Church – TGN https://tgnghana.org United For The Gospel Mon, 01 May 2023 12:06:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 https://tgnghana.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cropped-TGN-logo-1-32x32.png Church – TGN https://tgnghana.org 32 32 To The Saints of God in Ghana and Across Africa https://tgnghana.org/to-the-saints-of-god-in-ghana-and-across-africa/ https://tgnghana.org/to-the-saints-of-god-in-ghana-and-across-africa/#comments Mon, 01 May 2023 05:55:40 +0000 https://tgnghana.org/?p=6964 Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed and given us an inheritance which cannot be compared with the current hardship we face on the continent. I am always filled with joy whenever I think about the excitement and exuberance with which we, as a people, worship our […]

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Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed and given us an inheritance which cannot be compared with the current hardship we face on the continent. I am always filled with joy whenever I think about the excitement and exuberance with which we, as a people, worship our triune God. Amid much poverty and underdevelopment, our perseverance and faith in God attest to the truth that the hope of the Christian is beyond this world.

It is an encouragement and a source of great pride whenever I hear about the growth and advance of the gospel across the continent. All over the world, Africa is touted as the continent with the fastest-growing number of Christian converts. I praythat this growth will be accompanied by growth in personal holiness and depth of understanding of God’s Word.

I address this letter to you, saints, for two reasons. First, it is the pattern we see in Scripture. The apostle Paul, in almost all his letters, did not address the pastors or overseers in the churches, but the members of the church. He believed that the members were the true guardians of the truth and purity of the church.That is why in Galatians 1:6-9, his frustration was not with the false teachers but the members of the church:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

The second reason why I have addressed this letter to you, saints of the church in Ghana and across Africa, is because false teachers have crept into the church. In the early days of the rise of one-man churchesindependent churches planted by individualsaround the 1970s, there was much speculation about whether these teachers were intentionally spreading false teachings or if their errors were simply a result of ignorance.Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that these false teachers are not ignorant of the truth but willfully deceiving others for their own gain. Paul spoke of such people in Romans 16:18, For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. It is futile to address them since they have no desire to change their ways. It is incumbent on us to grow in our discernment as believers, to recognise and avoid these harmful teachings that undermine our faith and bring disrepute to the name of Christ.

The Bible teaches that on the last day, everyone will give an account of themselves to God (Romans 14:12). This will be an individual affair, which means each of us must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). The more reason why we cannot leave our faith in the hands of others, especially pastors who care more about the “seed” we sow into their ministries and the size of their congregations than where we will spend eternity.

As we work out our salvation, we must bear three key principlesin mind. 

Don’t Assume Your Faith

According to Paul, If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:9-10). It is very clear from these verses that no one is born a Christian, and neither can the faith be inherited. Christianity is not like Islam, where one is born into the faith. Each of us must individually repent and put our faith in Christ Jesus.

As a people, we are so religious that there is a tendency and temptation to assume the Christian faith. Unfortunately, many of our pastors contribute to this confusion. I was once part of a church for two years, and throughout my time there, no pastor spoke to me about how I came to faith and the fruit I had borne after that. I remember one Sunday after the church service, all visitors who wanted to join the church were invited to remain behind. One of the ministry leaders spoke briefly about the process of becoming a member. Our photos were taken, and ID cards were issued. That is how I became a member of that church. No questions asked if I knew the gospel, believed it or was baptised as a believer. It didn’t matter which church I had attended and why I had left it. Perhaps, it may have been because I was disciplined. But none of that mattered.

This starkly contrasts what we read about Jesus in John 10:14, where he said, I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. The Greek word, poimen, translated as pastor,can also mean shepherd. Therefore, every pastor is an under-shepherd of Christ (1 Peter 5:2). They are representatives of Christ in their shepherding responsibilities. This means Pastors must know their members, and their members must likewise know them. Sadly, in most mega churches today, the shepherds do not know who the sheep are; the sheep have never interacted with the shepherds. Therefore, it is unclear how these shepherds intend to give account for the sheep they don’t even know (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17).

Moreover, the New Testament makes it clear the church comprises people who have repented of their sins and put their trust in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-37). To that end, it is the duty of the pastors or elders of a church to act as the doorkeepers and lead the congregation in ensuring that whoever enters the local church has a credible profession of faith. Unfortunately, not many churches exercise this watchfulness. As a result, many churches in Africa are filled with people who are not saved. It is no wonder there are so many people in the church, yet the continent is known for corruption and all kinds of ungodliness. Some of our churches are more anti-gospel outposts than the pillar and buttress of truth they are meant to be (1 Timothy 3:15).

