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The Role of the Church · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the deep dive presented by Reformed Thinking.
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We take different sources, articles, notes and we pull out
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the key insights for you, aiming to give you a shortcut to being
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well informed. That's right, we try to find
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those surprising facts, maybe add a little bit of perspective,
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hopefully keep you engaged. And today we're tackling a
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really foundational topic, the church itself.
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What is its purpose? What's its makeup?
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We've looked at various theological writings focusing
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on, well, its core jobs, the main message that fuels it, and
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the sort of spiel that should guide it.
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Yeah, it's really an exploration into why the church exists, what
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it's called to do, and you know how it's supposed to operate in
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a world that's always changing. We'll touch on things like
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evangelism, building up believers, worship, social care.
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All grounded in that central message, the good news, which is
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really at the heart of Christian life.
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Right. The goal here is to clarify
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these basic elements and think about why they still matter, not
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just for the institution, but for, you know, each of us.
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So if you've ever wondered about the church's role or how it's
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supposed to function, well, this deep dive is definitely for you.
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We'll be looking through a biblical lens, drawing on
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scripture, looking at some historical observations too, to
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see what's laid out for us. OK, let's get into this.
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A lot of people might think the church is mainly there for its
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members, maybe for upholding traditions.
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But what jumps out right away from these sources is this,
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well, almost counterintuitive idea that the church doesn't
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exist for its own sake. It's designed to be outward
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focused. It was brought into being
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specifically to continue Christ's work here on earth.
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It's about carrying on what Jesus did, doing what he would
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do if he were physically here. That's quite a mandate.
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It really changes your perspective, doesn't it?
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It's not about maintaining an institution primarily.
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Absolutely. And when we talk about carrying
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on Christ's ministry, it's not just some vague idea.
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The text we looked at, they point to a balance, really a
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balance of four specific functions that are essential for
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the church's spiritual health. Like 4 pillars holding
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everything up. Kind of like that, yeah.
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And what's really fascinating is how the good news itself, the
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gospel, isn't just one of those functions.
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It's presented as the very center of everything the church
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does. It shapes all the activities,
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gives them purpose. So it's the hub that connects
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the pillars and beyond what the church does, these sources also
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talk about how it should do it right?
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It's attitude, it's character. Exactly.
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Especially in a world like ours, always in flux, two qualities
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really stand out. First, a readiness to live out
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its purpose for others. A real other centeredness.
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Not focused on itself. Not at all.
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And 2nd, a readiness to adjust its methods, its ways of
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operating without losing the core message.
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These really define the posture the Church should have as it
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follows its Lord. OK, so if the main goal is
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carrying on Christ's ministry, what are the actual blueprints?
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You mentioned 4 pillars. Let's look at the first one.
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The sources highlight evangelism.
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This is presented as maybe the primary reason the church
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exists, especially when you look at Jesus's final words to his
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followers. Right, those Commission
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passages. Yeah, like in Matthew 28, Go and
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make disciples of all nations. Or Acts 1.8 where he says
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they'll be his witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
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Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
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These aren't just gentle suggestions, are they?
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Not at all. They're presented as marching
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orders. And crucially, this command came
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with an incredible assurance just before the Matthew 28
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Commission. Jesus says all authority in
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heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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So it wasn't just a request, it was backed by his authority.
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Complete authority. They weren't just allowed to go,
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they were empowered to go with Heaven's full backing.
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And it wasn't something they had to do in their own strength,
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either. He promised help.
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Yes, the help of the Holy Spirit.
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So they were authorized and equipped for what was, let's
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face it, a pretty daunting task. He also promised his presence
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with them always to the very end of the age, showing this mission
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wasn't just for them, but for every generation after.
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And the scope he laid out is just immense.
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It starts locally and expands outwards.
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Jerusalem. That's their immediate
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neighborhood. Right, the place where Pentecost
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happened, where the first converts gathered.
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It made sense for the church to grow there first through
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existing relationships within that social network.
