The specific event actually took place about a year before Deb and I arrived in Moscow to help with a new church and the establishing of a Bible College.  It was the process of forming that new church that shaped how I think about “membership”. 

Lenin at Red Square

When Russia opened up and a number of people in Moscow embraced Jesus Christ, they began to come together as an official church to meet on a regular basis.  The State allowed them to do so but required them to provide evidence showing that they were indeed a legal church entity abiding by the laws.  So the Russian authorities asked for at least a dozen people in the church to come forward and submit copies of their pass ports for proof of the organization’s legitimacy.  This they did.  At least 12 Russian adults who had grown up under the Iron Curtain complied and their information was submitted.  Now that doesn’t sound like too big of an issue for us in the West and especially in the U.S.  I mean, we give our Social Security and Driver’s license numbers often when filling out documents.  But the big deal for these folks is that by giving out their information they were possibly putting their lives on the line if the winds of politics changed in Russia and the old guard Soviet Union came back.  Many of these people had relatives or knew people who were taken by the Soviet KGB in years gone by for religious reasons. So this was a heavy decision for them.  But they cared so much about committing to a local body of believers that they were more than willing to take the risk.  They had a level of discipleship and commitment that many in the US simply don’t understand. 

So when it came down to it, I decided that it was more than acceptable if not expected to ask those wishing to join The Crossings to attend a class and sign a commitment card. 

But for those who are still chewing on this issue, check out the seven reasons below.  What would you add?  (or not add)

 Why Make a Commitment?

 The difference between “attendees” and “belonging” can be summed up in one word:  commitment.

 At The Cypress Crossings Christian Church we recognize the need to be a membership-based church and therefore ask you to commit to membership for a least seven reasons:

1.  A Biblical Reason:  Christ is committed to the church.  “Christ loved the church, and He gave his life for it.” Ephesians 5:25

2.  A Cultural Reason:  It is an antidote in our society.  We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything; job, marriage, and country.  This attitude has produced a generation of church ‘shoppers and hoppers’.  Membership swims against the current of America’s consumer religion.  It provides a model for our society on the value of belonging.

3.  A Practical Reason:  It defines who can be counted upon.  Every team must have a roster.  Every school must have an enrollment.  Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration.  Membership identifies our family.

4.  A Personal Reason:  It produces spiritual growth.  The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth.  You cannot be accountable when you are not committed to any specific church family.

5.  A Creative Reason:  It creates the type of future we desire.  Commitments are greatly misunderstood in our culture – they are often seen as something that ‘ties us down’ or holds us back.  But commitments aren’t constraints, they are road maps.  They are the tools that God uses to shape our future!  Our commitments help us create the type of life and future that will glorify God and fulfill us.  We make our commitments, but in the end our commitments make us.

6.  A “Same Page” Reason:  Membership does not mean uniformity, but it does mean unity.  As followers of Christ we are all different and there is really a lot of freedom in the Church of Jesus Christ for all kinds of practices.  But when we commit to the same mission and values of the church we commit to each other as a football team commits to the same play book.  By doing this we avoid division and commit to going forward together in strength and unity.

7.  A Legal Reason:  It shows our willing submission to the authorities.  In order for us to benefit from non-profit status and 501c3 standing, we must be able to clearly illustrate and define to the State what our membership is.  This shows that we are indeed a non-profit entity by their standards.

As I noted earlier, there exists a counterfeit church today which is quite foreign from the real deal. But there is always an element of the real CHURCH in the world no matter what kind of institution is being propagated. You can read more about the authentic church here in Kingdomology under the CHURCH page. But in short, the Church has nothing to do with buildings or institutions. The authentic Church is more about God’s people called to him. When it comes to people, yes, you are quite right, there are a lot of people who make great claims about being good “Christians” but don’t seem to be any different than the rest of the world other than just being a religious pain in the rear because of self-righteousness. I get that. But here are some other points to consider.

1. Possibly these folks are really not Christians. In other words I can say I’m a Muslim because I go to a mosque. But that doesn’t change who I am on the inside. An apple can say it’s an orange, but that doesn’t make one fruit the other. Pt? Judge a tree by its fruit and not by what it says.

2. Possibly these “Hypocrites” are followers of Christ, but have lost their way. In one sense, everyone is a hypocrite about something. A guy plays pro-ball, but blows it from time to time. Can he still say he’s a pro-ball player or is he a hypocrite?

3. Could be that they are just sadly misguided. They have not been properly taught about what it really means to follow Christ. They took the ‘fire insurance’ but didn’t connect the life change.

