A CALL FOR THE CONFESSING CHURCH

               Bible Study  – Dr. Walter Thomas

Scripture Lesson: John 12:32 -  Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me”

John 3:14,15 - “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Hebrews 12:2, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.”

Ephesians 1:22 – “And He (God, the Father) put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things in the church.” (Also see: 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, 2:19)

The church today generally falls short of, of what I will herein call,  THE CONFESSING CHURCH it is supposed to be.  In fact, the church today can be easily understood in the light of 4 poles, or emphases: "spirit churches", "word churches", "liturgical/social churches" and "witnessing/lighthouse churches".  Each of these four generalized kinds of churches emphasizes important and valuable aspects of the gospel message and Kingdom purposes, but usually to the exclusion of many or more important things. One tends to emphasize a particular piece to the neglect of the whole.

1. The "Word churches" emphasize the written Word of God, the Bible.  They lift the Bible to incredibly great heights and emphases.  They preach the Word, memorize the Word, witness with the Word and use the Word to judge all things.  The preached and taught Word is the most important part of their religious life.  Unfortunately, the Bible becomes an idol for many.  They may become literalists and fundamentalists, often using the Word as a personal sword to cut on others.  They are very cerebral and cognitive in their religious experiences, making religion a very mental and intellectual experience.  They operate many Bible colleges and seminaries.  Preaching the Word is a most valued religious activity.  (Often Bible churches, Baptists, Presbyterians, covenant, free church, and reformed churches)  The word churches could be considered those who emphasize the mind and doctrine of Christ.
2. The "Spirit churches" emphasize the spiritual experiences with God.  They elevate spiritual experiences to a near idol at times.  They are particularly interested in the spiritual gifts of miracles, prophecy, signs and wonders, tongues, interpretation and emotionalized experiences, including dancing, jumping, and demonstrative praise and worship times.  A good church service is one in which they felt good.  They are very introspective in their religious experiences, relying on impressions, sensations, words of knowledge and wisdom, personal prophecies and even dreams and visions.    (Often the pentecostal, charismatic, spirit-filled, holiness and independent churches and sects).  The spirit churches could be considered those who emphasize the heart and passion of Christ.                               
3. The "liturgical/social churches" are often referred to as the modern churches and main-line churches. They are sometimes referred to as the "high churches".  Their religious emphasis is the liturgy, often making it a near idol.  Much of their religious experience is based on the fine arts, including classical hymnology and orchestration, organs, choirs, stained glass, three-dimensional art, artifacts and architecture are given near sacred treatments.  Even the orders of service, books of order, liturgical symbolism and sacred vestments/garments are assigned religious value and significance.  The Eucharist is often given central emphasis in worship, sometimes near idolatry again.  Many of these churches have historically had ties to the nation states in which they reside, i.e. The Church of England, The Church of Sweden, etc.  These churches also have a strong social gospel of mercy and social intervention in the larger society, often operating hospitals, medical schools, universities, social service agencies, benevolence ministries and often endeavor to intervene into the political/social infrastructure as a way of carrying the words and works of Jesus into the public square.  Their membership is often marked with distinguished citizens in business, law, education and government.  They are frequently the more wealthy of all church groups. They often retain priests and professional clergy to provide ministry leadership.  (Often Episcopal, Anglican, Lutheran, catholic, orthodox, Unitarian and some congregational churches)  The liturgical churches could be considered those who emphasize the divinity and theology of Christ, as well as the theology of the church..
4. The "witnessing/lighthouse churches" are concerned with intense evangelism and witnessing, as well as rescuing the perishing, the lost, the poor and the powerless.  Their main thing is revivalism and evangelism. They focus most of the individual and corporate religious life into evangelism, revivals, camp meetings, witnessing programs, street mission and street ministry.  They often operate elaborate food and shelter ministries, with not a few actually providing care for alcoholics, drug addicts and the homeless.  Their churches are like lighthouses for the lost.  They often operate as a street mission in an urban center.  They do door-to-door evangelism, street preaching, and other aggressive evangelistic efforts.  Every church service has an altar call and every member must be an evangelist.  The pulpit preacher is frequently a fiery evangelistic and stylistic pulpiteer.  Persuasive, humorous and entertaining evangelistic pulpit preachers are the main feature of most religious services.  (Often missionary churches,  independent Baptist, independent churches and some charismatic/Pentecostal churches).  The witnessing/lighthouse churches could be considered the voice and hands of Christ.

