Articles
Church Function
In our study of 21st Century problems for the church we’ve looked at the focus of the church and found that we must be focused on God. Even the great passages of our profound blessings in Jesus explicitly or implicitly recognize that the purpose is to glorify God (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14; Col. 1:3, 10-13, 27-29). Our study of church form found that scripture only authorizes the collective activity of His people in a local church: a group of christians joined together to serve God.
Now let’s study the function; that action, activity or work that is proper for the local church. Since God is the focus, and gave the form, we must seek and accept His will for the assigned work of the local church. The proposition of this study is that God’s work is its only function and scripture limits that work to worship, edification and benevolence.
The first and primary function of the local church is worship; acts of reverent devotion. Acts 20:6–7 and 1 Cor. 16:1-2 are examples of the first day of the week as the day the local church would regularly gather together. On that day the local church would participate in the five “acts of worship:” the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:17–34), prayer (1 Tim. 2:1–8), singing (Eph. 5:18–21; Col. 3:16), laying by in store (I Cor. 16:1-2) and teaching (Acts 20:6–11). A genuine follower of God is pleased to worship Him according to His pattern.
The second authorized activity for the local church is edification; the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. This was either self-edification at the local church level (1 Cor. 14:12–19; Eph. 4:11-16) or preaching the gospel abroad (2 Cor. 11:8-9; Phil. 4:15-16; 1 Thess. 1:8). The fact that the local church is to glorify God by teaching the gospel of God is good news to those focused on God.
The last authorized activity is benevolence; the care of needy saints. The Jerusalem church had a great need from early on (Acts 4:32-37; 6:1-6) that eventually provided an example of other churches sending to their need (Acts 11:29-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8–9). The only scriptural examples are local churches independently taking up a collection for other christians, and even that had limits (1 Tim. 5:3-16). God’s people are very generous personally, but accept God’s limitations on the local church.
As a side note in those actions, all authorized by command and/or example, are implied the authorization to provide the means to accomplish them: a place to assemble, communion supplies, song books, collection baskets, bank accounts, bible classes, training of preachers, bulletins, web sites, online sermons, etc.
If God is our true focus then we’ll seek and accept His will for the form and function of His church. But if we chafe under His will for either form or function then we aren’t focused on Him at all and will cause problems for the 21st Century church.
