THE SEARCH FOR A CHURCH!

THE SEARCH FOR A CHURCH!

Matt 16:18

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Eph 5:25

Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

          Historically we see a diversity in the interpretation of what the church should be. We still see the highly structured Episcopal form of church government, the Presbyterian form with its graduated councils, and finally a primitivism which seeks to restore the apostolic order and ardor of the church as it is recorded in the New Testament. In all ages it seems that we try to wrap the church around ourselves rather than to fit ourselves into the church. Many believers have ultimately abandoned church altogether.

          Accompanying the abandonment of “church” is a great emptiness and sense of loss. For the individual believer there is no sense of community or belonging. Clubs and service organizations are a poor substitute. There is also a sense of drifting from the anchor of doctrinal teaching. The whole belief system suffers because we forget the great truths taught by the church which is the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

          Scattered throughout society are lost sheep who have wandered from the fold. The sense of being lost is strong and they procure their shepherding wherever they may find it. They have no priest because he has been abandoned along with the church. Who will pray with them and for them in times of great distress? They wander with a nagging sense of need.

          The other day I met a very pleasant lady, a nurse, who asked me to pray for her daughter. I did not and still do not know this lady’s name and yet she decided to capitalize on my being a pastor. Does she have a church and a pastor? I do not know but I see this everywhere I go. There seems to be many spiritual scavengers  who might receive regular spiritual care had they not abandoned it along with their church.

          Perhaps we need another reformation but what form should it take? Shall we return to high church structure or cast off the robes for a more casual meeting? No one seems to know for sure but one thing is certain, Jesus predicted this spiritual wasteland would exist when he returns.

Luke 18:8

when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Dear Lord, revive thy church and those of us within it. AMEN