To say that our world is changing is an understatement. We have witnessed major shifts politically, technologically, religiously, economically and morally. It should lead us to ask how Christ is building His church in these days. At one time, Christianity influenced most of the western world. Some countries have the imprint of Christianity woven throughout their early history. The Christian faith was considered at the center of society, bringing an influence on local culture and national policy. The laws made in some of these countries reflected the belief in an infinite personal God who they saw as actively a part of their origin and national affairs and influenced their values. The church flourished under these conditions. It gained wealth and political weight, and at times it used these to build churches, schools for training, and benevolent organizations like hospitals and orphanages to help those in need. However, at times it also used these to build a power base to become a controlling force in society. There are some who saw this dominant persuasion as God’s means of building His church and kingdom in the world.
As power increased for the church, Christianity began to be identified more by culture and politics than by true authentic faith. It no longer was viewed as a faith common to all people of different nationalities and different cultures, but instead you were a Christian because of your birth and nationality. With its powerful influence, the church created somewhat of a “Christian culture” that was a little like heaven on earth. However, it reflected national and cultural interest more than it did the universal interest of Jesus Christ. Unmistakably, the positive influence of Christianity on culture is evident in history. Countries where Christianity was at the center had a higher view of human life and were more compassionate to people in hardship, compared to countries and cultures that had little or no association to Christianity.
However, the tide is changing in the western world. Christendom has moved from being an influence at the center of society and culture to becoming more marginal on the fringe of culture, where it is less important and less of an influence. In light of this, some Christians feel it is their responsibility to in some way fight (in a Christian way) to recapture some of the culture as it once was. Others just ignore it altogether, thinking it will all go away. We no longer see ourselves as an influence that can bring change out in the world. Could it be that the present shift is more of an indictment on the condition of the church than on culture? Sadly, we are not doing well at showing the world that the person of Jesus Christ unites us. Instead, they see us unified over moral, economical and political issues and forming our Christian special interest groups. I have even seen this among Christians in the corporate workplace. Christians become intensely motivated over a moral or economical issue in their company. They will even meet in large numbers to “pray over it.” But ask these same people, and I have, to call a meeting to pray about bringing an ongoing spiritual influence in their workplace, and we find the interest to be very low and sometimes even non-existent.
There is another development on the horizon that is compounding this problem. As our cultures are changing around us, Christians are retreating more and more inside the walls of church buildings. We are creating a counter-culture where people can feel safe and express their faith openly without any resistance. We hear messages and sing songs that have no continuity as we live the rest of the week out in the world. We no longer see ourselves as going into places to bring the knowledge of the aroma of Christ there (2 Corinthians 2:14). Instead, we are creating Christian programs, events and recreational activities and are fumigating them with this aroma. How can we take seriously the words of Jesus Christ about building His church when our interest lies primarily behind close doors? Certainly building His church does not mean we should build more church buildings, especially since there is no historical record of a church building until late in the third century, some 250 years after Christ’s resurrection. Undoubtedly, the culture of that day saw the church in the first three centuries as marginal and having little importance. For sure Christians did not see themselves as the center of Roman society. However, their influence was widespread and dynamic because they understood clearly their commitment to be the church out in the world. They took seriously the words of Jesus Christ about building His church and for them it was exactly where Jesus talked about building it, out in the world and in shadows of the gates of Hell (Matthew 16:13-20). I would venture to say that if you were to ask a Christian in those days about church, they probably would not relate it as much to where they went to church, but rather how they were being the church. They saw themselves as a community of Christians from different cultures and languages, spread throughout the world but with a common confession and mission. Meeting together was certainly important to them and it should be to us. But their church life was not just a walled-in experience. For them being the church meant going out in a dark world, where instead of protecting themselves from the darkness, they saw their responsibility to bring the light to it (Philippians 2:14-15).
People in our workplace desperately need to see the church’s living and dynamic influence. Our church life should be more than just a Sunday event behind the walls. It also should be more than just a special interest action that focuses on one issue. When Jesus Christ announced that he is going to build His church, it was both when the church gathered so people could learn and support one another and when the church was scattered in workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and recreational places. This is Christ’s calling for every Christian! We often tell people not to forsake their gathering together with other Christians. But do we equally tell them not to forsake their mission of being sent out into the world? It is there that we display how God’s presence works in our lives personally and mutually.
In closing, here are a few ways in which Jesus Christ is continuing to build His church out in the world. First of all, He is building a living connected community. This is more than your local church; it is Christians connecting with Christians. When we show the world that we are not strangers to each other, it has a profound affect on the people around us. I have seen this happen many times. A few Christians decide they are going to connect together and meet for prayer on a lunch break, and the world around them takes note of it. I even have had non-Christians tell me that everyone knows Christians are meeting. Why? We are told in Ephesians 2:19-22 that it is endowed with a special sense of God’s presence. When we connect with other Christians, it brings a special blessing from the Lord (Psalms 133), and I believe it also brings a special sense of God’s presence there.
Secondly, Christ is expanding His church as the knowledge of Him is filling the places where Christians are present. This does not mean we should be preaching sermons at work, but it does mean that we should be living epistles so people can read us. Our actions, attitudes and responses should convey to the world that there is a personal God who is worthy of our trust and who provides for us, especially in the challenges of work.
Lastly, Christ is building His church as we offer His love and forgiveness to those around us. Every Christian is said to have the ministry of reconciliation. God literally is making His appeal to the world through us (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). As the church out in the world, we should show that we are in need of someone to forgive us — Jesus Christ, and it is His forgiveness that we are modeling to those around us.
How do you see yourself as part of Christ’s building His church? Being involved in a good local church is necessary, but being an influence out in the world where you live and work is your God-given mission.
Written by Paul M Curtas