4. Just because there are hypocrites out there, that does not mean that God or the CHURCH in its purest sense is wrong. You’ve spoken of loving Texas. There are some real nut jobs from Texas. Does that mean that all Texans are weird?

5. In conclusion, I just want to throw out a challenge to everyone who hates the church. I understand you’ve been jaded and I want to apologize for that. I understand that you’ve been wronged and I’m sorry. I do love people who don’t like the Church and want to be friends with them. But real friendships are two way streets so I just want to ask that everyone consider at least two things to start with.

a. Look to the real church. Consider all the major institutions in the West which exist to help mankind that were actually started by the church and Christ followers long ago. The Red Cross, most hospitals, and the YMCA. Even Harvard was founded for the purpose of better educating itinerant preachers without resources. Do I say it, but the “SALVATION ARMY”? So don’t waste your time on the counterfeits, but look to the source. Look to Jesus alone.

b. Be honest. Critics of the Church have been honest with their gripes and I’m happy and open for that. But I also want to ask that they honestly examine their own hearts as well. In other words, are the arguments people bring up against God really that solid or just a mask for rebellion? I’ve had good friends in the past who have rejected Christ and the Church, but when it all came clean, it was just an issue of choosing to say no to God because they didn’t want to submit to a higher power. In short, they wanted to be Master of their own destiny and didn’t want anyone or any god telling them what to do.

Is there anything else you would add?

Anyway, I got a quick response from one of my cousins in Dallas the other day to one of my recent posts on FACEBOOK.  The content dealt with an upcoming sermon title I was about to preach and her comment really illustrates a need for discussion on what the real deal of Christian faith is all about.  With her permission, I’ve put those posts below and will make some more comments as you’ve had a chance to think about the issues yourself.  Please feel free to add any comments or questions you might have, but just remember to be respectful of all parties no matter what side of the discussion you fall on.  Thanks and enjoy. 

(My Face book Post)

Discovering the Mystery of the CHURCH; Part III. It’s all about who? (No, not THE WHO)

(Bonnie)

Shoot, I like “The Who” better than church…

(me)

LOVE IT! But unfortunately, what you hate is the Counterfeit church. It’s the real CHURCH that rocks. Hey maybe you can shoot me everything that you think stinks about the church and we can blog about it. I’ve got a whole section at kingdomology.org on the authentic CHURCH, though it’s been a while since I’ve added to it. Hmm sounds like a time to dialogue. So go ahead Bonnie, throw it all at me, I want to hear it all.

(Bonnie)

I taught my kids from a very early age what a hypocrite is. That’s what I would be if I went to church. I’m tired of hearing about good Christian values and then see how these people are outside of church. Uh, it’s not for me. I am what you see (metaphorically speaking), like it or not. I took a great class on the Old Testament. It was taught by the minister that married Jeff and me. I loved it because to me it was like a history class. Jeff and the kids go to church. It’s nondenominational. Jeff has a very deep seeded faith and I respect that. Just as he respects my heathenism. I hope this explains something about me:).

(Bonnie)

I believe there is something out there bigger than us but not necessarily called/named God. I believe that if we lead a good life and teach our children from an early age to be good productive citizens then they will carry on our legacy. I don’t need to believe in something I can’t see or a God that was not nice in the Old Testament. I don’t need to prove my love for “Him” in order to be a good person.

1. Change:  In the opening scenes of the movie, the head coach made it clear that if the US team was going to compete with the Eastern Bloc countries, they were going to have to change everything they did from extended practice schedules to strategy.  I know that change is hard, but for the churches in the West, we have to be willing to kill some of our sacred cows if we’re truly going to be effective in reaching out.

2. Expectation: While most of the officials on the US Hockey committee were primarily concerned with merely doing well enough to “not be embarrassed”, the head coach was expecting to go all the way and even take on the Soviets.  He planned to win.  He reminds me of David who expected to take the giant Goliath down while the rest of the Israelite army stood shaking in their boots.  David trusted not so much in his ability, but God’s ability working through him.  As Kingdom citizens and Christ followers, that same power is available for our lives today.  Thus we must expect to advance.

3.  Hard Work:  We can never take the glory or credit for Kingdom advances and successes.  But the KING does expect us to work hard.  Note the parable of the talents where two were rewarded for their efforts but the third was kicked out and even called a “wicked and lazy” servant for doing nothing.  One of the reasons why the US team won in 1980 was because they were totally fit.  The theme of the coach was, “the legs feed the wolf.”  The point being that when they were at their utmost fitness they would be able to keep the same level of intense play even into the final seconds of the game.  For us, we need to remember that the Christian walk and church leadership is not just some hobby, but a way of life. 