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But Jerusalem was also tricky, wasn't it?
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I mean, that's where Jesus was crucified.
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There must have been distrust, maybe even hostility, towards
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the message. Definitely challenging, yet that
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closeness also probably forged a strong unity among those early
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believers as they faced opposition together.
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Then it moves out to all Judea. How is that different?
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Judea was culturally similar, mostly Jewish like Jerusalem,
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but it was more spread out geographically.
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People live further away. Couldn't all gather in one
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central spot. So expansion into Judea meant
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starting new congregation. Exactly, spreading the message
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into nearby towns and villages. It shows a kind of radiating
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pattern moving outwards, but still within a familiar cultural
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setting. OK, then comes Samaria, and the
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sources suggest this was a really tough assignment for the
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disciples. Oh, absolutely.
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Because of that deep, long standing conflict between Jews
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and Samaritans, it went back centuries to the Babylonian
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captivity. Have something to do with
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rebuilding the temple? Yes, the Samaritans, who were a
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mixed people group resulting from intermarriage, offered to
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help rebuild it, but the returning Jews rejected them.
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That rejection turned into real bitterness on both sides.
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You feel that tension in the Gospels, like the woman at the
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well in John 4. Surprised Jesus would even talk
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to her. Right.
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Or Jesus telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, deliberately
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making the Samaritan the hero to challenge those prejudices about
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who your neighbor is. So sending the disciples to
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Samaria was a direct hit against their ingrained biases.
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It was a powerful lesson in breaking down barriers, stepping
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way outside their comfort zone. And finally, to the ends of the
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earth. That's, well, everywhere else.
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Global. No limits.
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Geographical, ethnic, cultural. The message is for everyone.
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Every kind of person, even those you might naturally dislike or
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see, is completely different. And they couldn't possibly do
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that alone in one generation. No, the idea was multiplication
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converts reaching others who reach others, like ripples
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spreading outwards. And the sources are quite clear.
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If the church neglects any of these areas, local, regional,
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cross cultural, global cost, it risks becoming spiritually
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unhealthy. It's not fulfilling its design.
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OK, so evangelism is the initial outreach, but once people
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respond, what's next? The sources don't stop there.
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They move to something called edification, building up
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believers. Yes, nurturing that new faith.
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It's presented as logically following evangelism, focusing
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inward after the outward reach. The Apostle Paul talks about
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this a lot, building up the body of Christ.
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It's not just about getting people in the door, but helping
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them grow up in their faith. Precisely, Ephesians 4 says God
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gives gifts to the church to equip his people for works of
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service so that the body of Christ may be built up.
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And notice it's his people, plural.
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So not just the job of pastors or leaders.
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No, it's a mutual thing. All believers are meant to grow
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and every member contributes to strengthening others, Paul says.
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Everything done in the church should aim at this building up,
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even just talking. How does this building up
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happen? The sources mentioned a few key
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ways. First, there's Fellowship
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Koinonia. Right.
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That Greek word means something like having or holding things in
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common. In the early church, it could
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even mean sharing possessions, but it's broader than that.
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Sharing life experiences. Deeply sharing, supporting each
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other, sympathizing, Galatians 6.2 says bear one another's
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burdens. It's about real interdependence,
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sharing joys, lessening hurts together.
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And sometimes that fellowship involves difficult things too,
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like correction. Yes, correction and rebuke.
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When done lovingly, the goal is restoration, bringing people
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back to healthy living and fellowship.
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In serious cases, it could even involve temporary exclusion, but
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always with the aim of bringing them back.
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The community helps keep people on.
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Track It acts as a safeguard against drifting away from clear
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standards. The sources note that sometimes
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in more modern times, the idea of the priesthood of all
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believers got twisted into a kind of unchecked individualism.
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Everyone's opinion is equally valid.
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Which can hinder growth if it ignores biblical standards.
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Exactly. Community accountability is
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actually healthy for doctrine and practice.
