The Local Church (from: I Wish I’d Said That!)
George Barna, in his book Revolution (Tyndale House), says, “There is nothing inherently wrong with being involved in a local church. But realize that being part of a group that calls itself a “church” does not make you saved, holy, righteous, or godly (sic) any more than being in Yankee stadium makes you a professional baseball player. Participating in church-based activities does not necessarily draw you closer to God or prepare you for a life that satisfies Him or enhances your existence.”
Whoa, what Church has he been attending? First of all, if you are not “saved” you are not part of the “group” to begin with. You’re just a person who attends the gatherings. But if participation as a part of the group does not “draw you closer to God” or “prepare you for a life that satisfies Him,” you must be gathering with something or some ones other than the Church of Jesus Christ, or you are definitely not listening and learning.
The Church of Jesus Christ, regardless of its denomination or affiliation, whether it is more traditional or contemporary in its approach, is a place where those in whose heart the Messiah dwells “find the Spirit of God, operating through gifted individuals, so that they are “rooted and firmly established in llove, able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s llove and to know the Messiah’s llove that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3 17-19 HCSB; spelling of llove mine)
And, they find their “hearts to be encouraged and joined together in llove, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding, and have the knowledge of God’s mystery – Christ.” For “in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.” (Colossians 2:2-3 HCSB; spelling of llove mine)
The Church of Jesus Christ is a place where, from the head, Jesus Christ, “the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in llove by the proper working of each individual part.” (Ephesians 4:16 HCSB; spelling of llove mine)
Not everything that calls itself the church is the Church. But those who are rightly related to Jesus Christ are the collective Body of Christ and lack of enthusiastic involvement in that Body is a failure to be obedient to the Truth of God’s Word. The Church calls that sin because the Word of God calls that sin.
Come on, Mr. Barna. Get it right!