Build on the Rock!
Recently, I was speaking with a friend of mine who visited a new church. I asked about his experience and he shared with me that it was very disappointing. The reason why, he said, was that the pastor preached for 30 minutes without ever opening the bible or even referencing scripture.
There has been a trend over the past few decades, maybe even longer, within the evangelical church of pastors speaking less from the word of God and instead being more focused on helping people live a good life; or at least that is often how it is categorized. Churches within the seeker movement, the movement that is geared to those who are said to be more spiritually open, don't even try to hide it. They claim that they want to reach the world for Jesus, yet they are ignoring the very blueprint that Jesus Himself gave us to build His church.
Bear with me for a moment while I attempt to paint for you the picture of what I see happening. A few months ago, my wife and I were house hunting. We learned some very important lessons when looking for a house, and one of the most basic lessons, is not to get caught up with the aesthetics of the house, but to start by looking at the foundation and infrastructure of the house. As one friend put it to me, "does the house have good bones?" This is hard to do, because the things that catch our eye, if we are honest, are the aesthetics. I cared more about whether or not the house had new siding, fresh paint, were the floors done, was there a nice kitchen, and good size bedrooms, than I did about whether the foundation was solid, or if there were any defects in the infrastructure or roof. But, as he pointed out to me, all of those things are superficial and can be fixed at a much cheaper cost than any foundational or structural issues. And so, my entire perspective had to change when it came to house hunting! By the way, we decided to stop looking...
What's this have to do with churches? Everything!!! Jesus tells us in Matthew 7, that everyone who hears His words and does them is like a man who builds their house on the rock. But that those who do not, are building their house on sand, and of the two houses, only one will stand up against the wind, rain and floods. The strong foundation is that of Christ's teachings, and where do we find His words today, but in the Word of God, our bible. But most churches have chosen to instead focus on the color of the walls or what the kitchen looks like, instead of focusing on the foundation and infrastructure. These churches have great bands, they have really great kids’ ministries, usually make great coffee and offer several other amenities that are attractive to everyone. I mean who doesn't want great coffee and music to start off a Sunday morning? But when these things are built upon a foundation of sand, it is only a matter of time till the rains and floods come and the houses themselves fall. With all the focus going into the aesthetics, what lacks is always that which is the most important, the foundation.
Jesus is the one who builds His church, but Pastors are the ones who help lay the foundation, we do this under His direction and empowered by His Spirit. But it is His Word that is the foundation! The more attention given to His word, the stronger and more secure the foundation. But if a church treats the word of God as an afterthought, with greater attention to all the other amenities, you can bet that it is not a church that will prepare you for eternity.
Do you want a house that will last for eternity, or a house that will only help you feel better about yourself today? Because that is what good theology and teaching does. It prepares you for eternity, as the Spirit of God, applies the word of God, in conforming you into the image of Jesus. This can happen without the great band, without the pretty decor, and yes, even without the really great kids’ ministry. Those things are fine, but they are not what makes a church, a true church. A true church is built on the rock, the word of God, preached fully, faithfully and frequently. The more the word is preached and expounded upon, the more secure the ground that you are standing upon. Next time you find yourself church shopping, make sure you start by looking at the foundation, or you just might find yourself trying to whether the storm with nothing but pretty walls to protect you.