If you are part of a church where no pastor has ever spoken to you about your faith or how you came to know Jesus Christ; and the fruit you have borne subsequently, you are likely not in a healthy church. And in the case throughout your Christian life, your profession of faith has never been examined by any church, you should approach the pastors of your current church and ask them why no one has ever asked you about your faith. In any case, Paul’s advice to you would be toExamine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5). I strongly recommend you read this article on God’s love; it will help you in your examining process.

Your Allegiance Should Not be to Your Pastor or His Churchbut to Christ.

When Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. He meant itand he is doing that all across the world. From Asia to Europe, Americas to Africa, wherever the gospel has been preached, it has borne fruit and the church of Christ is being built. This universal church, the Bible teaches, is the body of Christ.

Sadly, in Ghana and across Africa, churches have become personal properties of Pastors. It is their pictures that are on the signboards. In many places, the personal brand of the pastor is more popular than the name of Christ. If you are in a church where the preacher’s name is more known than the name of Christ, you should know you are in an unhealthy church; and leave as quickly as you can.

Over the years, many Christians in Africa have become more discerning and are beginning to ask questions. However, I continue to hear stories where members feel they have no alternatives, so they stick it out in these unhealthy churches. In other cases, members feel so loyal to the “Man of God” that even though they know something is not right, they feel they cannot leave because they would be branded as disloyal.

One truth we should firmly hold on to as Christians is that the church belongs to Christ; therefore, our loyalty must be to himand not to any particular individual. If you discover that your church is unhealthy and you cannot effect any change, you should strongly consider leaving. By God’s grace, there are many relatively healthy churches springing up. We should fervently pray that God, in his kindness, will raise more of such churches. However, even in cases where there are no viable options, you should pray for the courage to start a gospel-centred Bible fellowship which could eventually covenant as a church,

In Ephesians 3:10, Paul said, Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This means inasmuch as a true and healthy church is a powerful gospel witness, a bad church has a powerful destructive effect on the advance of the kingdom of God. As a matter of truth, some churches in Ghana and across Africa must close for the advance of God’s kingdom and his glory. Therefore, being part of a bad, unhealthy, anti-gospel church may display loyalty to a human being, but in the long run, you are doing damage to the advance of God’s kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Examine Yourself to See If You’re Bearing Fruit

In John 15:16, Jesus told his disciples and, by extension, all his followers, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” As Christians, we are in the fruit-bearing business. According to Jesus,Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits (Matthew 7:19-20).

As Christians in Ghana and across Africa, we must constantly examine ourselves to see if we are bearing fruit and what kind.Each of us not the usual pointing at the other person, must look ourselves in the eye and ask whether we are bearing abiding fruits; because it is illogical that the continent with the highest rate of Christian numerical growth would also have the highest level of corruption. In Ghana, for example, more than 70% of the population professes to be Christian, with the majority of this number in church every Sunday, yet the country is plagued with thick darkness.

In Galatians 5:22-23, apostle Paul listslove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as the nine-part character traits produced by the Holy Spirit in every Christian. The effects of these fruit are not confined to the four walls of a church building. As we live our lives in the public square, evidence of these fruits would be seen in how we work, study, lead our families and raise our children as Christians (James 2:14-17).

It is not loving or faithful for a Christian politician entrusted with a public office to take for themselves resources belongingto the state. It is not kind, good, or faithful for a civil servant to take bribes irrespective of whether their pay is adequate. It is not a display of love that, as a trader, your goods are priced to take advantage of unsuspecting customers. The sad irony is that many corrupt officials and business people profess to be Christians and regularly attend church.

