"What Makes a Great Church? – Part 1”

 

Introduction: I am sure there are thousands in America today who, if you were to ask them "What is the church?" immediately they would think of a building. They want to tell you where the church meets, instead of what the church is. However, hear these definitive statements:

 

The church is never a place, but always a people; never a fold, never a building, but always a believing assembly.

The church represents the highest priority on God's agenda and is His blueprint for completing His plans on earth.

The church is more than an organization; it is an organism with Jesus Christ as the head.

 

Now if you would ask others, what makes a church a great church? Perhaps you would hear answers like:

               

Is it great because of the size of its buildings and congregations, or

Is it great because of the preacher’s preaching, or

Is it great because of the many programs, or

Is it great because of its outreach and missions programs.

 

Unfortunately in our religious world today, what many are looking for is a spiritual social club, an institution that offers convenient relationships, but certainly not an organization that influences people on how to live or what to believe.

 

We have become more concerned about the personal fulfillment the church can deliver rather than what the church stands for.

Yet in the New Testament, the church (the body of God's people) had little to do with slick marketing or fancy facilities. Rather it had everything to do with the people and the Spirit of God in her midst.

 

In Psalms 127:1 we read "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." Let’s make a one word change for the purpose of our subject, "Unless the Lord builds the CHURCH, they labor in vain who build it." Would to God that we could all be filled to overflowing with a profound sense of the glory of the church as God sees it! Therefore:

 

We must understand that the primary purpose of the church is to exhibit the "Glory of Almighty God." In Ephesians 3:21 we read, "Unto Him, be glory in the church by Christ Jesus." In Psalm 63:1-2 where we read, "…thou art my God, early will I seek thee…to see THY POWER and GLORY, as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."

  

We must understand that the church of the Living God was founded by the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "Upon this rock (we must ever remember that he was referring to Himself here) I will build My church." Not only is the church built on Christ, but the church is built by Christ.

 

We must understand that the church of the living God is an empty shell unless it is empowered and energized by the Holy Spirit of the Living God. The church is set ablaze when the Spirit of God fills a Christian with the PERSON of Christ, the PRESENCE of the Holy Spirit and the POWER of God.

 

Now in Acts 2 we are introduced to the church at Jerusalem. For the most part, the 2nd chapter of Acts is a sermon given by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost. At the end of this sermon the results of Pentecost are revealed in verses 37-47.

 

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (40) And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (42) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

 

Notice again verse 41 and the ending of verse 47, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." We are added unto the church because we have been joined by Christ, not because we have joined a specific congregation. Once we have put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, at that moment he places us into His church.

 

Notice again in verse 41 we read, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” What an increase in one day from the 120 in the upper room. The Lord added 3000 saved and baptized souls to the church at Jerusalem. You say, “Pastor, is that possible? Yes, it is when the Lord is in it!

 

Now at the risk of oversimplification and looking at the last 7 verses of Acts 2, we find FOUR objectives for the ministry of the church. Whatever we do as a church body ought to fall within the parameters of these objectives. To keep everything simple and easy to remember, let me suggest the acronym, WIFE:

 

                W            stands for WORSHIP

                 I             stands for INSTRUCTION

                 F            stands for FELLOWSHIP

                 E            stands for EXPRESSION

 

As we read verse 42, all four objectives emerge. And then, as we finish the chapter in verses 43-37, each of the four is illustrated. Before going on to study the FOUR objectives of this great church at Jerusalem, please note a very important fact given in verse 46, "And they continued daily with ONE ACCORD in the temple." FIVE TIMES in the first chapters of Acts, it is mentioned that the church was in ONE ACCORD.

 

I mention this for a purpose. This statement frightens me, because the Devil always wants to have DISHARMONY. Mark it down: where there is ACCORD in the church of Jesus Christ, Satan will seek to DISRUPT it. And what's even more frightening, he could very well use you to do it.

 

God can do business with a church in ONE ACCORD. Remember that was a part of the high Priestly prayer of our Lord in John 17, where he said that "WE MAY BE ONE AS HE AND THE FATHER ARE ONE." Why is this so important? Because when the world sees UNITY in the body of Christ, this becomes a POWERFUL TESTIMONY and WITNESS that we can have in sharing the Gospel of Christ. With that in mind, notice the FOUR OBJECTIVES:

 

First: WORSHIP was in the church at Jerusalem, verse 42, "And they continued steadfastly…" There was a single minded fidelity about this congregation of people. When the early saints met, intensity and full-hearted devotion blended with passionate commitment. Their worship was no half-hearted effort learned by rote. They participated. They got with it.

