FROM THE PASTOR
What Makes Church, Church?
Church is clearly not a building. When Christianity spread, not long after the first Pentecost, the first followers had virtually no place to worship. They couldn’t worship in the Jewish synagogues, so they met in people’s homes. This is where many Christians today get the ‘home-church’ concept from (basically read the whole book of Acts). Sometime around the second century, many Christians in Rome faced severe persecution, which literally sent them underground, so they made their church in the catacombs (underground cemeteries) around the edge of the city. Today, some Christians gather at the pub (or local cafe) and they call it ‘pub-church’. Some Christians have met at the local footy-club, and formed a ‘footy-club church’. Some young Christians may even meet at the local skate park, and they call it (you guessed it…). Most of the mainstream Christian churches still meet in a building, old, new, rundown, or otherwise. But Christians have gathered together in all sorts of ways in all sorts of places down through the centuries.
But what makes “church”, church? Is it an organisational structure? Does it mean having a pastor, priest, minister, bishop, worship leader, elder, or some other person? If you were to plant, or form a church, some questions would need to be asked, like: who would conduct baptism preparation and perform baptisms, with follow up after? Who would do the Bible studies? Who would be preaching, or administering Holy Communion? Where would the time, energies, money and other resources come from? Does church mean having a name tag, or denominational affiliation, say: Lutheran? Catholic? Anglican? Uniting? AOG? Or some other catchy name, say The Vineyard, Sea Change, or whatever. And how many people are necessary to make a church?
I still haven’t answered the question what makes a church. Let’s now have a listen to what Jesus, the head of the church says:
‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I, in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20).
At the heart of it, “church”, is the coming together of people who trust in Jesus Christ: trust that God in Christ, forgives their sins and blesses their lives, hears their prayers and gives them eternal life all because of what Jesus did in his living, dying and rising again to life. The minimum number is three; two people and Jesus Christ. For he is always present wherever even two of his own meet to speak to him, hear his word and receive grace.
I look forward to a series on “The Church” in upcoming Newsletters.
Easter greetings and blessings, In Christ, pastor Mat.
We Pray For:
† The whole church, the flock of Christ, all who are newly baptised or confirmed; especially young ones baptised here.
† Those who persecute God’s people, like Saul, that they may repent.
† Christians who have neglected their faith or fallen into sin, like Peter, that they may be restored to service.
† The upcoming federal election.
† Nations throughout the world, that the good news may be heard in every land.
† Our loved ones and others we know who are sick, disabled or elderly, and who must be cared for by others.
Church is clearly not a building. When Christianity spread, not long after the first Pentecost, the first followers had virtually no place to worship. They couldn’t worship in the Jewish synagogues, so they met in people’s homes. This is where many Christians today get the ‘home-church’ concept from (basically read the whole book of Acts). Sometime around the second century, many Christians in Rome faced severe persecution, which literally sent them underground, so they made their church in the catacombs (underground cemeteries) around the edge of the city. Today, some Christians gather at the pub (or local cafe) and they call it ‘pub-church’. Some Christians have met at the local footy-club, and formed a ‘footy-club church’. Some young Christians may even meet at the local skate park, and they call it (you guessed it…). Most of the mainstream Christian churches still meet in a building, old, new, rundown, or otherwise. But Christians have gathered together in all sorts of ways in all sorts of places down through the centuries.
But what makes “church”, church? Is it an organisational structure? Does it mean having a pastor, priest, minister, bishop, worship leader, elder, or some other person? If you were to plant, or form a church, some questions would need to be asked, like: who would conduct baptism preparation and perform baptisms, with follow up after? Who would do the Bible studies? Who would be preaching, or administering Holy Communion? Where would the time, energies, money and other resources come from? Does church mean having a name tag, or denominational affiliation, say: Lutheran? Catholic? Anglican? Uniting? AOG? Or some other catchy name, say The Vineyard, Sea Change, or whatever. And how many people are necessary to make a church?
I still haven’t answered the question what makes a church. Let’s now have a listen to what Jesus, the head of the church says:
‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I, in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20).
At the heart of it, “church”, is the coming together of people who trust in Jesus Christ: trust that God in Christ, forgives their sins and blesses their lives, hears their prayers and gives them eternal life all because of what Jesus did in his living, dying and rising again to life. The minimum number is three; two people and Jesus Christ. For he is always present wherever even two of his own meet to speak to him, hear his word and receive grace.
I look forward to a series on “The Church” in upcoming Newsletters.
Easter greetings and blessings, In Christ, pastor Mat.
We Pray For:
† The whole church, the flock of Christ, all who are newly baptised or confirmed; especially young ones baptised here.
† Those who persecute God’s people, like Saul, that they may repent.
† Christians who have neglected their faith or fallen into sin, like Peter, that they may be restored to service.
† The upcoming federal election.
† Nations throughout the world, that the good news may be heard in every land.
† Our loved ones and others we know who are sick, disabled or elderly, and who must be cared for by others.