The state of Christianity on our continent is a colossal anti-gospel witness. One of the most striking truths in physics is that regardless of the thickness of the darkness, a single matchstick can dispel it. Therefore, if Christians are the light of the world as described by Jesus in Matthew 5:14, how is it that our continent is languishing in so much darkness when the majority of us claim to be Christian, unless it is the case that many of us hold an appearance of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5)?Even though Africa is touted as the continent with the fastest Christian growth rate, sadly, the growth is cancerous. As Jesus rightly said, You will recognize them by their fruits. The fruits many of us are bearing indicate we do not belong to Christ, andthe warnings of Jesus in Revelation 3:1-2 is timely for all of us, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Having said all this, I am also convinced there are many faithful saints on the continent because God always leaves himself a remnant (Romans 11:4-5). It is because of them the continent is not consumed. It is my prayer that our God may make you [the remnant] worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

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Our Confession Must be backed by Real Christian Community https://tgnghana.org/our-confession-must-be-backed-by-real-christian-community/ https://tgnghana.org/our-confession-must-be-backed-by-real-christian-community/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000 https://tgnghana.org/?p=6091 Hospitality and care for the needy have always been the hallmark of New Testament Christianity. Growing up as a young boy, the Mission House (home of the pastor) was a place every church member could call their home. The doors were always open, and even a wandering stranger could show up and be sure to find […]

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Hospitality and care for the needy have always been the hallmark of New Testament Christianity. Growing up as a young boy, the Mission House (home of the pastor) was a place every church member could call their home. The doors were always open, and even a wandering stranger could show up and be sure to find a cup of water and a loaf of bread. This practice might still be the norm among mainstream traditional churches. 

However, as we survey the current state of the Church in Ghana, you can’t help but wonder whether the church is truly a home for the vulnerable; and whether the many love one another commands’ we see in the New Testament are even a consideration. 

Within many Ghanaian Christian circles today, churches are more concerned about the number of attendees than the eternal state of the souls who show up on Sunday mornings. The charge to shepherd the flock, which Jesus has purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28), is only an afterthought. The more I read the accounts of the early church recorded in Acts 4:32-35, the more I wonder if we are on the right track as the body of Christ in Ghana. In those verses, Luke tells us, 

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Believers Must be of One Accord

It is striking how Luke characterised the early church. He describes them as those who believed. This description is of paramount importance, because the church must consist of those who have believed. 

Unfortunately, in many of our churches, we are more concerned about the number of attendees than those who actually believe. There is an ungodly competition to show off who has the largest congregation. No wonder more than half of the population is in church every Sunday, yet the country is in so much corruption and darkness. Could it be our churches are filled with people who have not truly believed?

Luke also tells us in verse 33 that, these believers were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

You can call it whatever you want, communism or socialism, but you cannot miss the unity that existed among the early believers. There was an intense desire among the early church to care for one another. If you read early church documents like the Letter to Diognetus, you will discover that togetherness and care for one another drew the world’s attention to the Christian faith.

I once attended a church where the disparity among the members was so palpable. It was not written on the wall, but there was a clear understanding that there were two groups of people, the Haves and the Have Nots. And the pastor made sure the Haves knew how special they were since their tithes kept the wheels of the ministry moving, or so he thought. Unfortunately, the situation in that church is not unique; this is the state of many churches in Ghana today

The world is organised on the basis of social status: the school you attended, the car you drive, the neighbourhood you live in, how much money you earn, etc. But not so the church. Jesus came to break down barriers and unite all those who trust in him into one body. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Therefore, creating these distinctions within the church is only a sign that we haven’t truly understood what it means to be followers of Christ.

We Should Look out for the Needy Among Us

Another feature of the early church was how they cared for the poor. The poor have always occupied a central place in the redemptive story of God.

We see this teaching in countless places in the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, we read about how God chose the weak and lowly of the world to bring to nothing things that are. In speaking against the sin of partiality, James writes,has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. (James 2:1-5).

After he visited the other apostles in JerusalemPaul wrote in Galatians 2:1-5), “only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Again, in Proverbs 19:17, we read,whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

Why does God care so much about the poor? It’s because the state of poverty serves as an object lesson to describe the true state of every Christian before God. In Matthew 5:3 Jesus taught his disciples, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The financially poor serve as a reminder of our true state before God.

It is no wonder the early church took special care of the needy and the poor among them. Luke tells us, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. He tells us that because of this generosity and care for one another, there was not a needy person among them.

Unfortunately, this is not what we see among many of our churches in Ghana. It is not uncommon on a Sunday morning to find two believers sitting on the same pew, under the same preaching, yet one is overflowing with wealth and the other doesn’teven know where the next meal will be coming from. They barely speak to one another in churchyet they call themselves brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s making a mockery of the body of Christ. The Bible is alien to such Christianity.

