The Church Has Left the Building
During this time of uncertainty, as the day of this writing was November of 2020. We had several questions out there, how are we going to vote in person or by mail? Are we going to send our children back to school or home school? Can we go to the store and get the necessities of life without losing our life, not from a virus but from rioters? Do I wear a mask for their protection or am I wearing a mask for mine? Why can we go to the liquor store but not the Church. And on and on we go. But in the midst of all this stuff I saw a profound post that said;
The Church Has Left the Building
And my reply was and still is, it’s about time. I was raised being told how we measure our love for God is in how much time we spend in the local Church. You have to be there Sunday Morning Sunday School, Sunday Morning Worship, Sunday Night Training Union and Sunday Night Worship Service, and then Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. And I’m sorry to say that’s not true. Before you get mad at me read on.
Please understand I am 100% for corporate worship, we as the Church need to be teaching new converts to do as the Word of God says, GO!
We were never commissioned to go to the church and fellowship, but we were told by Christ Himself in Red letters:
Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
The Promise Keepers put a post out recently that stated “With Church doors closing across the country, it’s time for us to show that the Church has never been about the building.”
There was a song that my home Church sang years ago called:
“We Are Still the Church”
“We are still the church, We will go forward
We will go on, Let’s forget about the things
which are behind us, We are still the church
keep pressing on, Now we started out for heaven’s shores
A long, long time ago, Jesus as the Captain of this boat
And the rock of ages holds us securely in his love
And though we’ve been through many storms,
praise God we are still afloat, We are still the church
We will go forward, We will go on
Let’s forget about the things, which are behind us
We are still the church, keep pressing on
Now this ship may bear some battle scars
We’ve been tossed from side to side
Still the waves of sin are raging high
But to God we serve His sovereign
He is still the King of kings,
And he will hold us steady until we reach the other side.
We are still the church, We will go forward
We will go on, Let’s forget about the things
which are behind us, We are still the church keep pressing on”
We were the Church, we are still the Church, and we will always be the Church!
It is not or has it ever been about the building, but it is most definitely about the Temple, Paul said it this way to the Assembly of people in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
When the letters were written to the different Churches in the Bible they did not go to a particular building or address, but to an assembly of people that were believers in that area. And thus, to the Assembly of Corinth, or Ephesus, or Philippi. Not a building, but to “The Way” of believers in that area.
We ARE the CHURCH not the building. Nowhere in the Holy Scripture does it state for us to “Go to Church” but it does say for the “Church” to go to the world. And as a side note the word Church should have been translated according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. As assembly. A group of people of same mind.
ek-klay-see’-a from a compound of (ek) and a derivative of (kaleo); a calling out, i.e. {concretely (in a definitive or conclusive way)} a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):
Usage Notes: English Words used in KJV: church 115 assembly 3 [Total Count: 118]
But wait does the Bible not say;
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
And we have Tony Evans Bible Commentary saying:
“Tragically, some of this letter’s readers had started neglecting to gather together (10:25). They were avoiding the means God had provided to help them. Remember, when your “get-up-and-go” has gotten up and gone, you need someone who can lift you up. Furthermore, there’s someone ready to throw in the towel who needs you to walk alongside him or her. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says: Let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works (10:24). It can be hard to be a Christian. We need to be practicing the “one-another’s,” encouraging each other… As [we] see the day approaching (10:25).”
It’s not talking about going to a building but getting together and helping one another.
Please, PLEASE, don’t get me wrong, We NEED the Church as we have it now, but we have done it the same way we have done most things, and we let our way get in the way of God’s way. Over the years we let traditions get in the way of how the local Church is supposed to be. I know we need teaching and being ministered too regularly. I have to have that extra shot in the arm weekly myself. But nowhere and I mean nowhere does it say we have to go to a certain building, at a certain time, and a certain number of visits weekly, and dress a certain way, singing a certain song a certain way, and to do that proves that we love the Lord. It is not there.
In the television show The Big Bang Theory, the character Sheldon Cooper first met his future wife Amy Farrah Fowler, and their conversation went something like this, Amy said “I am only here because I have a deal with my mother to date one time each year”, and Sheldon’s response was “I have an agreement something like that with my mother, but it is to go to Church once a year”. And then Amy’s reply was and that’s what got me think about this the most and that was “I don’t have a problem with a deity, but I do have a problem with one that takes attendance”.
I have the same problem, God is with me everywhere I go, and I do not see him taking attendance. Again, don’t get me wrong, we need the local Church but more importantly the Church needs us. It needs us to get together to make sure we are doing what God wants the way God wants it. And we need to learning through God’s ministers how to reach the world, because face it, without the local Church I would say a majority of people would not know what the Bible says or more importantly, what the Bible means.
We need to get together, so we can be with more people of like mind. And that mind should be the mind of Christ Jesus. So, we can reach more people with our combined resources for the cause of Christ Jesus. I myself am limited with what I can accomplish, but with my local Assembly we can put our money together and our knowledge of the Word of God, and reach more people by Going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every person that I can’t reach on my own.
In the year of the Covid Pandemic 2020, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Mission board stated that 750,000 people overseas heard The Gospel, up from 500,000 in 2019. Then 144,000 people professed repentance and faith in Jesus as Savior, up from 89,000 in 2019. A little over 86,000 were baptized, and that up from 49,000 in 2019. To top it all off, 18,000 Churches were started, and that was up from 12,000 in 2019. Don’t forget that the Church buildings were mostly closed for 9 months of year 2020.
How did that happen? The “Church” was doing what Christ commissioned, GOING INTO THE WORLD. Not setting on the pew!
After posting this on my Facebook account, I was met with mostly good comments, and then one not so praising. That one even said:
“I would caution that this message sends the idea that church is inessential.”
