My name is Chris. I am one of the authors of the blog that posted this article. The article was meant as a satire/parody about some of the less than biblical emphases at the Southern Baptist Convention in recent years. I am, for now, still affiliated with the SBC, though in a small degree.
I would like to respond to "anonymous" above who said, "The world needs Christ, not the churches." That is a disheartening statement, and it makes me wonder if you have ever read God's word. The Bible says of the Church: "The Church...is his [Christ] body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1.22-23). Christ does nothing for the world apart from his church, i.e. his body, which is made up of all true believers in the Lord of Glory. Are you a true believer? Then you are a part of the church. Are you not a part of the church? Then you are not a true believer. Please don't get me wrong. I might understand where you are coming from if I knew something about you. It is easy to become disillusioned with those who claim to know Christ but who live like they are Christ. But the answer is not to turn your back on the church. It is "the fullness of him [God] who fills all in all." Make no mistake, there are serious problems among the people of God, but they are still the people of God (though not all who claim to be really are). I would ask you, if you are a believer, to pray for the church, but do not shun it. If you do, you shun Christ, and that is not a good thing. Derek Webb has a great song on his "She Must and Shall Go Free" cd about the church. In it Christ says, "You cannot care for me, with no regard for her; if you love me you will love the church." See also 1 John 3.14. Do not disregard her whom Christ loves and died for.
Good points Chris and I noted in the comments on your original post that your article was parody...and quite funny at that! I think some who read it just didn't get it.
Your point about the church is good and well taken. If the church = "ekklesia" = the called out ones = the body of believers, then you're absolutely right. Of course, when many people nowdays hear the word "church", they think of the building, an organization, a denomination, and that's probably the spirit in which anon made that first comment, in which case I also agree.
5 comments:
The World needs Christ not the churches.
Very interesting article.
Hmmmmm....wierd!!! I guess the world has to get worse before it can get better!
My name is Chris. I am one of the authors of the blog that posted this article. The article was meant as a satire/parody about some of the less than biblical emphases at the Southern Baptist Convention in recent years. I am, for now, still affiliated with the SBC, though in a small degree.
I would like to respond to "anonymous" above who said, "The world needs Christ, not the churches." That is a disheartening statement, and it makes me wonder if you have ever read God's word. The Bible says of the Church: "The Church...is his [Christ] body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1.22-23). Christ does nothing for the world apart from his church, i.e. his body, which is made up of all true believers in the Lord of Glory. Are you a true believer? Then you are a part of the church. Are you not a part of the church? Then you are not a true believer. Please don't get me wrong. I might understand where you are coming from if I knew something about you. It is easy to become disillusioned with those who claim to know Christ but who live like they are Christ. But the answer is not to turn your back on the church. It is "the fullness of him [God] who fills all in all." Make no mistake, there are serious problems among the people of God, but they are still the people of God (though not all who claim to be really are). I would ask you, if you are a believer, to pray for the church, but do not shun it. If you do, you shun Christ, and that is not a good thing. Derek Webb has a great song on his "She Must and Shall Go Free" cd about the church. In it Christ says, "You cannot care for me, with no regard for her; if you love me you will love the church." See also 1 John 3.14. Do not disregard her whom Christ loves and died for.
Good points Chris and I noted in the comments on your original post that your article was parody...and quite funny at that! I think some who read it just didn't get it.
Your point about the church is good and well taken. If the church = "ekklesia" = the called out ones = the body of believers, then you're absolutely right. Of course, when many people nowdays hear the word "church", they think of the building, an organization, a denomination, and that's probably the spirit in which anon made that first comment, in which case I also agree.
God bless.
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