Pastors Must Lead by Example

All the while giving within the Ghana church has not decreased; rather, it has increased. However, unlike what we see in the early church, this giving is not trickling down to the needy. In Acts, we read that owners sold their properties and brought the proceeds to the apostles, who in turn distributed them to meet the needs of the poor.

But that’s not what we see in many of our churches. There is a strong emphasis on giving to the pastor and nobody else. Somehow these believers have been taught that God will bless them only if they sow into the life of the Man of God. We should definitely support our pastors as we see in 1 Timothy 5:18, however, like the early church, we should equally look out for the poor among us; and pastors must lead this endeavour.

There is a strong emphasis on bringing all the titheto the storehouse—which is interpreted to mean the pastor (a misapplication of Malachi 3:10); as a result, there is no extra bandwidth for Christians to fulfil any of the one-another commands we see in Scripture.

In my experience, I have seen pastors who keep receiving, but nothing goes to the needy. They live in fortified mansions and drive expensive cars; in some cases, the church members don’t even know where the pastor lives, let alone pass by for a cup of water or a slice of bread. That’s not what we see in the book of Acts. Pastors must show example of what it means to care for the poor.

If your church is not caring for the poor among you, it’s losing an ample gospel opportunity. And if your pastor cares more about your giving to him than to the poor, they may be in for the money. In John 13:35 Jesus said, “by this all people will know that you my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Again, in Matthew 25:40, he told his disciples, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

In the early church, we see that preaching God’s word was backed by transformed lives and love for one another. This is what caused the early churchto grow and the Kingdom of God to powerfully advance in the Roman Empire.

Is it possible that in Ghana today, even though most of the population identifies as Christian, we haven’t seen much impact because our confession (where it’s genuine) is not backed by a real Christian community?

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The Family Album https://tgnghana.org/the-family-album/ https://tgnghana.org/the-family-album/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000 https://tgnghana.org/?p=6003 My childhood home was full of treasures. I would search through the boxes and collections of magazines. Until one day I discovered a container that seemed to be very precious. Looking inside I found old photos, pictures of people I had never seen before. Every now and then I would see a younger version of […]

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My childhood home was full of treasures. I would search through the boxes and collections of magazines. Until one day I discovered a container that seemed to be very precious. Looking inside I found old photos, pictures of people I had never seen before. Every now and then I would see a younger version of my dad or some grizzly looking stranger. Even I made an appearance among these photos. It became clear that these were photos of my family members. Some being very familiar and others not so much.

The moment you became a Christian you were grafted into a family that reaches back 2000 years. Your adoption (Romans 8:15) means, among other things, that you have brothers and sisters who lived during the Roman Empire. This should be very exciting news if you have never thought of it before. We, who are in Christ today, are standing on the shoulders of those who have followed Jesus and have eagerly anticipated his return.

Putting The Pieces Together

It is highly likely that you have been told at some point that just after the Book of Acts the church fell off the face of the earth and has now finally been rediscovered. In fact, entire movements have been built on this premise, including Mormonism and most of what is going on in the charismatic movement. This has resulted in the underdeveloped appreciation of Jesus’ building project (Matthew 16:18) and a desire for some new revelation. Others might have dipped their toes into church history just enough to be confused or intimidated. Thus, it might be useful to have a brief overview of the timeline.

Church History, following on from the Acts of the Apostles, can be divided into four major eras, namely: the Early Church (AD 33 – 450), the Medieval Church (450 – 1450), the Reformation Era (1450 – 1700), and the Modern Church (1700 – present). There is definite overlap between these eras and oversimplification should be avoided, but I have found this outline helpful in grouping significant events together.

New and Old Treasures

Fellow saint, it is necessary to know that you and your local church are not the first generation to crack open the Bible. This fact should produce a profound humility in our hearts as we approach the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). The study of church history also reveals blind spots that we might have in our own day. By reflecting on the Christians of the past, we are served with a good dose of theological antibodies against heresy and bad teaching.

This is  important because increasingly the need to come up with something new and novel has become fashionable within certain Christian circles. We must always understand that Christianity has been with us for thousands of years. Our Christian forefathers have been looking into exact same things we speak of in our day. Therefore, when we hear anything that claims to be new, we must verify it against the Bible first and foremost and also check if this has been the position of Bible-believing Christians throughout the ages.

