THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (19)

 One Church. One House. One Family.

"This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)

Recently, my wife and I were discussing with a fellow brother who was expressing his displeasure at the state of the church today. He was just a brother and perceived "benchwarmer," but he carried much knowledge about the current state of the church and what he termed the end of the church era. He opined that the time is near when each house and family would run a church of their own, resembling the koinonia (house churches) of the early church. Well, we will see if his suggestion comes to pass.

Sincerely, there are many things going wrong in today's churches, and there seems to be nobody strong enough to address these cankerworms. Most of these problems emanate from the large and multinational churches and famous pastors. For instance, churches are fiercely competing to expand their branches everywhere. There is the slogan that churches must exist within the corridor of one or two houses. As good as these propositions may be, the problem is that nobody considered the manpower needed to sustain the spiritual life of these churches. Many brothers and sisters appointed to lead these churches are nothing short of hypocritical brethren and "...Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn't accept what we say." (3 John 1:9). These are leaders who accept our offers but never accept what we say or the precepts of the Scriptures. They love to be called pastors, deacons, and elders but are never ready to accept the admonitions, discipline, and corrections of the Lord. Because we needed manpower to sustain our growing churches, we deliberately and openly compromised the standards of the Bible and our long-esteemed doctrinal principles to accommodate these careless brethren. (Permit me to say, I know many of them.)

Because of the irreverent and indecent lifestyles of these leaders, many congregants are becoming obstinate and seeking refuge elsewhere. The conduct of divine services is now becoming more predictable and more or less like Nollywood movies. Members can definitely predict that all this pulpit drama and ostensible spirituality will end in a plea for money. Many are scared of attending churches because many of our leaders have little or no concern for their personal growth and welfare but are only interested in their pockets and finances.

It is becoming clear that more and more people are becoming less enthusiastic about attending divine services. Just as people are losing optimism about the efficiency of our government and secular leaders, they are similarly becoming pessimistic about church leaders, especially those whose major concern is to make money, manipulate others, and make multiple false reports to gain an audience and promotion.

Obviously, the church is tending toward making each family house a worship center. To this extent, it is imperative for church leaders (those who still carry fire in their bones) to begin to make their altars a Leadership Development Centre, deliberately equipping each family to take charge of the spiritual atmosphere in their homes. Of course, there will be opportunities for them to come and refill, refuel, retreat, and interact with other believers, and surely be accountable to the greater assembly (if necessary, however). It is evidently clear that God is sending His Spirit and angels on assignments these days. The Spirit is now a guiding light to believers, helping them understand the Scriptures better and clearer, while His angels shield them from the evil arrows of the enemies.

May we not wait until pastors begin to suffer from hypertension due to losing members, as the knowledge of God is increasing more and more these days. Many believers are being equipped like the Berean brethren: "The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the Scriptures to find out if these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, including honorable Greek women and many Greek men." (Acts 17:10-12).

I have met with quite a few young men and women, including older folks, who possess more biblical understanding than their leaders. I can't help but ask myself where they got that clarity and light, even though their leaders have less light on the Scriptures. I concluded that Jesus Himself must be on assignment, just as He joined the brethren on the way to Emmaus: "He said to them, 'O fools! And slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter His glory?'  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:25-27, 32). Just one explanation from Jesus is more valuable than three years or more of an unfruitful journey to a 'lifeless' seminary (not all of them, for some carry unquenchable fire).

We must act quickly and with discretion because some of these brethren might misinterpret the light as a call from God to start a new denomination. In this way, some have unknowingly quenched and darkened the fire and light deposited in them. They eventually fall halfway and become more culpable of the errors they were trying to correct.

I welcome you all to experience a new pattern of church congregation. I see a church spiraling down to the New Testament pattern of "church in the house of..."

Peter Abdul-Razaq, OLAYINKA, a serving missionary with Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.  

WhatsApp: (+229) 94139130  

Mobile: (+234) 8066540987, (+234) 7084504532  

Email: peterrazaq@yahoo.com  

Twitter & Instagram: @peterrazaq  

LinkedIn: Revd. Peter OLAYINKA