 

Verse 42 mentions their breaking bread and praying together. The immediate result found in verse 43 was "And fear came upon every soul…" Here was a breath-taking awareness of God's holy presence. A healthy respect for and fear of God pervaded. The scene was one of spontaneous joy and unrestrained response of praise.

 

The Father was being exalted;

The Son was being lifted; and

The Holy Spirit brought fresh expressions of freedom.

 

Is there anything more glorious? The Lord our God still awaits the praise of His people, and the wondrous worship of His children. But I fear worship is fast becoming a missing jewel of this hurried and efficient generation.

 

We have programs and activities, but so little worship.

We have hymns, songs and musicals, but so little worship.

We have announcements and reading of scripture and prayers, but so little worship.

Our services are regular, but dull and predictable.

Events are held on time, led by well meaning people, supported by folks who are faithful and dedicated, but the awe-inspiring delight and fear of almighty God is missing.

 

Our present day average user-friendly, entertainment-oriented, market-driven, pragmatic church setting, for the most part, is MAN-CENTERED, NOT GOD-CENTERED.

 

Its concern is what people desire, not what God demands.

It sees the church as existing for people's sake rather than for God's glory.

It is becoming a church where people say they want a place to meet their needs.

 

Many a person praises or blames a particular congregation because it is meeting not meeting their needs.

 

If that phase means that we need to satisfy spiritual hunger, then it is a good expression. Surely, everyone ought to be in a Christian community where his or her deepest spiritual needs are being addressed. But sadly many are reaching for self-serving goals. If the church does not fulfill certain expectations, wants and preferences, then they must move on to another "EMOTIONAL DEPARTMENT STORE" with different merchandise more appealing to their "TASTES."

 

Now before arguing with me over what was just said, stop and think.

 

IS our church experiencing true worship?

ARE you at times near tears or "lost in wonder, love, and praise" so that you momentarily forget your whereabouts?

DO you come into the house of God prepared with your heart right before God and your ears open to the calling and prompting of the Holy Spirit of God?

IS your soul lifted up in hymns and singing unto our God?

IS there a freedom in your soul, a ground swell of gratitude in your spirit, an intensity in prayer that blocks out non-essentials so completely that you can concentrate without interruption?

 

The members of the early church WORSHIPPED GOD. They set their focus on God. There was a sense of worship. Once you have tasted true worship, you will never want to PLAY church again.

 

Second: INSTRUCTION was in the church at Jerusalem. These early Christians "continued steadfastly in the Apostle's Doctrine…"

 

In verse 44 they came to be known as those "that believed" which means they were embracing areas of truth.

According to Acts 4:4 the church grew as "many of them who heard the word believed…"

In Acts 6:4 the number of people increased as the apostles devoted themselves "to pray and to the ministry of the word."

 

Nothing caused the leadership in the early Church to relinquish the ministry of the Word. No petty concerns, no pressing needs, not even complaints within the assembly decreased the emphasis on Biblical instruction.

 

As the Word of God was faithfully declared and the gospel preached, new converts were consistently added to the church.

As Christians were fed solid meat and deeper truths from the scriptures, believers grew in the Lord.

 

In our day of shallow sermonettes, syrupy devotionals, and highly emotional tirades that lack scriptural substance, never lose sight of the importance of "solid biblical instruction." As your Pastor this has to be the number one priority of my ministry, the "PREACHING AND TEACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD."

 

In I Peter 5:2 as your pastor I am admonished "to feed the flock of God which is among you…”

Paul in II Timothy 4:2 constantly remains me to "preach the word…in season and out of season."

 

And as such I deeply appreciate many of you who are taking in the Word of God and giving it a gracious spirit hearing. To be a church member is not only to be involved in worship, but also to be involved in instruction.

 

Third: FELLOWSHIP was in the church at Jerusalem. Notice again verse 44, “And all that believed were together, and had all things common;” In Acts 4:32-35 we read, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. (33) And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (34) Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, (35) And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” True fellowship means that we care for one another.

 

The church was never meant to be merely a set of buildings where you come, sit, worship, learn and leave. The church is a community of believers who demonstrate genuine concern for each other.