Nowhere in this chapter do you hear me saying to do away with Church or not to go to Church, what I am doing my best to say is some Churches are not doing their job of reaching the world. Again, we are called to evangelize the world, not to keep screaming at the same 10 to 30 people weeks after week telling them how sorry they are. He then used a few verses that were out of content talking about the “Assembly”
After preparing to publicly destroy him on Facebook, I was reminded of our last Journey Group that I teach weekly, the study was Andy Stanley’s study “Better Decisions Fewer Regrets” and the last question was “Question #5: The Relationship Question. What does love require of me?” and then after listening to Chuck Swindoll Sunday’s sermon where he had the opportunity to completely destroy someone, he was reminded that is not the way to show God’s LOVE. Everything I was seeing said don’t destroy this preacher on an open form such as Facebook.
So, I took my finger off the trigger put the safety on, and put it up for them to post another day. I hate it when my own teaching and things I have in my book convict me from doing things (“Something to Ponder” chapter “Things that are in that Noggin”)
“And remember; “Just because it’s rattling around in that noggin of yours doesn’t mean that it has to come out of that mouth”. Or posted on social media and “Not everything or every subject needs our opinion”.
So, sometimes we need to be careful not to tear down our brothers and sisters in Christ, for when we do, what does that show the rest of the world. Be kind to one another and be sure to show God’s love. There are things that need to be said and a time to say them, just make sure you pick your battles, but that’s another story for another day.
Somethings need to stay in that “Noggin”.”
We so need Corporate Worship; we so need teachers and preachers regularly making disciples out of people to reach more and more people. No one and I mean no one was saved to just be a number on a Church roll. We all are called to do something for the cause of Christ! I saw a post on social media that said something along the line of: If God allowed you to wake up today, He has something for you to do.
We need to make Disciples, so the question is:
What Makes Someone a Disciple?
Six times when Jesus said “This is what makes someone a Disciple “
A Disciple is = Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV: disciple 268 vr disciple 1
[Total Count: 269] from <G3129> (manthano); a learner, i.e. pupil :- disciple.
English Words used in KJV: learn 24 understand 1 [Total Count: 25]
prolonged from a primary verb, another form of which, matheo, is used as an alternate in certain tenses; to learn (in any way) :- learn, understand.
Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
Disciple Usage Number: A-1
Part Of Speech: Noun Strong’s Number: <G3101>
Original Word: μαθητής, mathētēs Usage Notes: lit., “a learner” (from manthanō, “to learn,” from a root math—, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor), in contrast to didaskalos, “a teacher;” hence it denotes “one who follows one’s teaching,” as the “disciples” of John, Matt. 9:14; of the Pharisees, Matt. 22:16; of Moses, John 9:28; it is used of the “disciples” of Jesus (a) in a wide sense, of Jews who became His adherents, John 6:66; Luke 6:17, some being secretly so, John 19:38; (b) especially of the twelve Apostles, Matt. 10:1; Luke 22:11, e.g.; (c) of all who manifest that they are His “disciples” by abiding in His Word, John 8:31; cp. John 13:35; John 15:8; (d) in the Acts, of those who believed upon Him and confessed Him, John 6:1, 2, 7; John 14:20, 22, 28; John 15:10; John 19:1, etc.
A “disciple” was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher; cp. John 8:31; John 15:8.
Usage Number: A-2 Part Of Speech: Noun Strong’s Number: <G3102>
Original Word: μαθήτρια, mathētria
Usage Notes: “a female disciple,” is said of Tabitha, Acts 9:36.
Usage Number: A-3 Part Of Speech: Noun
Strong’s Number: <G4827> Original Word: συμμαθητής, symmathētēs
Usage Notes: means “a fellow disciple” (syn, with, and No. 1), John 11:16.
Note: In Acts 1:15, the RV translates the mss. which have adelphon, “brethren;” in Acts 20:7, RV, “we,” for AV, “disciples.”
Usage Number: B-1 Part Of Speech: Verb Strong’s Number: <G3100>
Original Word: μαθητεύω, mathēteuō Usage Notes: is used in the Active Voice, intransitively, in some mss., in Matt. 27:57, in the sense of being the “disciple” of a person; here, however, the best mss. have the Passive Voice, lit., “had been made a disciple,” as in Matt. 13:52, RV, “who hath been made a disciple.” It is used in this transitive sense in the Active Voice in Matt. 28:19; Acts 14:21.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words.
1). John 8 “If you obey My teachings “
John 8:31-32 (NKJV) 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
2). John 13 “If you love others disciples “
John 13:34-35 (NKJV) 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
3). John 15. “If you produce a lot of spiritual fruit “
John 15:7-8 (NKJV) 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
4). Luke 14:26 “can’t be unless you love God more than anything “
Luke 14:26 (NKJV) “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
5). Luke 14:27. “Can’t unless you pick up your cross and follow Me.”
Luke 14:27 (NKJV) And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
He meant in the Roman context you must submit to the prevailing authority, who is that? God!
6). Luke 14:33 Showing your love for God
Luke 14:33 (NKJV) So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
You need to be a disciple and you also need to help make disciples. As I have said in the past that My former Pastor Brother Frank Holcomb said many times: “If everyone one won one, and that one won one, and that one won one, and so on, before long there wouldn’t be one to win. And is that not what we are after?
So, you can say, But I’m not a preacher, I’m not a teacher, I’m not an evangelist, I don’t know how to talk to people about the Lord. And with excuses like this, it just proves to me that the Church you are attending is NOT doing their job.
1 Corinthians 12:4-31 (NLT2)
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.
15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.
19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!
20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.
21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.
23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,
24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.
25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.
26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles?
30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!
31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.
You need the Church to be the Church, and you need to leave the building and go into the world and proclaim the Word of God!
