Why I Love My Church

Call me a local church stalker but I often monitor local churches in my area; I listen to their sermons and review their websites. I like to know the theological contributions any given church makes to personal lives and the local community. This week I listened to a series entitled "Why I Love my Church," it was a series on the mission of a particular local church. The series marked specific characteristics a church ought to possess to exemplify the love of Christ: (1) love for the community, (2) love by serving, (3) love by giving and (4) love by sharing. Each characteristic is understood as relational and contributes to the healthy nature of the church. The church is to be a community of believers (insiders) that learns, loves, grows, and serves together in fellowship for the glory of God. Yet this community of believers cannot remain insiders (people in a church community alone) but must actively serve and give to outsiders of the church (with our biblical knowledge, love, service, and financial resources); the church must reach our local communities and the world with the love of God in the gospel evidenced by our service/good works. Thus the end goal is to take our theology and apply it to our lives. A healthy church is to develop the mind--- in exegetical/expository preaching, biblical theology, church membership, discipleship, church discipline, evangelism, and apologetics--to live the gospel out in the heart. What are common deficiencies any given Church may encounter? A fine balance, between the Christian development of the mind and the heart, must be kept. Too often churches can over emphasize one to the exclusion of the other. For example, charismatics can be overly focused on emotional experiences from God to the neglect of deep bible study and reflection that digs at the theological riches and beauty of the gospel. Any given church must strive for the nine marks of a healthy church.

Don't try to be relevant, be authentic, preach the Word.  

Uniqueness of Christianity

Some of the reasons Christianity is not just better than alternative worldviews but necessary: 

1. The unity (one) and diversity (many) we encounter in human thought and experience is explained by the Trinity. God created both to reflect his nature. 

2. The eternal love of God is possible since God is eternally three persons yet one essence that share in eternal love (the good of another person) between each person. 

3. The justice of God is preserved yet satisfied in the love and justice of God satisfied in the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross. This shows we are truly loved by God and leaves no room for fear or insecurity: we boldly can come to God through the cross, no room for boasting or self-righteousness, we are so sinful God himself had to absorb the wrath our sin deserves. 

4. Salvation by grace alone.

5. The Bible is primarily the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God; secondarily it is historically reliable with one theme of redemption that surpasses all criticism. (SNAP: Sufficient, Necessary, Authority, and Perspicuity ) It gives us us the only worldview that is coherent, consistent, with rich explanatory power and scope. Transforms our experiences and consciences,  gives us authentic hope, and fulfillment that is livable. 

7. The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (e.g. His death, burial, empty tomb, resurrection appearances to various people, changed lives by the resurrected Christ in the face of religious/political opposition, martyrdom of his disciples for their faith).

8. Objective moral values/duties, human dignity and beauty that are universally binding upon all people independent of their personal beliefs; all of these are given either as commandments or essential to nature from God that reflect His love, and goodness. 

Grace

The trouble with people and language is specific words can loose their significance by the people that use the words; this happens in theology and Christian living. We use the word 'grace', it's in our churches names, worship songs/hymns, bumper stickers, and T-shirts, but is it in the understanding of our hearts? What is grace? How is it properly defined? The dust of confusion will settle only when terms are properly defined. Once we understand the meaning of grace, and therefore its significance, we cannot help but to savor it. Grace is much like a diamond with many different facets to it but there is a definite meaning behind it. Grace is God's goodness actively to us and for us such that we get what we don't deserve; instead of receiving God's just punishment, we get the gift of God's righteousness in Christ. We get God, when we deserve the rod. But we miss the unconditional, free, nature of grace. It cannot be obligated nor should it be trivialized. Yet we often do both! Or we depreciate grace by mistaking it for mercy. But one is not the other. Mercy is not getting what is deserved. Grace is much more profound. It stretches the limits of our minds and the depths of our hearts. It gives us all that we could ever need, ask or hope for in the place of what we've earned, deserved or entitled.

Think on these things!