 

In the New Testament we have two unique words that describe for us this kind of fellowship

 

Number one is the Greek word "ALLELON" most frequently translated "ONE ANOTHER" used 58 times in the New Testament with Paul using the word 40 times. For example:

 

                We are to PRAY for one another.

                We are to REJOICE with one another.

                We are to GREET one another.

                We are to LOVE one another (used 16 times).

                We are to SERVE one another.

                We are to BUILD UP one another.

                We are to BEAR WITH one another.

                We are to BE DEVOTED to one another.

 

Number two is the Greek word "Koinonia" which has the idea of something held in common with others. The early Christians had things in common with one another. They were together.

 

They didn't come to worship like an isolated bag of marbles making a lot of noise as they banded together, then marched out in single file.

They came like a cluster of ripe grapes. Their lives naturally ran into each other, they willingly reached out and put their arms around each other and in so doing they gave of themselves to each other.

 

Some years ago I found two different quotes pertaining to fellowship in two different sources. One is negative and the other is positive. As you hear the quotes, you should determine in which category you belong.

 

The first is a NEGATIVE statement involving pettiness in the church. “Pettiness is the tendency of people without large purposes. Petty people are those who have lost their vision. They are people who have turned their eyes away from what matters and focus, instead, on what doesn't matter. The result is that the rest of us are immobilized by their obsession with the insignificant. Pettiness has become a serious disease in the Church of Jesus Christ, a disease which continues to result in terminal cases of discord, disruption, and destruction. Petty people are what someone called a spiritual health hazard. Pettiness takes a terrible toll. It kills our joy."

 

The second is a POSITIVE statement. If any group of Christians who claim to believe and practice all God has said in His Word will face up to their personal responsibility within the family of God, and to the real needs of Christians around them, their church will impress its community with the shining goodness of God's love. Such a transformation probably would do more to attract others to Jesus Christ than any house to house canvas, evangelistic campaign or new church program or facility. People are hungry for acceptance, love and friends, and unless they find them in the church they may not stay there long enough to become personally related to Jesus Christ. People are not persuaded, they're attracted."

 

Into which arena do you find yourself within the fellowship of the body of Christ? Are you continually positive, or are you somewhat negative?

 

So far we have the ingredients of WORSHIP, INSTRUCTION and FELLOWSHIP as objectives for the church.

 

Fourth: EXPRESSION was in the church at Jerusalem. This reveals to me that it was a reaching body, verse 47, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Expression would include evangelism, a vision of missions, and a reaching out to those outside our circle who are in need of compassion.

 

Next week I am going to concentrate on this fourth point in more detail as we again look at this great church at Jerusalem from Acts chapters 3-7. However, today think of this:

 

   The church gathered and caring for one another is FELLOWSHIP.

   The church scattered and reaching out to others is EXPRESSION.

 

Let's take one more look at verse 47, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” What a scene! Here in ancient Jerusalem was a group of believers whose:

 

Worship was spontaneous,

Instruction was substantial,

Fellowship was genuine, and

Expression was compassionate.

No wonder so many new folks were getting saved and being added to the church. What makes this fact so interesting; it was not just happening during a formal invitation on Sunday morning, it was happening daily.

 

When we embrace these FOUR OBJECTIVES, several benefits come our way.

 

Our eyes get off ourselves and on to the Lord.

Our own petty differences are minimized, which quickly deepens the unity of our relationships.

 

When these FOUR OBJECTIVES are kept in balance, this creates a magnetism that makes the church irresistible. When the church is irresistible then we become what the church was originally designed to be.

 

In our modern day, theological, theoretical world, it is so easy to lose our way. So easy for the church to become little more than a museum, a dust-collecting group of buildings and pieces of furniture, lots of stuff to look at, but lacking dynamic relationships and purpose. So easy, for the church to become nothing but an endless series of activities, with lots of motion and noise, but very little accomplished of eternal significance.

 

So what will our church be? One of these museum pieces, one of those places with a lot of "hot air activities," or a place where the "Glory and power of Almighty God" is seen and felt and the joy of the Lord pervades in the power of the Holy Spirit? The answer is up to you.

 

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If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon "What Makes a Great Church? (Part 1)” then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

 

Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in

 

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: “I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation.”

If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior let me know? Please send an e-mail to, pdmikBBM@aol.com and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life.

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