speaks to this in 2 Corinthians.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:14

A person who has not turned from their sins and surrendered to Christ has a different mindset, different worldview, and different mission than we do. If they were the same as us, then they would be under the Lordship of Christ and be baptized. They are free to come to worship, free to join a Sunday school class, and free to hang out with us at community events, but they are not free to exercise the same rights as members of the church.

Under Christ

observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws,

The two ordinances we observe are the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. Each of these will receive its own part in this series, but for today, I’d like to note why these are ordinances. First, we baptize new believers because that is the ordinance that marks a person’s transition from unbelief to belief. Even Jesus had to be baptized, not because He needed to repent of sin, but because it “fulfilled all righteousness.” In other words, it marked the beginning of His earthly ministry which was a transition from His earthly life to His heavenly mission.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13–17 (Compare with Mark 1:9–11 & Luke 3:21–22)

John the Baptist baptized those who wanted to turn away from their present sin and world. Baptism remains as an act of repentance, but now we also baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is the means by which a person publicly confesses their faith in Christ, and it is the means by which they join the local body of believers.

Next, the Lord’s Supper exists because Jesus enacted it before He went to the cross.

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:26–30 (Compare with Mark 14:22–26, Luke 22:19–20)

When we take the Lord’s Supper together, we are proclaiming Christ crucified and His resurrection as the means for our salvation. And because we are to continue taking it regularly until the Day He returns, we are proclaiming that Christ will return again for His people.

As Southern Baptists, we only have these two ordinances, primarily because these are the only two in the New Testament, but also because these are the two ordinances given to us directly by Christ. Other traditions may have up to 7, but the other 5 come later than Christ. The only exception could be the anointing of the sick which has its origin in the Book of James. We should absolutely pray for the sick, but we just don’t call it an ordinance because it does not pertain to salvation.

An ordinance is an outward sign for inward spiritual realities, which means they do not having saving power apart from true faith in Christ.

We don’t call them “sacraments” because we do not believe the actions themselves convey salvation or grace by the act alone. It is only through faith that we receive grace, salvation, and the ordinances are merely rites to act in obedience to what has already occurred by the Holy Spirit.

Exercising Gifts

exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word,

The Holy Spirit imparts gifts to every believer, and members of the church are to use those gifts to help fulfill the mission of the church. These gifts can be found in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. Time does not permit a full treatment of these, but look with me at Romans 12.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

and further down…

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:1 & 4-8

Part of our worship is the exercise of the gifts God has given us. Worship is not just something that is done Sunday morning from 11-12. It is a lifestyle that includes using the gifts God gives.

Members are to use the gifts they have, and notice that Paul does not say “Use them when you are asked.” He says “let us use them.” That’s it. No one has to give you permission to serve the Lord. Likewise, when the church has a need for an extra set of hands, no one should have to ask you. Just step up and serve.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:17

Gifts are meant to be used whether someone asks you or not.

Reaching Others

and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The church’s mission is to make disciples who go and make more disciples.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

People need to know about Jesus. They need to know about His love, His mercy, the salvation He offers, and the life that they can have when they turn to Him. But they won’t know if we don’t tell them. How else are they supposed to know about Jesus if the people of Jesus don’t tell them?

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Romans 10:14

Everything we do as a church should be decided by the Great Commission.

Decisions about purchases, about building improvements, programs to run, events to hold, leaders to choose, and even which lightbulbs to use should be prioritized by this question: How can we best reach the people around us with the Gospel?

When a church gets to the place where they haven’t reached new believers, haven’t seen measurable growth in an extended period of time, then it must re-evaluate its systems and operations. It is not an easy thing to admit when something is wrong, but it is necessary for the health of the church.

Democratically

Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes.

This point is a carryover from the fact that each church is autonomous. If there isn’t a hierarchy, then who’s in charge? We decide matters democratically. But this point is not just logistics. It is a matter of unity. The local church operates best when it operates in unison. Democratic decisions are meant to promote a unity of spirit.

I cited Ephesians 4 a few weeks ago in reference to our unity in mission, and it is worth repeating this week.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:1-6

We are to work together in unison. That means each person is actively using the gifts God has given them. Each person is actively seeking the will of God for the church. Each person is actively seeking ways to include other members in the work the Lord has given them. And each person is willing to join in the tasks as God gives them the ability.

Democratic decision-making is for the building of unity and calling out more workers.

This point is why more people should attend business meetings. When God moves someone to speak up for a cause or opportunity, the business meeting allows a time for the person to share with the church. As a body of believers, we discuss the matter and decide how best the church should be involved. Then, with a group of believers present, we can begin assigning workers to the task right away.