One of my favorite meals is Cape hake and chips, the only thing is, one must be careful to remove the fish bones first. You don’t want them stuck in your throat. Sometimes studying church history can be like that: it’s an amazing dish, just be attentive. Remember, all teaching must be held captive to Scripture (John 17:17). With that said, by familiarizing yourself with church history you are opening up a real treasure that the Lord has given us. Like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52).

Our African Heritage

Northern Africa is home to some of the greatest early Christian leaders. Allow me to introduce you to a handful of notable characters:

Tertullian (AD 160 – 225), the first great Christian writer in the Latin language was a native of Carthage, in modern day Tunisia. He provided the church with deep reflections on the relationship between Christianity and the Roman Empire, proper moral behavior of Christians, and most notably he was the first Christian writer to use the word “Trinity”. In reflecting on the incarnation, he wrote,

“But we see in Christ two forms of being, not confused with each other, but joined together in one person, Jesus, who is both God and man. And the proper nature of each substance keeps its own full reality.”

Cyprian of Carthage (200 – 258), born into a wealthy family and upon conversion, gave his entire fortune away to the poor. Cyprian had a total commitment to the unity of the church and the importance of church membership. He said, Whoever stands apart from the church and is joined to an adulteress is cut off from the promises given to Christ’s Church. ”When facing his execution for leading people away from paganism to faith in Jesus, he cried, “Thanks be to God!”

Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373), serving as a deacon at the time of the Council of Nicaea, he distinguished himself as a firm defender of the deity of Christ. He would go on to become a key figure in Christian thought. He stood ‘contra mundum’, i.e., ‘against the world’, as many were following the Arian heresy. Athanasius is an example of not going along with popular opinion (1 John 4:1-6).

Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430), considered to be the greatest theologian to arise since the apostle Paul. A powerful and bright mind, positioned in just the right time in history to counter the Pelagian heresy. Augustine penned several great Christian works: Confessions, On the Trinity, and City of God. These works have been influential throughout the ages. In his commentary on John 15:16, Augustine writes, “You did not choose Me,” Christ says, “but I chose you”.

Such grace is beyond description. What were we, apart from Christ’s choice of us, when we were empty of love? What were we but sinful and lost? We did not lead Him to choose us by believing in Him; for if Christ choose people who already believed, then we chose Him before He chose us. How then could He say, “You did not choose Me,” unless His mercy came before our faith?”

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, my prayer is that you open the family album that the Lord has so graciously given us.

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Must You Belong To A Church As A Christian? https://tgnghana.org/must-you-belong-to-a-church-as-a-christian/ https://tgnghana.org/must-you-belong-to-a-church-as-a-christian/#respond Mon, 13 May 2019 17:00:46 +0000 https://tgnghana.org/must-you-belong-to-a-church-as-a-christian/ There appears to be a growing number of people who believe you can be a Christian and not be a member of a church. The title of this article is a question posed by an online friend on facebook that elicited a wide range of responses. There were those whose answers undermined the necessity of […]

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There appears to be a growing number of people who believe you can be a Christian and not be a member of a church. The title of this article is a question posed by an online friend on facebook that elicited a wide range of responses. There were those whose answers undermined the necessity of ‘belonging’ to a church and those who were emphatic about the need to belong to a church. Again, recently, Rex Omar, a popular Ghanaian musician granted an interview where he is recorded to have said “he stopped going to church since 1997 because his body is the temple of God and he has direct contact to his Maker.”

[1] Observing our present religious landscape with all the abuses in the name of Christianity, a shadow of darkness has indeed been cast upon the church and people do have genuine concerns of the trajectory of the church. So, sentiments as these may be understood, at least superficially, albeit, they are not legitimate concerns. I want to argue that a churchless Christian is alien to the New Testament and all of Christian history. A Christian must necessarily belong to a church. The word church —Ekklesia— primarily means an assembly of the called out ones. A believer has been called out of the world of darkness into the kingdom of God’s glorious light (Colossians 1:13). And the church is the visible representation of this glorious kingdom.

In speaking of the church, we may speak more specifically of the Universal or invisible church which comprises all saints across the world and those who have passed into glory to be with the Lord. And we can also speak of the Local or visible church which comprises various churches in our communities including our own assembly we belong to.