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OK, fellowship correction. What else contributes to
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building up instruction and teaching seem crucial.
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Absolutely vital. It's part of making disciples
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who learn to obey everything I have commanded you.
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As Jesus said. Ephesians 4 also mentions God
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giving pastors and teachers specifically for this.
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It's about learning deeply, systematically.
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And this teaching isn't just Sunday morning sermons, right?
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No, that happens in lots of settings, and it's not just for
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official leaders. Think about Priscilla and Akula
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taking Apollo's aside in their home to explain things more
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accurately. That's mutual teaching.
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So Sunday school, small groups, seminaries, Christian colleges.
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All of it day schools, mission schools globally.
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And there's also this duty the church has to deepen its
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understanding of Scripture with the sources called God's special
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revelation. His direct communication.
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Right. And how that connects with
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general revelation, how God reveals himself to nature,
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conscience, history. The church needs to understand
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both and how they fit together. It requires real biblical
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scholarship. Preaching is obviously a big
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part of instruction too. Huge.
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It's been central since the beginning.
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Paul connects it with prophesying at 1st Corinthians
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14, saying its purpose is strengthening encouragement and
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comfort for the church. It's a public, communal way to
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build people up. And finally, under edification,
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the sources mentioned spiritual gifts.
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Yes, God equips the Church with a whole variety of gifts given
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by the Holy Spirit as He sees fit, and they're specifically
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given for building each other up.
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So when things like faith or service are called gifts, it
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means like an extra measure of those qualities.
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It suggests that yes, an unusual or heightened capacity in
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certain areas enabling people to lead or contribute significantly
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there. The spirit orchestrates it so
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the body has what it needs to grow strong together.
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OK, Pillar one evangelism, Pillar 2 edification.
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What's the third worship? Worship, and this shifts the
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focus. Edification is about believers
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building each other up. Worship is primarily focused on
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the Lord Himself. It's about praising God,
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exalting him. Exactly.
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The attention turns to who God is, His character, His actions,
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not primarily our own feelings or needs.
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It's about expressing his worth like you see in the Psalms or
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those amazing scenes in Revelation.
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But the sources say worship does benefit the worshippers too,
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even though the focus is God. Yes, it does.
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Paul's warnings in First Corinthians 14 about praying or
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singing in ways people can't understand imply that
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understandable worship does help build people up.
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So while God is the focus, our connection with Him certainly
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benefits us. And this was a regular thing for
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the early church gathering for worship.
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Definitely. Paul mentions instructions for
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regular giving in First Corinthians 16, which implies
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regular meetings, and Hebrews 10 explicitly warns believers not
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to give up meeting together. It was a core discipline.
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Now here's an interesting point the sources make keeping worship
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distinct from other functions. Yes, that's a sharp insight.
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It's easy for worship services to kind of drift, maybe become
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too focused on just interacting with other Christians, or maybe
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turning into an evangelistic rally for unbelievers during the
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worship time. And the argument is that
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compromises the health of the church.
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It can, yes. If worship loses its primary God
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centered focus, something vital is lost.
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The pattern we see in Acts seems to be believers gather for
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praise and building up, then they go out to reach others.
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Keeping those functions relatively distinct helps
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maintain balance. But the style of worship can
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vary. It doesn't have to look the same
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everywhere. Oh.
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Absolutely. There's room for lots of
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variation. Music, liturgy, prayers, the
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message style. It can adapt to culture and
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context. The key, according to 1st
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Corinthians 14, is that it's done in a fitting and orderly
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way. So it needs to glorify God and
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connect people with Him. That's the main thing.
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Right. It's not about rigidly
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preserving old forms just because they're old, or chasing
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novelty just to be new. It's about the substance and
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purpose being right. OK, the fourth pillar, social
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concern. Yes, this is about the Church's
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call to acts of Christian love and compassion, both for fellow
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believers and for those outside the church.
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And this comes directly from Jesus's example.
