“REVOLUTION”

I want to commend author, George Barna, for his excellent and challenging book, “Revolution” that is causing so much controversy in the “church” world.

The issue at stake here lies in the fact that many have not understood the crux of the problem.  And that is, the failure to define and have a clear understanding of what the “church” is from a biblical perspective.

To those who see the “church” as institutional, organizational, denominational and traditional, will have difficulty in accepting Barna’s projection of what the “church” will be in the future.

Those who see the “church” as organic, relational, living stones, family of God and the Body of Christ, will recognize the validity of Barna’s projected data.

In Jesus’ dialogue with the woman at the well, he answered her question concerning which location or mountain was a valid place for worship.  To Jesus, it was not a place but a relationship with the Father that he said we must have in spirit and in truth.

According to Jesus the “church” is not a time, place or event.  Jesus never told his disciples to meet him at 11 AM at a particular location for a programmed agenda.  To Jesus the ekklesia was a gathering of two or three with Him in the midst of them.  Jesus wants to do today what he did in his relationship with the disciples when he taught, dialogued by asking and answering questions, encouraged, admonished, prayed, broke bread, etc.

Today, we are his Body and he is our Head.  As we are gathered in his name with him in our midst, he as the Head will direct his Body to do these same things that he did as he walked with his disciples.  We are the “church” gathered as we assemble corporately with the various parts or gifts of the Body ministering to the Lord and to one another.   We are the “church” scattered as we allow Christ to live his life daily in and through us.

The word for “church” is the Greek word ekklesia and its simplest definition as  “the called out ones”.  Jesus purposely used this word to describe the “church” he is building of which the gates of Hades shall not prevail against.  Had he chosen to, he could have used Greek words for temple, synagogue, assembly, congregation or gathering.