4.  Team:  We see this in many sports, but it was really clear in this movie.  The success came when everyone got the picture that it was not about them as individuals, but them as a team.  Not who they were or where they came from as individuals, but who they were as the US TEAM.  I liked what one of our leaders said at our meeting the other night, “There’s no ‘I’ in ‘Team”

5.  Taking the Offensive:  No, this does not mean that we’re rude and offensive, but the opposite of hanging back in a fortress or defensive position.  This is similar to the expectation of winning.  The coach constantly put the agenda forward that they were going to attack the other team’s goal and not just defend their own.  It kind of reminds me of when Jesus said that the “gates of Hell would not prevail against His Kingdom.  The implication being that someone or something was advancing against those gates.  That someone is God’s mighty power in us.  Yes, the battle is fierce, but we can’t hunker down and take care of our own needs.  We’re called to make disciples and push forward.  We’re called to advance with the message that God really does love the world around us.

I think for us to arrive at an honest understanding of the subject we really have to find some kind of balance between the two polarized views.  The New Testament is clear in its teaching of faith being a pre-requisite for salvation.  Therefore, a simple baptismal rite without belief and faith is futile.  Yet on the other hand, there are simply too many texts regarding this subject and its connection to the salvation experience to be ignored or spiritualized.  Some texts to be considered are: Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 12:13, Galatians3:27, Colossians 2:12 and Titus 3:5.  Maybe the best way to jump into this is just to leave you with some bullet points to chew on.

 -Is it in the right realm?  Much of the problem with Protestant theology lies in associating baptism in the realm of works.  We know we are saved by His grace through our faith.  So baptism can’t be any part of it and is relegated to the category of works.  People often say that baptism is the ‘first act of obedience’ after they are saved.  So it’s the idea of, 1. Get baptized, 2. Obey the 10 commandment and on and on.  However, the New Testament model shows baptism as something which is passive for the new believer.  It is an act done to them.  It is an act whereby we can witness God’s work. 

 -Is it being trumped with non-biblical ideas?  In other words, baptism is often referred to as an “outward sign of an inner act.”  Now I don’t have too much problem with that and actually kind of like it.  But there just might be a problem when this totally separates and places baptism in the category of optional.  If it’s just a sign of something that’s real, then it’s just fluff.  The argument would go something like, ‘we’re saved and you can take or leave baptism because it just symbolizes the experience like a wedding ring symbolizes the marriage.  A follow up issue is that of the sinners prayer controversy which is something a person prays and then receives God’s grace.  Again, I don’t have too much problem with that in and of itself.  I actually lead people through something like that when I lead them to Christ.  But the problem is that it is a practice that is found nowhere in the Bible.  The constant pattern in Acts and the Bible is one of a person expressing belief in Christ, repenting of their sins, and then immediately being baptized.

Justin Martyr

 -Testimony of the Early Christians.  While this is an area widely ignored by the modern Evangelical church, there was no hesitation between a hearer’s accepting Christ and being baptized in Acts and the early church.  In fact, Kane states that it “was not until the post-apostolic period, when the church was beginning to substitute ecclesiastical power for spiritual power, that candidates for baptism were required to undergo a period of probation and instruction.”  In Peter’s first sermon, he placed baptism directly after repentance in the Jewish cry for help (2:38).  Other important texts on this issue include: 8:26ff; 10:43; 16:15, 33; and 18:8.  Commenting on baptism in the early church Ferguson noted that “Baptism was the decisive act of conversion for one who accepted the Christian gospel.  It marked the break with the past and the initiation into the church of Christ.”  Irenaeus, who was thought to be a student of Polycarp who in turn was a student of the Apostle John and lived from 120 to 202 AD, commented about the subject in chapter 13 of the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching by stating that baptism was for “the forgiveness of sins. . . and that this baptism is the seal of eternal life, and the regeneration to God by which we become the children, not of mortal man, but of the eternal and everlasting God.”  But remembering the necessity of faith, Justin Martyr, who was one of the first apologists of the church, stated in his first Apology that “Only he who is convinced and has given his assent is to be baptized.” 

 -What about when a person can’t be baptized or dies before they are immersed?  Ok, so here’s the answers that all of you, who are sitting out there with clinched teeth are looking for, YES.  Yes a person who dies in a plane crash but acknowledges Christ before he dies can go to heaven.  Yes, those who lived during Catholic dominated dark ages and knew only infant baptism can be saved. Yes, the person who slips on the wet floor going up to the baptistery and dies can be saved. The Lord knows the repentant heart and sees all this.  But my question for this question is, why are you asking it?  To say something like, ‘do I have to be baptized to be saved’ is kind like asking, “Do I have to have a wedding to be married?” 

