Category Archives: Miscellaneous

What perceptions would visitors come away with about your church and the Lord you love and serve? Would their experience attract them to the Lord or would they be disillusioned and turned off to the God you proclaim?

Questions About Your Church that Affect People’s Perception

Following are some questions to ask about your church:

• Would they sense the presence of the Lord in that place or just people “doing” church?

Read: Put the Focus on the Presence of the Lord

• Would they observe a diverse group of people who have learned how to live in unity or a group bickering about their differences?

Read: Keys to Unity

• Would they come to know the love of Christ through people who view compassion as more than a feeling or would they leave feeling empty and unsupported?

Read: Compassion: More than an Option?

• Would they notice the integrity of God’s holy people who seek to avoid even the appearance of evil or would they find carnal people doing what is right in their own eyes?

Read: A Church That is Holy — Really?

• Would they conclude that structures are there to prevent problems and make life together better or that the structures are mere tradition and stifle true ministry?

Read: Organization Needed But For What Purpose?

• Would they see people who practice what they say they believe even in the behind-the-scenes functions or would they note the hypocrisy?

Read: Your Life: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

What people would see or experience at your church, could determine if they want to come back again. And, it could make a difference on whether or not they want the Lord you profess to be a part of their own lives. Let’s make “the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10).

As we look at the dysfunctional state of today’s Church, we might wonder if finding a holy church is possible on this side of eternity. Yet, as noted in a previous post, God desires a church that is holy. Ephesians 5:25-27 depicts both a present and future sense of the Church’s holiness. — “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

Jesus provided the means through His death, having been motivated by love. These verses also suggest the method for the process of making us holy now (sanctification) — “cleansing her by the washing with water through the word”.

God’s Word is His Method for Us to Become a Holy Church

We stand as holy in the sight of God because of Jesus. The state, or condition, of our lives and churches doesn’t always align with our standing. That’s where God’s Word come it. Ephesians 5:25-27 isn’t the only scripture linking holiness and the Word.

In Jesus’ prayer for the church’s sanctification … the process for making us holy from the same Greek word, hagiazo, for making holy in Ephesians 5 … He included the method for becoming holy which is truth as it is found in His Word.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (Jn. 17:17)

A holy church is one that reflects God’s character. The only way for us to do that is to tap into His power which comes from knowing Him. How are we going to know Him? — through His Word.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Pet. 1:3-4)

Implications for Holiness in Today’s Church

We cannot abandon God’s absolute truth, water it down, or compromise and expect to have a holy Church. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Heb. 13:8) so what we learn about Him in His Word is still relevant today.

We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we want to accept as truth. The Bible, in its entirety, presents the full picture of who God is in terms of His character and ways. Minimize any part of who He is and we are left with an anemic God whom we may perceive as not being able to fulfill “His very great and precious promises” given in His Word. An anemic God means an anemic Church, one that lacks holiness, because we are not pulling on His power to be holy.

We must function like we truly believe 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Also Read: God’s Power – The Word of God

Your response to the question “Who desires a church that is holy?” could depend on your church background or on your level of doctrinal understanding or even on your desired lifestyle. I’ve heard responses on opposite ends of the spectrum. Some shy away from even talking about holiness while others emphasize it so much they make Christianity sound like a works-oriented religion, which it is not.

God Desires a Church That is Holy

Despite the feeling it generates within us, we cannot dismiss holiness when we read passages like Ephesians 5:25-27 — “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

While Jesus does want a Church that is holy, we must understand some key truths from the above verses about holiness that will help us not go to the other end of the spectrum.

1) God’s means for becoming holy was made possible by Jesus. Ephesians 5:25-26 makes it clear that Jesus “gave himself up for her (the Church) to make her holy.” We cannot attain to the level of holiness a holy God requires. Jesus’ death makes us holy in God’s sight. Only because of His grace can we stand holy before Him.

That same grace enables us to live holy lives. — “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)

2) God’s motivation behind Jesus providing the means for us to be holy is love. He was not driven by a quest to dominate us with a bunch of rules and regulations. Rather, love compelled Him to desire what is for our good. — “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11)

Since being a holy church is such a high priority with Jesus, we must seek to understand God’s heart in this matter. We must pull on His power to live in such a way that we reflect His holy character. — “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Pet. 1:3-4)

2 Peter 1:3-4 contains some key phrases that help us understand God’s method for our sanctification (process of making us holy) — “through our knowledge of Him” and “His very great and precious promises”. (Click on the above link to go to the next post.)

Also Read: God’s Heart for the Church

We have many strategies and objectives for ministry but some things matter more than others.

In God’s Book, These 5 Things Matter More Than Other Things

Let’s look to God for what matters most in ministry. According to His Word, these five things should matter more to us than other things.

1) WHO we present matters more than how we present Him.

When HE is the main attraction we tend to use methodology that glorifies God and draws attention to Him more than to ourselves. We view technology and methodology as merely tools for connecting people with the Lord.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Col. 1:18)

These (religious festivals, the Sabbath, etc.) are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Col. 2:17)

2) Being matters more than doing.

When we are who we should be, we will tend to do what we should do. If the heart is what it should be, proper actions will follow.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Prov. 4:23)

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (Prov. 27:19)

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Lk. 6:45)

3) Heart transformation matters more than mere obedience.

When we change from the inside out, we see obedience as more of a delight than a duty. People can outwardly conform and look the part but their motivations can be all wrong which does not please the Lord.

A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart. (Prov. 21:2)

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 Jn. 5:3-4)

4) People matter more than programs.

When we make people a priority we tend to be more flexible and accommodating with our programs but when programming matters more, we tend to be less adapting to the needs of people. When we fail to meet needs, our programs are no longer ministering.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ (Matt. 9:13)

‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ … And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matt. 22:36-40)

5) Purposeful participation matters more than mere attendance.

When we care about more than numbers, we want people to go away changed which does not happen through passivity or meaningless activity. The more we structure for purposeful participation, the more likely people will be to apply what they learn.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24)

Does Your Church Tend to Focus on Adults, Children or Youth?

Some people think we need to focus on adults. Isn’t that what Jesus did?

Others say, but Jesus welcomed children. They are precious in His sight. Most conversions happen in this age group so make sure you have a good children’s ministry.

Still others believe we need to invest heavily into youth ministry so young people don’t end up leaving the church and so they have a good foundation for going into adulthood.

Does Your Church Tend to Target the Saved or Unsaved?

Some will say we must put our attention on outreach. Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost (Lk. 19:10). He has give us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18). We are to be His ambassadors “as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:20). We are to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mk. 16:15). Reaching out to the unsaved is our mission.

Others will say that we must equip the saved (Eph. 4:11-16) so they “go and make disciples.” The Great Commission takes people beyond salvation to baptizing them and teaching them everything He has commanded (Matt. 28:18-20).

To be sure God has seemed to raise up some churches or ministries with stronger emphasis in one direction over the others. Yet, would He really expect us to neglect others He brings in our midst because they are not in our primary focus group? Don’t all people matter to Him?

Let’s remember that while Jesus did seem to spend more time teaching adults, he did not neglect the children, even when His disciples tried to push them away. And, while Jesus did come to seek and save the lost, He spent much time with those who believed in Him to disciple and equip them.

Also read: Disciplemaking Priority in the Great Commission