Satan hates the church as much as Christ loves it. One of Satan's biggest lies to attack the church is popularizing an independent faith that creates apathy toward the church. And it's one of the most common lies spreading throughout our world today.
Jesus identified directly with his church when he asked Paul, "Why are you persecuting me?" So it's not surprising that Paul saw the church as the focus of God's work on earth: "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:10).
If someone focuses only on their own "spirituality," they are not practicing the Christan faith as Jesus and Paul define, so we need to dismantle the lie of an independent faith.
The Hardest Worker in the World
Paul's passion for the church translated into a passion for work.
"I have become [the church's] servant by the commission God gave me" (Colossians 1:25).
"I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally" (Colossians 2:1).
How hard I am contending...even for those he has never met!
Paul's identity can be described, in part, by two sentences:
"I serve the church."
"I work hard for the church."
Paul's sacrificial attitude toward the church calls us to a new attitude of what it means to be a Christian. It's not just about personal piety or being personally inspired. It's not about getting what we think we need out of a particular service. It's about being part of a community that proclaims Jesus is the risen king.
Mercenary Believers
A pastor from Hong Kong told me that one of his greatest challenges in leading his international church was the mindset so many have when coming to Hong Kong: suck all the money they can out of the city and then return home with their wealth. They didn't come to Hong Kong with a heart for the city. It was more of a mercenary attitude: earn as much as you can and then leave. It's very difficult for a pastor to build a sense of mission to reach the city when so many people are intent on simply using the city.
I've met some believers who have the same mercenary attitude toward the local church. They are full of ideas about what should be done or could be done, but if you ask them what they are doing, the reality is they'd prefer to just complain, or worse, simply say, "Give me what I want or I'm out of here." In medical terms, they want to suck the marrow out of the church; Paul's attitude was the reverse: he offered himself for a blood transfusion to give new life to the church.
Paul faced shipwrecks, beatings, incessant travels, prisons, and the ever-present threat of death. He willingly went from being a persecutor to becoming the persecuted, all for the sake of the church. He went from putting people into prison to having others put him in prison. Pastors can relate to this on a different scale; you cannot be in true ministry without bearing social and relational scars on behalf of this work. It's easy to wonder sometimes, "Why bother?" We don't love and serve the church because it's always lovable; we love and serve the church because it's the bride of Christ. Basing our lives on the example of Paul, one of the most glorious epitaphs we could hope to see on our tombstones would be, "Love of God, Servant of the Church."
Let's work to dismantle apathy for the church. If people think their faith revolves around them, they'll eventually grow bored with such an insignificant and narcissistic life. They need to learn the necessity and glory of working tirelessly on behalf of the church. May we all say, "I am a servant of the church. I work hard for the church."
Ideas for How to Implement The Life You Were Reborn to Live into Your Ministry Setting:
- Develop a Sermon Series: Create a multi-week sermon series inspired by themes from the book. Use Gary Thomas' insights to guide your congregation on a transformational journey, helping them dismantle the lies robbing them of intimacy with God.
- Offer a Workshop for Leaders and Staff: Conduct a workshop for our church staff, ministry leaders, and volunteers using the book as a foundation to identify which of the 12 lies are affecting their spiritual walk the most. This can help align their personal spiritual strengths and weaknesses with their roles in church ministries, fostering greater engagement and effectiveness.
- Integrate the Book into Bible Study Groups: Introduce the book as part of your church's ongoing Bible study groups. Provide tailored resources or supplemental materials that connect the book's message to relevant Scripture, making the study experience both practical and biblically grounded.