The Church as Community

The Church is, first and foremost, a community.

In the two thousand years since Jesus walked the Earth, that community has resulted in all kinds of different expressions.

From Catholics to Baptists to Orthodox and Evangelicals - the Church has many different faces.

But what, in my view, makes them all different branches of the same Church is their commitment to creating a community of disciples for Jesus.

A Community Beyond Sunday

Jesus came to make disciples.

That is, men and women who follow His Way of life, embodying Him through their stage of life, circumstances, immediate surroundings, and more.

And it was never meant to be done alone.

That’s clear from the model He set with the 12 and from the model of the Early Church, too.

Nor was this community intended to only be active on one day.

The Early Church did meet on Sunday, but it was not the extent of their Church life.

Instead, the Sunday gathering served more as an anchor point and encouragement for their 24/7 experience as Christians living the Way of Jesus in everyday life together.

The Example of the Early Church

Pastor Leith Anderson made a good point when he wrote,

“While the New Testament speaks often about churches, it is surprisingly silent about many matters that we associate with church structure and life. There is no mention of architecture, pulpits… style of music, order of worship, or times of church gatherings. There were no Bibles, denominations, camps, pastor’s conference, or board meeting minutes.”

He then makes the point that, “Those who strive to be New Testament churches must seek to live its principles and absolutes, not reproduce the details.”

Community based around the person and teachings of Jesus are the principles and absolutes we find in Scripture and tradition. 

This is why I see the Catholics and Baptists as members of the same capital C Church.

As cultures and times change, so do expressions of this community. Different interpretations may have given rise to different practices, but for all orthodox churches the foundation remains the same…

Jesus is Lord.

That isn’t to say the matters that differentiate denominations aren’t important; they certainly are.

In fact, many of those differences exist in an earnest effort to make sure that as little as possible hinders a communal pursuit of Jesus.

But Anderson makes an excellent point in saying that all modern denominations look different than the Early Church. 

There are no perfect re-creations.

It’s impossible. Too much has changed. Too much is, dare I say it, vague. 

I’d much rather the Church strive for a joint life towards Jesus. It might not result in one identical denomination this side of eternity, but when Christ returns, we can take heart knowing that perfect worship will come with Him.

See you tomorrow as we get into the practicalities of this community that is the Church.

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

Theophilus Newsletter