Seven Keys to Body Life. Can You Think of Any Others?

The body of Christ has great potential for good. However, Christ's followers frequently become side-tracked from what is truly important. This is usually caused by straying from scripture into a man-centered approach to church life. With that in mind, what sorts of things are critical to healthy body life?

I was musing on this question for a while earlier today. Seven key ingredients came to mind. They are, in no particular order:

1. Biblical fidelity
2. Bible study, discussion, teaching
3. Mutual edification
4. Sacrificial service
5. Sacrificial giving
6. Proclamation of the Gospel to the lost
7. Eating the Lord's Supper together

All of the above are critical to healthy, vibrant church life. All should glorify God while edifying the saints and/or proclaiming the good news to the world.

My guess is that I've left out a few critical aspects. What do you think? What would you add to this list to make it more complete?

One in Jesus Christ

I write quite a bit about what makes simple church different from institutional church. Despite these critical differences, something else is even more important: our unity in Jesus Christ. By "our," I'm referring to all Christians everywhere. We are in fact one body with Jesus as our Head. He has made us so.

Even a cursory glance over the American church landscape shows us a great deal diversity within the body of Christ. We are not all alike. There is little uniformity, even within denominations. Frankly, it's difficult to find even two Christians who agree on all points of doctrine. However, that does not mean that we are not one in Christ.

We are one in Christ because God deems it so. It is what we are positionally. Christ is our leader, and we are His followers. It is our duty to live out what we are: one body. We make a terrible mistake if we consider ourselves to be mostly different from other believers (even if we hold very different views about church). A better practice is to view ourselves as mostly the same as other Christians. All believers in fact believe in the same Gospel. This unites us.

Let's do all we can to be proactive in developing unity within the body. This can certainly be a challenge since church-related views are so different. However, there is a lot of time during the week when we have opportunity to see other Christians (at least I hope you have this opportunity). Whether it be at work, in the park, or in the neighborhood, it is our responsibility and joy to edify other Christians whenever and wherever.

We are one in Jesus. Let's live out what we are. The One who bonds us is stronger and more significant than our differences.

A Peculiar People Within A Peculiar People

The body of Christ is an extremely unique, rare organism. In fact, it's one of a kind.

God intends for His body to be one. All the redeemed on earth compose the family of God. Since we are redeemed, saved by God to live for Him, we are able to live according to our Creator's expectations. God desires that we live out what we are: a holy people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live holy lives.

Because of what God has done, we the saved are different. In fact, we are peculiar. Not only should we live differently from the world, but the world ought not to fully understand us. The world is dead in sin, with eyes blinded by Satan. This causes much of our behavior, both what we do and don't do, to seem like nonsense to them. This makes the church peculiar.

The word "peculiar" generally carries a somewhat negative connotation. However, I'm not using it in that way. Rather, I'm just suggesting that the church both does live and ought to live in a dramatically different way from how the world does.  Christ's church is a peculiar people.

The title of this post is "A Peculiar People Within A Peculiar People." What am I talking about? I'm referring to those within the church who view church life through a biblical lens. I'm talking about those of us who want the body of Christ to function like we see modeled for us in scripture. I'm writing about us weirdos who keep looking back to the bible to find out what the church ought to be. We reject tradition in the face of God's word (or at least do our best to do so).

We simple church folks are a peculiar people within a peculiar people. We are part of the larger group of peculiars (since we are part of the larger body of Christ). We are also part of a small group of peculiars. The reason for this is that we often seem odd to many of our brothers and sisters in Christ. For example, as many of you know our family meets simply at home. We do not do the worship service-expensive building-salaried pastor thing that so many Christians do. This makes us peculiar even to other believers.

The above diagram illustrates what we simple church folks often face. The large circle represents the church as a whole (the colors have no significance). The smaller circle represents those who have left the institution behind. Please let me be clear: I'm not trying to create any sort of artificial division within the body. I'm certainly not advocating it. Rather, I'm pointing out a reality that exists.

