The Coming Re-Formation Of The Church
Photo by The Visual Folk
This is the first in a series of articles expounding on the need for re-formation in the church.
See the original article here: 9.5 Theses: The Needed Re-Formation of the Church.
Thesis 1: God Is Doing Something New in the World Today
Although we rejoice whenever we see evidence of God’s activity in and through his people, many of us recognize that something is wrong in the church today—seriously wrong. There is widespread agreement that things are not what they ought to be. The evidence is plentiful and speaks for itself:
The continuing decline of church attendance in many places.
The number of young people raised in the church who abandon the faith when they become adults.
The politicization of the church—seen both on the right and the left.
The erosion of theological orthodoxy and the rise of alternative belief systems (prosperity theology, Christian nationalism, etc.).
The moral failure of spiritual leaders.
The church’s ineffectiveness in being a positive influence on the broader culture.
Superficiality of both faith and practice.
The fact that the church is full of people who call themselves Christ-followers who do not follow Christ—and no one laughs at the absurdity.
Such realities are serious and need to be addressed. But we believe they are symptoms of a deeper issue. To focus on outward problems while ignoring the underlying cause is not enough. A doctor who only prescribes aspirin for a patient with a bacterial infection in order to lower the fever is guilty of malpractice if she does nothing to address the root cause. Even though the patient may feel better, without a cure for the infection, he will remain sick and could possibly die.
In this series of articles, we have little interest in addressing the outward symptoms of a dysfunctional church. Our aim is to strike at the root and speak to what we believe is the underlying cause of the malaise and ineffectiveness of the body of Christ today. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517, his words were like a spark in a powder keg. The volatile elements were already present. But his articulation of the issues enabled others to join in the conversation. The result was a move of the Spirit that re-formed the church by reshaping the way people understood the Christian faith.
In our original article (9.5 Theses), we laid the groundwork for where we think the conversation needs to begin. In a word, we believe the root problem is that we have forgotten the gospel, both what the gospel is and what the gospel does. We are well aware of the seriousness of what we are saying. But there can be no re-formation of the church until we get the gospel right. If our gospel is muddled, should we be surprised that we produce muddled disciples, muddled churches, muddled understandings of salvation, and muddled mission?
Our purpose is not to be unduly critical or divisive, but rather to encourage followers of Jesus to prayerfully consider what we have to say. If we have to demolish a few sacred cows and expose some cherished falsehoods in the process, may it be so. Our supreme desire is to simply listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches and then to work in sync with what he is doing (see Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, etc.). After all, the church belongs to the Lord Jesus, not to us!
Looking in the Mirror
When we think of the state of the church today, an old business proverb comes to mind: Your organization is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently getting. This quaint bit of folk wisdom is a sober reminder that the spiritual mediocrity so evident in the church today is not an accident. It is the logical outcome of the system that has produced it.
Christians today whose lives are characterized by defeat, fruitlessness, and frustration are not an aberration of the gospel they believe but an illustration of it! The preachers who proclaimed the good news to these dear people did not fail to communicate; unfortunately, they succeeded. In other words, much of the church’s dysfunction today is caused not because people don’t believe the gospel but precisely because they do! To state the matter more precisely, many Christians today believe in a muddled gospel, one that is truncated, anemic, and egocentric. Like the Galatians, many believe a gospel that is no gospel at all (see Gal. 1:6-9).
It takes great courage to look in the mirror and ask the Holy Spirit to show us what is wrong. We write because we believe such self-examination is precisely what is most needed today, both individually and corporately (see II Cor. 13:5). Such honest self-assessment is not for the faint of heart. Those who want to preserve the status quo and perpetuate the traditions of the past may not appreciate what we have to say. But we believe many who seek the truth as it is revealed in Scripture, who love God’s sheep, and who have a passion to reach the lost, will resonate at a very deep level with the conversation we hope to encourage.
Adopting the Right Posture as We Wait
It is obvious to us that the Spirit of God is moving in new and creative ways across the global church today, doing something new and exciting, something far bigger than local expressions of renewal and revival. We believe that we are on the cusp of another “Luther moment” in human history. The Lord is re-forming his church. The work has already begun.
So, what posture should we take as we wait on the Lord to accomplish his work? What attitudes should we nurture?
Patient Endurance.
Re-formation is God’s work, not ours. If we were to try to re-shape the church the way we think it ought to be, we would get it wrong, tragically wrong. God promised Abraham and Sarah a baby. But when they tried to ‘help’ him fulfill that promise, they gave birth to Ishmael, “a wild donkey of a man” (Gen. 16:12). If re-formation is going to come to the church today, God is the one who must lead the way. Our job is to trust him and be patient.
Humility and Teachability.
When it comes to re-forming the church, it is important to know what we don’t know. We take our cue from the greatest reformer who ever lived, the apostle Paul, who said: “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know” (1 Cor. 8:2). It is one thing to say that the church needs to be re-formed. It is another thing to claim that we know what the end result should look like! While we are quick to affirm the former, we deny the latter. We can only take one step at a time, constantly claiming the promise: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (Jam. 1:5).
Joyful Expectation.
It may sound strange, but as we see the problems of the church more and more clearly, we find ourselves increasingly filled with joyful optimism about the future! Although the coming re-formation may not happen in our lifetimes, this only makes us smile. The Spirit of Pentecost enables young men to see visions and old men to dream dreams (see Ac. 2:17). Not only is God re-forming his church; he is establishing his kingdom! It won’t be long now until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever (see Rev. 11:15).
Building Community.
Re-formation can only happen in the context of a like-minded community. It is only as we pray, study Scripture, dialogue, and dream together that the vision of God’s future becomes clear. If you wonder why these articles are written by four persons rather than one, the answer is simple: the method must match the message. Alone, we flounder. Together, we flourish. We pray that our example will inspire others to form small groups of like-minded men and women who will huddle together so they too can listen to what the Spirit is saying and join him where he is working.
Think Big – Think Kingdom.
Although our focus is primarily on the church, God’s plan is bigger than that – much bigger. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk. 12:32). Jesus is Lord over all the earth, not just the church. Those who work in sync with the Spirit discover that they are part of God’s global conspiracy to turn this world right-side up! So, don’t despise the day of small things (see Zech. 4:10). Jesus said that the kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed. “It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants.” (Matt. 13:32). Our focus is on the depth of what we are discussing. We will let God take care of the breadth.
God Has a Question
The defining moment of Jeremiah’s ministry came when he visited the potter’s house because God told him he had a message for him there. He silently watched as the potter worked with the clay on his wheel. The lump, however, was not turning out as the potter had hoped. No problem. He scooped it up, squeezed it, flung it back on the wheel, and started again. He re-formed the clay. Then God asked Jeremiah a question; one that was poignant, pregnant, and revolutionary: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?” (Jer. 18:6). The question was not rhetorical!
Both God and his prophet understand that there is one crucial difference between an inert lump of clay and a person: the human clay has a mind of its own! Will it jump off the wheel and run away? Will it harden into a shape the potter never intended? Or will the clay submit to the potter’s purpose, remain on the wheel, and allow the potter to start again? In other words, will the clay cooperate with the potter’s plan for re-formation?
We believe God is asking this very same question to us today: “O church, can I not do with you as this potter has done to his clay? Can I not scoop you up, squeeze you, spin you, and re-form you, so that you can become all that I desire for you to be?”
He waits for us to answer.
Chris Bounds is Professor of Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary.
Hubert Harriman is Former President of World Gospel Mission (WGM).
Stan Key is Former President of the Francis Asbury Society.
Dave Smith is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Indiana Wesleyan University.