 So in short (like anything would be short for me) if I were pinned to the wall for an answer, I would say something like, “baptism is the standard, biblical, objective time by which we can know and claim God’s promise to save us.”  I guess it might be something similar to how Peter described baptism as a “pledge of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21).  Though the physical act of baptism does not save us, it is never divorced from the salvation experience in scripture.  Actually, the idea of saying a prayer for salvation and then having an option to get baptized at a more convenient date is a rather new doctrine in Church history.  Well I’m sure that all of this makes it about as clear as muddy water.  But what we do find from the Biblical texts and earliest Christian writings is that much of the modern baptismal doctrine is foreign to the most ancient beliefs and practices.  So there does seem to be a connection between baptism and Church Admission.  Ok, feel free to run with that now.

Repentance is a harsh word for the modern Western world.  While multitudes in our age profess a belief in God and many times even in Jesus, a radical change to actually follow Christ is often absent.  Jesus himself stated that “unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:3).  Wow, did he say ‘Perish?”  So it sounds like this is something that we ought to be clear on.  The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words describes repentance as the changing of the mind or to “adopt another view.”  The modern term also derives from an old Greek Military term used to mean doing an “about face.”  So the picture is of soldiers going one direction and then doing a “repent” and then going another direction.  For our purposes here, the term describes a turning from oneself to Christ.  That’s actually a big point there.  It’s really about who’s boss, us or Christ?

We see this a number of times in Acts where people are called to, or choose themselves to repent and turn from their former ways and follow Christ.  In Acts chapter 2, the convicted crowd asks what they need to do and Peter tells them to repent.  There are places where Jesus tells the crowd to “repent and believe the good news.”  In John 8 a woman is caught in adultery and brought before Jesus.  Everyone knows this is a set up to actually catch Christ, but he steps in to the situation anyway and turns the wrath away from the woman.  Most people stop right there and use this as a proof text for not judging.  But Jesus finishes up the passage by telling the woman to “leave her life of sin.” 

A perfect Biblical illustration of this is found in Acts 19:19 where some folks who came to faith in Christ burnt their sorcery scrolls which were worth about 50 thousand drachmas.  A drachma was a silver coin worth about a days’ wage.  In short, these folks not only had a head knowledge of what it means to come to Christ and be in His Church, but they repented and completely turned from their past sin.  Here again we see a huge missing element in much of the pop Christianity of our day.  The real deal of being a Christ follower and part of His Church is a complete break from the past.  By this I’m not talking about leaving old friends, but old practices of rebellion against God.  That is what repentance is all about.  Some areas of repentance are clear.  If a couple is living together and come to Christ, then they need to abstain sexually before they get married.  That’s cut and dry.  Others are trickier and have to do with individual consciences.  For me, I remember an occasion of personal revival about 20 years ago where I chucked all my Pink Floyd and Classic rock albums because I believed they were standing in the way of a closer walk with Christ.  Either way, to come into the Church of God calls for a change, it calls for repentance.  So there you have it, now the ball’s in your court now.

I mean the Church is not a civic organization like the Lion’s Club in which one pays a fee and then recites an oath of loyalty for membership. Entrance into the Church is arrived at by entrance into Christ by faith. Everett Fergusson summarizes this point by stating that “one becomes a part of the church by being in the people of God, being incorporated into the body of Christ, and receiving the Holy Spirit.” The basis for this entry is the finished work of Christ on the cross. In Ephesians 2:8 Paul states that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Along that same line Paul notes that in opposition to works for salvation, now “a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known to which the Law and Prophets testify” (Romans 3:21). This truth makes Christianity separate from all other forms of religion. Entrance into the body of Christ is based on what Jesus has done and not on what we must do in order to merit His approval.

While this message is one of a gift from God, mankind is still required to respond to that message. The New Testament gives no evidence to universal salvation. In other words, everyone goes to heaven including Hitler and Stalin. Rather, the message of Christ is one that demands our acceptance or rejection. Positive response to Christ is what brings one into the fellowship of the saints. In summarizing various texts, a proper response can be delineated as follows:

1. Faith or Belief
The entire book of Romans conveys the truth that it is one’s faith opposed to works of a law system that brings one into Christ. In illustrating this point, Paul remembers Abraham and notes that he “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). This concurs with the historical statement of Jesus that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
To further illustrate authentic faith, James notes that “Even the demons believe that and shudder” (James 2:19). Again, Fergusson notes that “An analysis of faith shows that it involves the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It encompasses the assent of the intellect, the thrust of the emotions, and the obedience of the will.” Thus, Abraham’s faith was shown to be authentic by his’ placing Isaac on the altar. The tension lies in perspective. While we can neither earn nor maintain our salvation by works, our authentic faith will produce works. Real faith and belief will cause us to do something; it will cause us to respond to Christ.