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Directly, Jesus consistently cared for the needy, the
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suffering. He healed the sick, fed the
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hungry, even raised the dead. The Church is called to carry on
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that kind of practical ministry. The biblical basis seems really
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strong here. You mentioned the Good Samaritan
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earlier. Yes, Luke 10.
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That parable shows what real love for your neighbor looks
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like. Practical costly action and then
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Matthew 25 where Jesus links helping the least of these
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directly to serving him. It suggests these acts are a
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sign of genuine faith and the. Letters in the New Testament
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reinforce this. Strongly, James is very direct
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about practical faith. He defines true religion partly
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as looking after orphans and widows.
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He condemns showing favoritism to the rich or offering empty
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words without action, famously saying faith without deeds is
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dead. And John says something similar.
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First, John three, if you have material possessions and see a
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brother or sister in need, but close your heart, how can God's
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love be in you? He urges loving not just with
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words, but in D and in truth. It's a consistent theme.
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Compassion demands action. Does this social concern also
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includes speaking out against injustice?
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It does. Think of the Old Testament
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prophets constantly calling out societal evil and corruption.
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Or John the Baptist confronting Herod about his sin even though
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it cost him his freedom and eventually his life.
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So the Church isn't meant to be silent on moral wrongs.
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No, even when it's difficult or dangerous, the church acts where
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it sees need or wrong. Sometimes that's direct relief,
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food, shelter. Other times it might involve
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working to change the conditions that cause the problems, like
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advocating for justice. And this can be the Church
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acting together or individual Christians acting out their
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faith. Both historically Christian
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groups started many early colleges and hospitals.
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Today, even though governments do a lot of charitable work, the
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sources note that evangelical groups are often highly active
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globally in medical, agricultural, educational
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ministries, especially in really tough places.
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Often doing more per person than other groups.
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That's what some observers like Litteret and Kelly noted.
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Yeah, it's a continuing expression of that call to
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compassion. Now this is where it all seems
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to come together. We've talked about these four
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functions, evangelism, edification, worship, social
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concern. But they aren't just separate
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tasks. They're all connected and driven
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by one thing. The good news, The Gospel.
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Yes, the sources describe it as the very heart of the Church's
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work. It gives shape, direction and
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purpose to everything else. It's the engine.
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It's foundational. Absolutely.
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Jesus himself kicked off his ministry proclaiming it Mark
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one. The time has come.
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The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good
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news. And he commissioned his
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followers to spread that same message.
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He did. He tied faithfulness to the good
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news directly to loyalty to him. He said it had to be declared to
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all nations before the end could come.
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It's presented as non negotiable.
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What about the term itself? Good news?
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Does it have a history? It does in the Old Testament.
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The Hebrew verb basar usually means proclaiming good news,
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often news of victory or something significant.
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It carries a sense of joy. Like a messenger bringing good
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tidings after a battle. Exactly that kind of thing.
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And in the New Testament, the Greek words you angelisumai and
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you Angelian always mean good tidings.
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One scholar, Gerhard Friedrich, calls you Angelian, a technical
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term for news of victory. News of victory?
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That's powerful. It highlights the triumphant
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nature of the message. It really does.
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And what's striking is that Jesus didn't just announce the
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good news. He was the good news.
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His person, His life, His death, His resurrection, then, is the
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message. He embodied it.
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Completely. He knew he was the Son of God
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who had to die and rise, and he knew that this reality was the
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substance of the message his followers would carry.
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How did Paul understand this good news?
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He uses the term gospel a lot. He does, often without defining
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it, which shows his readers already knew what it meant.
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For Paul, it seems to have two related senses, the act of
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proclaiming and the actual content being proclaimed.
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When he talks about speaking or hearing the gospel, he means a
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specific, recognized message. OK, So what is that specific
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content? What did Paul consider the core
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of the good news? Well, it centers entirely on
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Jesus Christ and what God did through him.
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The essential points seem to be Jesus's identity as the Son of
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God, fully divine. And fully human.