Think of these as being four points on a compass or clock.  There are many hybrids and blends among them.  The most common hybrids are the two most adjacent to each other in the diagram below.  The two continua  (horizontal and vertical) actually identify religious groups that are “poles apart”.  (Note: the graphics necessary for this figure would not transfer into site format, so imagine a modified cross design with horizontal and vertical lines connecting 1-2 and 3-4)  The following figure may help portray the four kinds of churches:

            3.  Liturgical/Social

                                                                            Churches

                                                                                           |

                                                                                           |

                              1. Word Churches --------------------|------------------- 2. Spirit Churches   

                                                                                           | 

                           |

                           |

       4. Witnessing/Lighthouse

                          Churches

            The blends and hybrids are many.  For example, 1-3 churches might be some Presbyterian and reformed churches.  1-2 churches are very common as are 2-4 churches.  The 2-3 churches would include the charismatic Anglican and charismatic catholic.

            However, Word churches and spirit churches are usually worlds apart, even hostile and deeply critical of each other.   A word church may even suggest that spirit churches or charismatic phenomena are demonic or evil.  The liturgical churches (often referred to as high churches or mainstream ) have very little to do with the witnessing/lighthouse churches.  The former are very formal and the latter are very informal and loose.

            The main point of all of this discussion is they are likely all wrong and they are likely all right.  They are all right because each emphasizes some important aspects of the gospel message and Kingdom purposes.  They are all wrong because they isolate and divide from each other and because they emphasize something less than the main thing.  They emphasize the less essential, making it the most essential thing.  The Lord is looking to return to a church without spot or wrinkle and without division and wrangling. A divided church is not the True church.  When the Word and Spirit churches merge with the social gospel and the individual gospel churches, then the Lord will return to a more perfect church.  Each of these poles miss the whole counsel of God’s word, in preference to one or two points they think are the most important things God gave us.  Herein is folly and unsound doctrine, of course.  Remember, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!

A CALL TO BE A NEW TESTAMENT CONFESSING CHURCH

The Confessing Church is better represented by a pyramid or cone model, not a flat plane. Think of the four-pole diagram as a two-dimensional model.  Now add a three-dimensional concept in the middle that lifts Christ to a high and exalted place, the center of everything that is called church.  It becomes a pyramid, with lines coming from all four points, which point upward to the living Christ who reigns over His church, high and lifted up.  In fact, it is a cone with a circular base in which all members of His assembly relate and report to Him.  He is the supreme head of the Body and all of its valuable parts.  He will bring the unity which He prayed and promised to provide in John 15. 

The fractured and divisive church is like grotesque body parts lying around the earth.  They seem even spastic and dysfunctional at times.  They are supposed to be attached to a coordinated, living organism, the universal living church of Jesus Christ.  The fractured and warring factions, must unite under the Headship of Christ.  They all must remember the main thing is to make the main thing the main thing!  The word and spirit churches must get married. The liturgical and lighthouse church must merge.  The evangelistic church is a great church, but it needs to exalt Christ and not exalt evangelism; because the lifted Christ is the only one that can draw all men to Himself.  The word church is a great church, but it needs to exalt Christ and not the word, to exalt the God of the word and not the word of the God.  The Spirit churches need to not exalt the gifts but the Giver of the gifts; to realize the gifts are grace-enablements to be like the Head, like the Christ so that the individual members can do the works of Jesus and speak the words of Jesus.  The liturgical churches need not emphasize the Eucharist, the sacrifices and the sacraments, but the sacred Lord Christ of the sacraments.  They need not emphasize the social-do-good gospel, but live and show forth the glory and power of the living Christ.  He will change the social order by His glory and power, not by our good works….as good intentioned as they may truly be.

All churches everywhere must realize that Christ, Himself, is to be the living head of the His Body.  He, the Anointed ONE, is to be exalted, confessed, exemplified, patterned, praised, worshipped and obeyed. Jesus came to establish His Kingdom, not denominations, sects, independent churches.  He did not create a disconnected foot to be over here by itself, a mouth over there and a hand over here.  He came to establish a united, functioning body, with Himself at its head.  This is to be a living, breathing, active, purposive, united and forceful organism. The really important thing is that all of the four types of churches, and their many blends and colorations, must all become part of the New Testament CONFESSING CHURCH.  Each of the four poles have emphasized one or a few things to the exclusion of the more excellent things.  Many have emphasized something less than the main thing.  If the confessing church would exalt and lift-up Christ Jesus, He will draw all men to Himself, and in the process, take care of all the misdirected emphases.  The exalted Christ of power and glory, will cause real evangelism to occur, cause social structures to change, give life and power to the preached word and be anointed with the power and glory of the Holy Spirit.