Hypocrisy In Church

Perhaps one of the leading reason people reject the church is because of its open weaknesses and sins. For example, Rex Omar in his interview charged the church of hypocrisy: “There is hypocrisy in the church. People go to church for different reasons and I don’t like the fact that Christians are being brainwashed. The church makes you narrow minded in thinking.” [2] Of course though an institution of God, the church comprises of sinners and if we miss that we miss the main reason for which the church exists.

The church exists for sinners—including hypocrites. Jesus indicated he didn’t come for those who are whole but for those sick. He came for sinners (Luke 5:32). So this charge of hypocrites in the church is always a charge that itself is grounded in hypocrisy. Are those who lay this charge always truthful in their dealings? Don’t they have sins in their life? Are they perfect? The church is for sinners to be helped out of their sins and hypocrites are sinners who need help. And the only place they can get help is in the church.

Christ Is The Head Of The Church

Irrespective of its weakness and sins, first and foremost, the church is an institution of God. The church is Christ’s and he is the head: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt.16:18), Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior (Eph 5:23).

According to Charles C. Ryrie in Basic Theology, “The Church stands unique in the purposes of God. Although God has related Himself to other groups, His activity with the church remains distinct. “I will build my church,” the Lord said, and that is special work today.” [3] Now if Christ is the head of the church, Christians are members of that body which stands out so clearly in Ephesians 5:23: “Christ is the head of the church, his body.” Other places in the NT do testify of this fact (1 Cor 12:12–14; 27; Eph 4:1–16).

We cannot claim to belong to Christ and at the same time claim not to belong to his body–the church.

Discipleship And Corporate Worship

When Christ mandated his disciples with the great commission, they were to go “make disciples”, “baptise them”, and teach them to observe Christ’s commandments. These things are to take place in the context of a church. It is in the context of the church that discipleship takes place and we are indeed commanded to belong to the church.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25).

Anyone who is a Christian would take corporate worship serious because it has benefits for the believer. Let us ponder what Hebrews 10:23-25 is teaching. Note that in verse 23 there is a call for believers to persevere in the faith. And this call to perseverance is a call linked to our fellowship with other believers: “hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering…AND … stir up one another to love and good works”. We are not lone rangers trying to navigate our way to heaven. It is a corporate journey. In the midst of fellow believers, we are encouraged and in turn encourage others.

One cannot be a believer and not love the company of believers. It is an irony. We must belong to a church to be able to experience this mutual encouragement of building up one another. We may not like what we see of the church. But that doesn’t negate the necessity of belonging to a church as a Christian. We can obviously discuss a true church and a false church. But that discussion doesn’t affect the necessity of belonging to a church.

The New Testament Precedent Of Belonging To A Church

Concerning fellowshipping together, in the facebook post referenced earlier, my friend noted that “believers can fellowship with an assembly of believers.” And a strange question followed: “What church did Paul belong to?”

It is true, believers can meet and fellowship together but that doesn’t constitute a church in the sense of the New Testament description of a church. Every gathering of believers doesn’t necessarily constitute a church. A church by description must have certain things present. There must be an overseer — a pastor and other NT approved officials, regular meetings, preaching of the word, administering of sacraments among other things. Paul told Titus; “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). What would those elders do? They will be in charge of churches.

To the question “What church did Paul belong to?”, we must not lose sight of the fact that Paul as an Apostle was also a missionary. He is on record to have undertaken three missionary journeys (Acts 13–14; 15:36–18:22; 18:23). And in those missionary journeys, Paul planted churches. So though Scripture doesn’t explicitly tell us of what church Paul belonged to, at least he would be a member of the churches he planted. Moreover what’s the need of planting churches when it is not necessary for a believer to belong to the church?

Again, as a missionary, Paul was commissioned and sent out by the Holy Spirit in the context of a church: “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers…While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting , the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.(Acts 13:1-3).

From here also we can also legitimately conclude Paul belonged to the church in Antioch. Paul was commissioned for his missionary journey through the church in Antioch. If you study Acts closely, there was a church in Jerusalem and there was the Gentile church in Antioch. Acts 12 records a persecution of the church in Jerusalem: “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.” (Acts 12:1). “So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church (Ibid).

Believers in the first century church belonged to a church. They met together to pray as a church. Missionaries were sent out by a church. The church is a central part of God’s plan and anyone who identifies with Christ must indeed be a member of a church—the local church.

Notes

1: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Why Rex Omar has refused to step foot in church in more than 20 years.

2. Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide To Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL 60610: Moody Publishers, 1999), kindle edition.

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