When you desire to live church life according to what God has provided in scripture, you will seem peculiar not only to the world, but also to many other followers of Christ. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be a lonely road. We are a peculiar people within a peculiar people.

Unavoidable: Everybody Active and Needed

I Corinthians 12:12-16

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

It could not be clearer from Paul's writing that all members of the body must be active for the body to be healthy. While today's institutional church model places importance upon the few (the clergy), in reality all are important. Healthy churches value all members equally, and need them to be active. This principle is unavoidable.

Unlike Football, In The Church There Are No Benchwarmers

Today I will spend several hours watching American football on television. Since I have no particular dog-in-the-fight, I'll be rooting against the Evil Empire (New England Patriots) in the AFC Championship Game. As for the NFC Championship, I don't really care who wins; I just want to see an exciting game.

In football, as with most other sports, each team will put certain players - the more skilled ones - out on the field. The remainder of the players spend most of their time on the bench. They are the benchwarmers. Some of them play a little. Others rarely ever get off the pine. These folks are largely inactive in the life of the team.

The church ought not function in this way. The body of Christ has no benchwarmers. God's expectation is that every member of his team will be an active player. This is because every member is needed. Nobody in the church plays the role of a third string quarterback. Rather, every person in the church family is a starter. We may have different roles, but all are needed in order for the church to function properly.

I Corinthians chapter 12 spells this all out for us. Paul could not be clearer in stating that each and every member of the body must be active in order for that body to be fully functional. In 12:22-26 the apostle writes:

On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

We all need each other. Let's not only be active ourselves but also encourage all our brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same. In the life of the church we are all starters.

5 Blog Themes for 2015

Bloggers must blog about what they care about. Otherwise, their writing will be lifeless, without passion, and dull. Much like in 2014, I plan to blog about a wide range of topics in 2015. However, five topics that I care about deeply will receive quite a bit of my attention. I'll be regularly writing on the following five themes:


1. Church Body Life

It's no surprise that I'm a big proponent of simple church life. Within this framework body life is critical and can flourish. Mutual edification is the prime reason for gathering. Every person involved matters and is, therefore, expected to be an active participant. Each member can and should carry out the "one anothers" we see described in the New Testament. This is an extremely important issue because healthy body life is directly related to maturity in Christ.


2. Biblical Interpretation

The bible is a book (obviously). Although it was written for all of us to understand, many Christians fail to do so correctly. Much of the reason for this is that we read our traditions back into scripture. Additionally, we often see what we want to see rather than simply letting the bible speak. In order to be the church God wants, we need to interpret the scriptures accurately.


3. The Atonement of Christ

Jesus Christ died for the sins of his people. However, what does this mean? What took place when this occurred? Did he die as substitute or only as example? The church is currently all over the place on this issue. Since I believe this doctrine sits at the core of the gospel itself, I plan to write about it quite a bit. Additionally, for whatever reason the atonement has always fascinated me.


4. Doctrinal Concerns

The more I read in the Christian blogosphere, the more vague doctrine I see. Increasing numbers appear to believe that doctrine doesn't really matter. I'm talking about core issues (such as the atonement mentioned above). The truth is that doctrine does, in fact, matter. For example, we must follow Jesus Christ. But which one? The one described by the Jehovah's Witnesses who knocked on my door last week? Of course not. Rather, we follow the Jesus of the bible. Correct doctrine is one facet of following Christ.


5. Nonresistance

This will likely be the least popular of the five topics. Oh well. As I read the bible, in particular about the life of Christ, I see a pattern of nonresistance. This is a lifestyle that I hope the church at least begins to think about. I'm tired of how both the Republican Party and the National Rifle Association impact the church in this country. Jesus didn't go down with guns blazing. Rather, he did not resist when arrested, tortured, and executed. When can and must learn from this.