I am a Christian but I don’t Need the Church Part 2

By Evangelist Adekunbi Akin-Taylor

In modern day Christianity, soul winning is now secondary to money winning, ego trips and status symbols. Now a bigger problem is spreading like wildfire. Well the bible did warn about this, for it is not a new problem but this is no excuse for leaving it unchecked (Read Luke 21:8-36). Matthew 24:11-12 captures this:
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”
This problem is indeed causing havoc in the church. As stated in Matthew 24:12 it is making the love of God in many people “wax cold”. It is making evangelism and soul winning very difficult too. It is causing many believers to leave the church.

Just 3 days ago, I was sharing The Word with a friend and encouraging him to return to church. He used to worship but he left and has not been to church for 10 years! He still believes in God alright, he prays and then does his own thing. His response to me was thought provoking. First he said “God will not forgive me if I go to church knowing what I feel inside, especially about these so called ordained men, their hypocrisy, lies and immorality”. He further declared with a sort of finality “I am a Christian and I don’t need the church”. In my evangelical disposition, I do not profess to be all knowing and have all the answers. I tend to listen more than speak. I always pray for spiritual guidance and reason with others with a view to understand them. Nevertheless while doing this, I am mindful of two things
1. Not to enter into temptation – Luke 22:40 – “When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”2. Not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers – 2Corinthians 6:14 – “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness”?

I tried to rationalise with this friend and quoted bible passages to highlight how Jesus will want us to deal with such a problem e.g. Matthew 24:13 – But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
The more I shared, the more my friend gave his good reasons for not wanting to return to the church. He could not ever feel at home with these hypocritical, lying, cheating, whoring, usurping, gossiping (the list was long) church leaders and followers. He loves God, knows God but would feel saner outside the church. I challenged him further and asked how he could win souls outside the church to which he answered, “my lifestyle is the soul winner for Christ. I live in simplicity, honesty, kindness and cleanliness and if people emulate me, they are better Christians than these pretentious church goers. True words.

Well, my friend spoke well. That’s my judgement. You decide if he has a point or not. Who are really causing people to be disillusioned with the church? The bible does condemn such (read Matthew 25:32-46). Matthew 18:6-7 states that – “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”Many churches have self labelled themselves and could easily be identified with many works of the flesh all of which are condemned in the Bible e.g. Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[a] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,[b] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

I AM A CHRISTIAN, DO I NEED THE CHURCH?
I would be found wanting in my Evangelical calling if my answer is NO. It is a crying shame that many have been made to feel disillusioned about the church, and I honestly understand how this could easily be done for I sometimes struggle to understand the motivation of many church leaders. But as a Christian, the church needs you and you need the church. Without members, there is no church. The church of the Lord must move on and its growth must not be stunted. If people keep on moving away from the church, it would not augur well for the Body of Christ.

The church is a family of believers who come together to serve God and unite in love to propagate the faith. Paul represents this well in Galatians 1:3-8
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.(Read v19 also).
The Master will not speak in vain. The church will never die. We as individuals have a DUTY to build and not destroy the church. The church calls for true worshippers.

The greater part of this responsibility lies on the church leaders. It is time to call our hearts and house in order. Ephesians 5:23 reminds us that Christ is the head of our church. And since the Lord Nourishes and Cherishes the church (v29), we all have a part to play in “presenting a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle…, but to be holy without blemish”. The church is the Body of Christ - Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.
All members of this self same body must function together from the head all the way down to the toes.

This is time again for sober reflection brothers and sisters in Christ. What part are we playing in the Body of Christ? Are we damaging or building it? No believer should be “forced out” but instead, believers should stick together and unite in truth and holiness to force out the bad eggs, and for those not eternally damned, effect a change in their lives for the better. If you are a Christian, YES, the church does need you and you need the church. It doesn’t matter which church you attend as long as Christ is being preached and practiced there. And if you are yet to become a born again believer, please consider it today. You may want to read John 3:1-21.

AGAPE