Present and ?

This blog is the third in a series based on a poem/song I wrote. The first blog was titled "The Haven of Rest." It featured the chorus of the song. I share it again to help tie the three blogs together.

Where will I find rest for my soul, When "ever" will I be completely whole; When will I be surrounded by beauty sublime, And lay down my heavy head and sleep with peace of mind?

As I indicated in my first blog in this series, this chorus represented my life when I received Christ as Savior. I was a weary soul, fragmented in many ways and searching for beauty and fulfillment in my life. This is an apt description of many in our world today.

I titled my second blog in this three-blog series "Peace be Still." In writing this blog, I utilized the first verse of my song.

Conflict rages on from the left to the right, While the chasm in the center slowly sinks out of sight; The crescendo of the ideology and rhetoric rises to a deafening roar, As truth perishes from the earth as it has so many times before.

As I wrote in my previous blog, the terms left, right and center in today's world are often used to distinguish political ideology and political parties. They are basically labels. An honest appraisal of modern-day politics and political parties leads us to conclude that they offer no rest for the weary soul, no healing for the fragmentation and brokenness of our world and no answer for the grotesque horror and ugliness that is being unleashed on humanity today.

WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH?

What does the church have to offer to our weary, fragmented and horrified world? Exactly what are we who profess faith in Christ offering?

I addressed this very question in the second verse of my song.

Old churches are dying and fading from view, While others rise up, the rage of everything new; Prophets and preachers, they speak of the coming doom, While scarcely a word is heard about an old rugged cross and an empty tomb.

The title of this third blog in this series is "Present and ?. " The church is present in our world today. We know this because Jesus established the church on this earth to be His body, the Body of Christ, in this world.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

So, the church is present in the world but present and doing what? Are we doing more than filling up membership rolls with our names and claiming some denominational affiliation? An increasing number of people, especially younger people, are turning away from established churches. We have seen a steep rise in the number of people who classify themselves as "nones" because they reject the institutional church. At the same time, many insist they are spiritual.

Would these "nones" identify themselves with the church that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 16:18? If so, how are they present in our world today?

Mere presence of the church is not enough.

In the United States, at least in Southern Baptist churches, the church has millions of members who are present and accounted for in the sense that they have their names on the membership rolls. Yet, they are not accountable in the sense that they are active participants in the ministries of the church in any meaningful way.

The first line of the second verse of my song says, "Old churches are dying and fading from view." Old churches die because the members are not accountable. No church is sustained by names on a membership roster. We demonstrate accountability by worshipping God and rendering obedient service to the Lord of the church.

It can happen to any church. Churches die and the empty church buildings scattered across the landscape of America are visual proof.

The second line of the second verse of my songs says, "While others rise up, the rage of everything new."

Church planting has been an important part of Southern Baptist denominational strategy for many years. Ongoing efforts to plant new churches result in many new churches often accompanied by excitement, enthusiasm and anticipation. They may have the latest technology, vibrant worship and well-defined strategies. While some of these new churches survive and flourish, many do not because "new and improved" may be a good slogan for selling products, but it is woefully inept at advancing the kingdom of God.

It is possible for the church to develop a negative, defensive strategy. This strategy often features a harsh condemnation toward those outside of the church, especially when their practices and lifestyles are deemed to be contrary to biblical teaching. In the second verse of my song there is a line that says, "Prophets and preachers, they speak of the coming doom."

We should never compromise biblical truth, but we need to monitor the spirit in which we proclaim biblical truth. Do we speak the truth in love? Are we careful to rightly divide or handle accurately God's word of truth?

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV).

In the second verse of my song, I highlight the biggest problem with the church adopting a negative, defensive strategy: leaving out the good news of the gospel.

I worded it in my song by writing the lyrics, "Prophets and preachers, they speak of the coming doom while scarcely a word is heard about the old rugged cross and the empty tomb."

According to Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, the heart of the gospel is the truth that Jesus died for our sins on the cross, was buried and he arose again the third day.

Twice in these verses Paul writes "...according to the scriptures." This is the testimony of God's infallible, inerrant word.

Stop and consider the messages that are coming from the pulpits and churches of our land today.

How much are you hearing about the old rugged cross and the empty tomb?

Preaching against sin without preaching the message of the gospel is like a doctor telling his patients how sick they are and the terminal nature of their diseases but never giving them any treatment or medicine to cure the disease. The sad truth is the fact that there is no treatment or medicine to cure all physical diseases and some illnesses will be terminal. The good news of the gospel teaches us that through Jesus all sinners can pass from death unto life through repentance and faith.

We can boldly proclaim the goods new of the cross and empty tomb and say to every guilty sinner that the sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient. He offered up the once for all sacrifice that is sufficient to cover all sin, for all people and for all time.

"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:11-14 NKJV).

Let's answer the question, "present and what?" The answered that is needed is clearly given to us in the Bible. We are to be present living and ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to be witnesses of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ beginning in our Jerusalem and reaching to the ends of the earth. Our ultimate goal is to go forth sharing the gospel and to make disciples of all nations, teaching those disciples all that Jesus has commanded us.

We can go with great boldness and great joy because Jesus assured us that He will be with us even until the end of the age. Praise God! Let's go.

When Jesus declared that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church, he assured us of victory.

We have the message that can bring rest to weary souls, bring healing to fragmented lives and restore the beauty to our world that God created and intended in the beginning.

Rather than stand around in idle celebration, let's make sure that the church is God's redemptive presence in this world.