1. The existing churches we have now can’t keep up with population growth.

2. New churches are more focused on Evangelism.

3. The sad reality is that many of the established churches have plateaued or are dying and are not willing to make the necessary changes to reach out and grow.

4. The culture and ethnic makeup of the US is changing. We no longer have to go across the ocean to find different cultures; they are coming here. Therefore we need new churches which will reach these new groups. (This is a big one for me)

     But what kind of thoughts and feelings come to mind when you hear the name “Church”?  What does the name really mean anyway?  Words can be confusing or even dangerous when we don’t know what they mean.  Take the word “Tolerance” for an example.  Historically, one of the most widely understood definitions of the word has gone something like, “the capacity for or practice of recognizing and respecting the opinions, practices, or behavior of others.”  In other words, it was the idea that says that while I don’t agree with you on a point, I’m not going to kill you over it.  But today the idea, especially in some parts of the world, conveys not only a ban on violent behavior, but on any form of disagreement at all.  If someone speaks out with an opposing view point on moral, religious, or political issues, they are automatically deemed to be “intolerant” even though they had absolutely no intentions of responding negatively or physically. 

     So having everyone arrive at the same definition or name is a big thing.  When it comes to the Church, most often the name is associated with a building in which religious services take place.  People might say “I’m going to church” or “I got offended the last time I was in church.”  On the positive side others would speak of being at church every week as a very encouraging experience.  By this they associate what goes on at a certain building at 11:00 every Sunday morning with church.  Though there is some truth in that understanding, this thought process in itself could not be further from the truth.  The CHURCH is so much more than that.  Stephen Macchia describes the church as “God’s vehicle for carrying the message of hope to needy people.” (pg. 14)  This idea implies ownership and purpose and that the Church belongs to God and it is to convey His message to others.  A modern theologian named Everett Furgusson states that “the Church may be defined as the people who come under the reign of God and accept his rule in their lives.” (pg. 26)  Making a more complicated definition, (hold on to your seats with this one) an older expert on the early church, Eberhardt Arnold, teaches that the “church is the action of God turned toward humankind, the religious and social manifestation of the Spirit at work on earth.” (pg. 26)  However the church is defined, it is quite clear that the New Testament conveys a church which is quite foreign to modern American or Western thought.  A major striking point is that people are the building blocks to the church rather than a building or program.  Peter easily illustrates this by stating that “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4).  In fact, nowhere in the Bible does the word Church refer to a physical building.  So let’s look at exactly what the word itself does mean.

     When considering the specific term of “Church” there are two defining words in particular to consider.  The first is the root of the actual English word Church.  The foundation comes from the old English word cirice, the Scottish word Kirk, and the German designation Kirche.  All of these terms were ultimately derived from the Greek word Kuriakos which means “the Lord’s.”  From this we see the idea of ownership.  That whatever the church is, Jesus owns it rather than humans.  We on the other hand belong to Him and are at His disposal.

     The second and most widely used term is ekklesia.  In essence the word means any assembly of people.  The term is derived from two other words.  The first is ek  meaning “out” and the second is kaleo  which means “to call”.  Thus, the combination of the two terms refers to those who have been called out of something or somewhere.  Originally the word carried no spiritual nature.  Acts 19 is a good illustration of this in that Demetrius initiated a riot and those involved are referred to as the assembly in verse 32.  However, with context and the further use of the word, came to describe the church opposed to other assemblies such as in Ephesians 5:23-25.  So from the combination of these two words the true nature of the church can be seen.  In essence, the church is a group of people who belong to God and are called out from the world.  1 Peter 2:9-12 illustrates the church as being called out from the world to live in a different nature.

     Because the church is “of the Lord” and it has been “called out by the Lord” then the church belongs to the Lord and this then mandates a character that is separate from the world and similar to that of Christ and God.  The church is owned by Christ and thus His words are to be taken seriously by those in the church.  So we cannot legitimately call ourselves the church if we do not take seriously what Christ has spoken in His written Word. Now that certainly conveys a whole lot more than Sunday morning attendance and pot luck suppers.