I believe there is a mighty Tsunami wave that is going to hit the church in the next two years: the simple, moving, breathing, living New Testament house churches who confess, exhibit and exalt the living Christ and He alone.  The forms and functions of the pagan church will become hollow shells of what was supposed to be something glorious and powerful.  But their idols eventually destroyed them: their buildings, their move-star preachers, their entertaining arts, their contemporary music, their evangelistic crusades, their seeker-sensitive programming, their professional clergy, their pulpit-pounding preachers, their liturgical high and holy days, their social gospel--- will all pale as the power and the glory of the living Christ is revealed in the simple, holy relationships which He promised to inhabit.  His true apostles, prophets, evangelists and shepherds will be known by His power and glory and not by pagan patterns of religiousness.  Movie star preachers will watch as millions flow out of thjeir pagan churches looking for life and power in the anointed two or three gathered in His name.  This will happen, I believe, in the next two to three years.  It has already started.  Jesus warned of many in the last days, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.” (Matt. 7:21-23)   They will have their religious forms and empty traditions, but deny the power of God, preferring their own programs and promotions.  Their institutional monuments to themselves will never be in Heaven but will be burned up with all of that which is pagan.  Pastors will be standing at their houses of worship, some will be watching people streaming in and others will be watching people streaming out.  People will seek the power, the life, the glory, the truth and the Spirit of Jesus.

People will leave the mainline churches and denominations by the millions, as God raises up true shepherds, true apostles, true prophets and true evangelists to lead His end-time church into simple holiness and life.  He will back them with signs and wonders, with His glory and His power.  The simple will be great; the weak will become strong and the foolishness of the gospel will confound the mighty mega churches with their pop cultural formats.   Maybe the well-cited acronym will be so relevant: KISS, or Keep it Simple Saints.

WHAT DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT CONFESSING CHURCH LOOK LIKE?

The NT assembly is a mutual fellowship of sanctified believers, with Christ as its head, in which every member is an active participant in the mission and life of the assembly.  Each member and each assembly is a living confession and statement of what Jesus is. In each member and assembly will be the exact duplication of Jesus Christ, with each member and assembly demonstrating the power and the glory of Jesus Christ in all they do.  They must become like Jesus before they can minister like Jesus.  They confess Christ by being Jesus and doing Jesus.  Each member of the assembly would faithfully endeavor to meet the life and mission expectations established by Christ and His apostles for the church.  These expectations are established and exemplified by the leaders and the members of the assemblies described in the first-century assemblies.  These expectations for the members of the assembly of Christ are written in the New Testament scriptures.  When the assembly members follow these expectations, they will be seen as radical.  There are no other expectations for the church other than those given by Christ and His apostles.  What are those exclusive Biblical expectations?

Biblical expectations for the members of the assembly of Christ:

1. They will be holy even as God is holy.
2. They will live their lives separated, sanctified (set apart by God) unto Jesus Christ. (In the world, but have nothing to do with the plans and ways of the world)
3. They will love God with all of their heart, mind and will
4. They will continually celebrate, praise and worship the Father and His Son.
5. They will faithfully obey God and follow those elders He establishes under the head of His Son, Jesus Christ, living in meekness and submission to one another.
6. They will be the blessed Bride of Christ, beautiful in Jesus and without spot or wrinkle.
7. They will be in continuous, intimate relationship with each other and with the persons of the Godhead.
8. They will be filled with the Spirit of Jesus, who will guide them in ways of righteous and holy living.
9. They will faithfully participate in the life of the assembly, by ministering to each other through encouragement, teaching, prophecy, music, prayer, serving, acts of mercy and love and to regularly meet together in assembly.
10. They will regularly confess their sins to each other and to God.
11. They will fear God in all their ways.
12. They will faithfully devote themselves to regularly studying and knowing God’s word.
13. They will be baptized in water and by the Holy Spirit.
14. They will regularly participate in the Lord’s fellowship meal together.
15. They will be disciplined/discipled/trained/equipped by the Holy Spirit, by each other and by those spiritual leaders the Lord of the Church has appointed over them.
16. They will faithfully speak the words of Jesus and do the works of Jesus, as it pertains to the other members of the assembly and ministering grace to a fallen world around them.
17. They will be fearless, uncompromising warriors who will fight against the kingdom of this world and for the Kingdom of God.
18. They will love the lost and fallen in the world so as to win them to Jesus Christ.
19. They will deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus.
20. They will expect persecution and suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, and will persevere in the face of such suffering for righteousness sake.
21. *They will detest, abhor and oppose anything that looks like, acts like, patterns after or promotes the Kingdom of the World, in their own individual lives, in their families and in the life of the assembly of Christ.