What does CHURCH mean to You?

What do you think of when you hear the word "CHURCH"? Do images of fire-breathing pulpit-slammers and holy-rolling emotionalism come to mind? How about painfully boring and predictable repetitions of creeds and slogans? Have you ever been sitting in church and asked yourself the question: "Is this REALLY what Jesus had in mind?" What exactly to they mean by the term "church SERVICE" anyway?

No matter what your past experiences, I think Jesus DID have something different in mind. And while no church is perfect - and some traditions CAN be very Biblical and helpful in spiritual development - it is my opinion that there are a few things a person should look for in choosing a solid church.

First, a person should be concerned with whether a church passionately and faithfully preaches and teaches the Bible - and specifically the GOSPEL of grace.

Secondly, a solid church will be concerned with playing a significant role in God's universal CHURCH in the local community and the world. The early church gave much attention to caring for one another's needs as brothers and sisters in Christ - building one another up and "spurring each other on toward love and good deeds."

Thirdly, one should be concerned with whether the church in question has a clear passion for impacting the CULTURE - rather than fearfully circling the wagons and retreating into a realm of separatism. In other words, a Biblical church should strive to be IN but not OF the world-system, taking every opportunity to bring the life-changing hope of the Gospel to the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of everyone without prejudice.

In his great book "The Radical Refomission", Mark Driscoll points out the crucial need for local churches committing to this triune focus on the GOSPEL, the CHURCH and the CULTURE - and spells out the consequences of leaving one or more out of the picture. Driscoll argues that when Christians focus on....

GOSPEL plus CULTURE while ignoring the CHURCH - we get parachurch ministry. This is not to say that all parachurch ministries fail to work in partnership with or as arms of the local church. He simply points out that many parachurch ministries don't last because they are formed as rebel movements against perceived or real failures within the organized local church rather than initiating reform from within.

He then adds that when we focus on....

CULTURE and CHURCH without the GOSPEL - we get liberalism. Theological liberalism has all but destroyed many once-vibrant mainline denominations. By neutering the Gospel of the miraculous and the eternal, it becomes little more than a network of social do-good efforts aimed at meeting temporal needs. Christ's words then take on special significance when He said, "What good will it profit a person to gain the whole world (materially speaking) and yet lose his own soul?"

Finally, he adds that when a church focuses on....

CHURCH and the GOSPEL while ignoring CULTURE - we get fundamentalism. Modern Christian fundamentalism is that movement which began in the early 20th century as a response to the rise of secular humanism. Honorable in its original intentions, the fundamentalist movement has often become a culturally-irrelevant band of complainers who can scarcely appreciate any beauty or truth in anything outside of their own circles and angrily condemn the very sinners Jesus came to save.

At Valley Church, we aim - however imperfectly - to care deeply about all three of these realities. Proclaiming the Bible and the Gospel it reveals, meeting the needs of one another as best we can through generous love, and caring about the culture so much as to seek to live out Christ's kingdom values over and against the myopic selfishness of secular society. I'm sure a person could pick apart 100 different ways in which we are failing to achieve these goals at any given time. But we ARE trying - and will continue to try by the grace of God.

As beggars at the door of God's mercy, we at Valley are being transformed into grateful followers of Jesus day by day. I would invite you to come join us beginning this weekend at one of our three gatherings - 8am, 9:30am or 11am on Sundays - 5063 Maple Road in Vacaville. Who knows? You might just begin to start entertaining a POSITIVE concept of "church" to replace the one you now live with. I'd also be interested to know your opinion about "church" as you see it. Feel free to chime in....