I am convinced the reasons more people don’t attend business meetings is quite simply because they are afraid they will be asked to do something. Or, they are afraid of fights and arguments. Or, they may just think it will be boring. All three of these are signs of sinful congregations. If you are afraid someone is going to ask you to help with something, that’s called laziness. If you are afraid of fights, that’s called division and quarreling, which is contrary to unity. If you are afraid it will be boring, well that’s because it can be sometimes. Not all church work is exciting. But, the best meetings are when we can make decisions about programs, assign tasks, and celebrate what God is doing. And those get pretty exciting. But those meetings become fewer and farther between when the congregation decides to skip out.

Accountable to Christ and His Representatives

In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

As has already been mentioned, the congregation is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Under the Lordship of Christ, the church appoints who serve as representatives, of a sort, of Christ. I do not mean that in the same way one may say “Vicar of Christ,” I just simply mean that the two offices in the church, pastor and deacon, are meant to lead the church as under-shepherds of Christ. That said, pastors and deacons have different roles. Their qualifications can be found in 1 Timothy. For a pastor, Paul writes:

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

1 Timothy 3:1-7

Notice as you look through the list of qualifications, you find a list of character traits. The only skills necessary for a pastor is the ability to teach, ability to manage his household, and maintain the proper character of a mature Christian.

Paul then addresses the office of deacon.

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:8-13

Again, the qualifications for a deacon have much more to do with character than skillset.

Pastors and Deacons lead the church primarily through their lifestyle of Christian love and maturity.

What sets pastors and deacons apart from the rest of the church is not that the church decides to make them do all the work. It is that they uphold the standard of faith through a mature walk with Christ and work to maintain the unified mission of the church.

Pastors, in the myriad roles they find themselves, are supposed to focus on the preaching and teaching of the Word above all else.

Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Timothy 4:11-14

Pastors are set apart for the public reading of Scripture, exhortation of believers, and teaching the Word—anything else they do is extra.

So, what is the role of the deacon? Their origin is recorded in Acts 6.

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

Acts 6:1-3

The issue was that a group of believers were being neglected. The disciples appointed seven men to take care of the logistical issues. This group eventually became known as ‘deacons’ which translates as ‘servants’. They were literally servants of the church who were charged with taking care of the needs of the church. This administrative role helped the pastors focus on their charge of preaching and teaching.

We tend to look down on servants, but that is a symptom of sin. Christ said anyone who wants to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven must become the least. The role of the deacon has become defined as serving the Three Tables.

They serve the Table of the Lord—serving the Lord’s Supper.

They serve the Table of the Poor—taking charge of the benevolence ministries of the church.

They serve the Table of the Pastor—encouraging and caring for the families of the church, including the pastor.

The last table is usually what dictates the number of deacons a particular church will have. As ministries grow, more pastors and ministers are needed. As the congregation grows, more deacons are needed. No pastor can meet all the needs of the church—unless that church is very tiny. Deacons are appointed as needed in order to support the needs of a growing church. What’s a good number? I don’t think there is a magic ratio, but studies have shown that Jesus was very wise to keep it 1:12. People tend to max out their abilities keeping up with about 10 people. Apparently, even Jesus decided He could only take two more.

Deacons share the administrative load of a church through supporting the care and ministries of the church.

Unfortunately, time does not permit a dive into the controversial statement which states the office of pastor is reserved for men only. To summarize a rather large topic, there is a difference between prescriptive texts in the Bible and descriptive texts. The Bible prescribes men to be the leaders of their home and leaders of churches. The Bible also describes times when God raised women to fulfill tasks a man was unwilling or unable to do. If, today, we are seeing a number of women take on leadership roles, and if they are doing so by the grace of God, then it is only because God’s men are not doing their jobs. Perhaps instead of shoving 1 Timothy 2:11-12 down ladies’ throats, we should impress 1 Timothy 6:11-12 on men’s hearts.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

In Union with the Whole Body of Christ

The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Last, the BFM notes that though we are an autonomous congregation in our organization, we are certainly not alone in the Kingdom of Heaven. This last line also brings us back to the primary mission of the church. We are called to reach every tribe, tongue, people, and nation this world has. We cannot do this alone, but we certainly cannot just rely on everyone else to do it. Chilhowee Baptist may not be able to reach someone a state away (much less a world away), but we can reach people here that no one else can.

As we support missions around the world through our association with the SBC, we cannot neglect the people God has put in our own community.

Sometimes churches will ask which is more important, missions abroad or missions locally. The answer is “both.” We reach people locally because they are right here and need Jesus. We reach people far from us as God empowers us because they need to hear about Jesus too.

As we close, the question I pose to you is this: Are you a member of a local body of believers? If not, then turn to Jesus for salvation and join us. If so, then how are you helping reach others with the saving love of Christ through the efforts of your church?