The Church is made up of sons and daughters of God, whom have been born again through Christ Jesus, and whom have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Why do we expect for such an organic body to not change? Is it better to have the Church follow the marketing strategies, the governance strategies, the vogue strategies, and humanistic strategies that organizations implement and adhere to, in order to guarantee their survival in our society and in the market place? Is it better (or even possible) for the Church to remain static? These are questions we need to ask, and more importantly, ask the Lord. I don't think the Church should follow the strategies organizations employ in order to survive - the survival of the Church is in the hands of the Lord and in His power, not on our efforts and our merits. What we are to do is to steadfastly seek Him and let Him work in and through us to reach the hurting world. But in order for this to happen, we have to be flexible to Him - and Him alone. We must abide in Him that He may be seen through and in us.
Should there be division in the Church? Absolutely! Let me explain.
When a diploid cell (a cell in our bodies) divides, it produces two identical daughter cells. We see this happen before our eyes when children grow from newborn to adults. In like manner, there should be 'cell' division in the Church. This division of which I speak is a personal one and should not be confused with the tragic divisions we see when entire Churches split; that type of division is not from God. What I mean by 'cell' division is that when I share the redemptive news with someone and that someone is born again, the cell (in this case me) hasn't divided to produce an identical cell yet, this is just the beginning. I am to disciple him/her and teach him/her to observe all that Christ has commanded us, teach him/her to walk with Christ by coming long my side and walking with me for a time. Just like the first disciples walked with Jesus and beheld His glory, this newborn should walk along my side in order to see the glory of Christ through me (making it essential for me to stay close to Christ and abide in Him). This newborn will learn from me how to walk with Christ day by day, trial through trial, joy through joy, fall through fall. After this newborn is grown and ready to have others walk alongside him/her, then the process of 'cell' division has taken place. He/she will repeat this process with someone else and produce an identical 'cell'.
And this, my friends, is the strategy Christ left for us to follow. He lived this out with the 12, they lived this out with the Church. Luke is a product of cell division, as is Theophilus, Timothy, Mark, and so many others. If this strategy hadn't been employed, then where would we be today? Would we have the Gospel of Luke? What about the New Testament? Each one took the time to take people under their 'wing' and pass on all that Christ had commanded; and so we are blessed to receive His teachings in the 21st century, but even more blessed to pass on His teachings to others.
This is the division that we should see in the Church - because the Church is an organism and not an organization.
Why do we expect for such an organic body to not change? Is it better to have the Church follow the marketing strategies, the governance strategies, the vogue strategies, and humanistic strategies that organizations implement and adhere to, in order to guarantee their survival in our society and in the market place? Is it better (or even possible) for the Church to remain static? These are questions we need to ask, and more importantly, ask the Lord. I don't think the Church should follow the strategies organizations employ in order to survive - the survival of the Church is in the hands of the Lord and in His power, not on our efforts and our merits. What we are to do is to steadfastly seek Him and let Him work in and through us to reach the hurting world. But in order for this to happen, we have to be flexible to Him - and Him alone. We must abide in Him that He may be seen through and in us.
Should there be division in the Church? Absolutely! Let me explain.
When a diploid cell (a cell in our bodies) divides, it produces two identical daughter cells. We see this happen before our eyes when children grow from newborn to adults. In like manner, there should be 'cell' division in the Church. This division of which I speak is a personal one and should not be confused with the tragic divisions we see when entire Churches split; that type of division is not from God. What I mean by 'cell' division is that when I share the redemptive news with someone and that someone is born again, the cell (in this case me) hasn't divided to produce an identical cell yet, this is just the beginning. I am to disciple him/her and teach him/her to observe all that Christ has commanded us, teach him/her to walk with Christ by coming long my side and walking with me for a time. Just like the first disciples walked with Jesus and beheld His glory, this newborn should walk along my side in order to see the glory of Christ through me (making it essential for me to stay close to Christ and abide in Him). This newborn will learn from me how to walk with Christ day by day, trial through trial, joy through joy, fall through fall. After this newborn is grown and ready to have others walk alongside him/her, then the process of 'cell' division has taken place. He/she will repeat this process with someone else and produce an identical 'cell'.
And this, my friends, is the strategy Christ left for us to follow. He lived this out with the 12, they lived this out with the Church. Luke is a product of cell division, as is Theophilus, Timothy, Mark, and so many others. If this strategy hadn't been employed, then where would we be today? Would we have the Gospel of Luke? What about the New Testament? Each one took the time to take people under their 'wing' and pass on all that Christ had commanded; and so we are blessed to receive His teachings in the 21st century, but even more blessed to pass on His teachings to others.
This is the division that we should see in the Church - because the Church is an organism and not an organization.
RSS Feed