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Yes, his genuine humanity, his descent from David, then his
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death for our sins. And Paul stresses this was,
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according to the Scriptures, part of God's plan.
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Not an accident. Not at all.
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Then his burial confirming his death, Then his resurrection on
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the third day, also according to the scriptures, proving his
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victory. And finally his appearances to
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many witnesses afterwards. Peter, the 12 / 500 people at
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once. James, all the apostles, Paul
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himself. Providing solid evidence.
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Undeniable verification and the good news also includes his
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future return for judgement, which means vindication for
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believers. And this isn't presented as a
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totally new story, is it? It connects to the Old
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Testament. Directly, Paul constantly shows
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how these events fulfill Old Testament promises and
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prophecies. It ties the whole Bible together
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and a key part of the message is how we are made right with God
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justification. How does that happen?
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By faith in what Christ did. It's a gift, His gracious works,
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not something we earn through our actions.
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That's central to the good news. And it's more than just
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intellectual facts. Oh, much more.
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It connects personally. Jesus died for our sins.
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His resurrection is the beginning of the resurrection
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for all believers. It gives us hope for the future.
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Everyone, the sources say, will ultimately be judged based on
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how they respond to this message.
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It's personally relevant to every single person.
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The sources also talk about the good news having its own kind of
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life, its own vitality. Yes, inherent energy.
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Romans 1.1 in scene calls it God's own strength that brings
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salvation to everyone who believes is how life and
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immortality are revealed. It brings real peace, real hope.
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And how do we get those blessings?
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Peace, hope, joy. Interestingly, not by chasing
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them directly. The sources suggest they come
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when you give yourself up for Christ and the good news.
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Letting go of self will pride, seeking God's honor first.
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True self worth flows from that posture, not from self focus.
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Paul was also very clear that this good news is unique, wasn't
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he? Absolute, absolute and
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exclusive, he insisted. Nothing should be added to it or
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taken away from it, he said. There's no other way to
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salvation. He used some strong language
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against changing it. Extremely strong.
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In Galatians 1 he pronounces a curse on anyone, even an Angel,
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who preaches a different gospel that shows how utterly critical
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he believed it's purity was. He was committed to defending
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it. Fiercely, he saw it as his
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unchanging, infallible resource for humanity, and he felt this
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deep inner compulsion to share it everywhere.
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And this message cuts across all human divisions, race, status,
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education. All of them.
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It's relevant to everyone, everywhere, across time.
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It's presented as the Church's sacred trust today, something
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precious to be guarded and shared.
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And it offers a unique hope. Unique hope?
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How so? Well, the sources contrast it
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with the kind of despair you sometimes find elsewhere.
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They mentioned the ancient Greek playwright sophically saying the
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best fate was never to be born at all.
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That's pretty bleak. It is, and that sense of
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meaninglessness echoed into the 20th century with existentialist
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writers like Sartre or Camus or Saul Bellow, who wrote about a
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world where death is God. It's a picture of existence
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without ultimate hope. But the good news offers
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something different. Completely different.
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Peter, in his first letter, talks about a new birth into a
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living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
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from the dead. It's not wishful thinking.
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It's a living hope grounded in a historical event that's unique.
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So safeguarding this message is crucial for the church's health.
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Absolutely critical. The sources argue that modifying
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it, watering it down, causes the church to lose its spiritual
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life in decline. And they point to history.
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What is History Show? Observers like Kenneth Scott
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Latrad and Dean Kelly noted that denominations or churches that
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moved away from the core tenets of the historic good news tended
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to shrink and lose vitality. While those who held onto it.
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Conservative evangelical groups that continue to proclaim that
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message clearly saw significant growth and were more effective
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in reaching people outside the church.
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It suggests a direct link between the integrity of the
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message and the flourishing of the Church.
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OK, so we've looked at the church's functions and the
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central message, but the sources also talk about the attitude or
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spirit the church should have as it goes about its work.
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Right, it's disposition 2. Qualities seem particularly key,
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especially for navigating our world today.
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First, a readiness to live for others.
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Second, a readiness to adapt its methods.
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And this reflects Jesus himself. Directly Matthew 20.
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He came not to be served, but to serve.
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Philippians 2. He took the very form of a
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servant that selfless orientation should define the
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Church to. Let's unpack that readiness to
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serve. What does it look like?
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It means understanding that the Church is put in the world to
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serve its Lord and to serve the world around it.
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It's not here to be admired or to build its own Kingdom or just
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satisfy its own members needs. Regardless of how big or wealthy
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it is. Regardless, its decisions
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shouldn't be based on what benefits the institution itself,
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but on what benefits those it's called to reach.
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And like Jesus, it should go to those society might overlook.
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Exactly. Jesus went to the Samaritan
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woman to Zacchaeus the tax collector.
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He let the sinful woman wash his feet.
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The Church should similarly go to those considered undesirable
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or helpless, people who can't offer anything in return, even
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to the point of self sacrifice. Does this also affect how the
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Church relates to society politically?
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Yes, this service orientation means the church won't try to
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dominate society or use political power to force
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spiritual outcomes. It respects the different roles
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God gave to the church and the state.
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As Paul outlines in Romans 13, spiritual change comes through
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persuasion and God's spirit, not worldly force.
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OK, so serving others is 1 quality, the other is
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adaptability. Adaptability.
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Yes. Being versatile, flexible,
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adjusting methods and procedures to fit, changing situations
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without changing the core direction or message.
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So maybe changing how services are structured or how outreach
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is done depending on the culture or time.
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Could be geographical changes, cultural shifts, new
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technologies. It means not being rigidly stuck
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in old ways just because we've always done it this way and
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this. Adaptability also mirrors
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Christ. It does think of the
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incarnation, Christ willingly taking on human limitations,
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entering our world to reach us. Philippians 2 again.
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The Church, similarly, should adapt its forms to connect with
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people where they are. The goal is relevant
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communication. Relevant communication of an
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unchanging message, expressing and applying the core Christian
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truths in ways that resonate today.
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This might require big shifts in the church's outward appearance
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or structure sometimes. But there's a caution here too,
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isn't there, about adapting too much?
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A crucial caution while adapting forms, the church has to be
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incredibly careful not to change the essential message or its
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core way of life to the point where it drifts away from the
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New Testament pattern. Because there will always be
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friction points between biblical faith and any culture.
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Always, when the culture promotes values that clash
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directly with Scripture, the church needs to stand firm on
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the truth, even while seeking ways to engage lovingly.
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The ultimate goal isn't just short term cultural acceptance,
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but long term faithfulness to its calling.
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It's a balancing act, knowing what can change and what
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absolutely must not. Hashtag tag, tag, outrage and
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about. Well, we've covered a lot of
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ground today. We've dug into the church's
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foundational functions, that outward push of evangelism, the
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inward building up through edification, the upward focus of
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worship, and the outward care of social concern.
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And we've seen how the good news, the gospel message about
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Jesus Christ, isn't just one piece, but the very pulse that
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drives all of it. We also look at those key
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qualities, a church marked by a readiness to put others first
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and a readiness to adapt its methods for the sake of its
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mission, all while holding on to that core, unchanging message.
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Yes, it really comes through that the Good News defines the
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Church's reason for being. Its message, its strength, its
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purity, its ongoing life. It all hinges on that gospel.
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If that message gets altered, the source suggests the church's
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very identity and negativeness are jeopardized.
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So thinking about all this for you listening, what does this
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deep dive into the church's functions and nature bring up?
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How do you see these playing out, or maybe needing to play
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out more in the church today? And what might that mean for
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your own part in it? It certainly gives us a solid
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framework for understanding what the Church is meant to be and
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do, and it definitely prompts us to think about how we personally
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and collectively align with these patterns that have endured
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through centuries. Thank you for joining us for
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this deep dive into the purpose and character of the church.
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Until next time, keep exploring and seeking.