THE CHURCH AS GOD WOULD HAVE IT

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. God has a plan for the church.  It is right.  We need to know  
      that plan.  It is a plan that works and we need to work the    
      plan.
   B. Through human frailties and weaknesses many have lost sight of
      God's plan.
      1. The old expression "back to the Bible" is a good one.
         a. It implies that there has been a departure from the      
            Bible.
         b. It indicates that the Bible is the standard.
   C. There is a need within the churches of our Lord to investigate
      God's plan.  There is a need for a study of the church of the  
      first century.
      1. What the church was then, with divine approval, it needs to 
         be now.
   D. One lesson cannot cover the subject completely, but we will    
      note a few of the present needs for the church as God would    
      have it.

I. DISTINGUISHED FROM DENOMINATIONS.
   A. A church becomes a denomination when it takes upon itself      
      either a denominational name, faith or practice.
      1. We need to continue our bold defense of the truth.  This
         distinguishes us from all denominations.
      2. When we give up our stand for truth, we have lost           
         everything.
   B. The church of Christ is not a denomination.
      1. It is not a part or section of something, but the whole of  
         God's people.
      2. In the first century they all taught and practiced the same;
         there are no denominations in the Bible.  All have come from
         man since that time.  Matt. 15:13; Psalm 127:1
   C. The gospel does not create denominations.
      1. The gospel requirements are undenominational and the results
         are undenominational.  "The Bible only makes Christians     
         only."  Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38,41,47
      2. When one obeys the gospel he becomes a member of the church
         and a Christian, no more and no less, and he then works and
         worships with other Christians.
      3. For one to become something other than a Christian, or
         something in addition to a Christian, he needs something    
         other than the gospel.
         a. When men begin to add to the gospel, their worship
            becomes vain.  Matt. 15:9

II. UNITED.
   A. The church should be united universally, but let's consider    
      here the unity that ought to prevail in the local sense.  Most 
      of our responsibility will be in the local sense.
   B. Churches in many places are being torn asunder.
      1. Some discord is over doctrine, but much is over personality
         clashes and improper attitudes.
      2. Some are cantankerous and highly critical.
      3. Some want their way and are going to have it even if it     
         means splitting the church.
   C. It is a very serious thing to divide the body of Christ.  1    
      Cor. 3:16-17
      1. Consider Paul's instruction.  1 Cor. 1:10  We can all speak  
         the same things if we are willing to speak only as the      
         oracles of God.  1 Pet. 4:11
      2. If brethren will manifest the proper spirit, problems can be
         solved and unity can prevail.  Rom. 14:19; Eph. 4:2-3
      3. One of the identifying characteristics of the Lord's people 
         is love.  John 13:34-35  Outsiders can see love among us.   
         Also, they can see the lack of it!

III. SOUND PREACHING.
   A. We need preaching that is straight from the book.  2 Tim. 4:2
      1. We need the "sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1); "wholesome words,
         even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Tim. 6:3);      
         "sound words" (2 Tim. 1:13); "faithful word" (Titus 1:9).
   B. The brotherhood colleges (liberal preacher factories) are      
      producing a professional preacher who hardly knows anything    
      about the Bible.
      1. They know how to conduct a youth camp, promote gigantic
         projects, direct social events, council marital problems,   
         etc.  
         a. They are even "experts" in these fields, but they do not
            know the Bible and are not spending time to learn it.
      2. They are too busy "pasturing" the flock to give much
         consideration to what the church really needs.  Their       
         preaching is nothing more than "shallow sermonettes" with   
         jokes and pretty stories.
   C. The result is that churches are starving for the Word of God.  
      There is no spiritual growth and maturity with that kind of    
      preaching.
      1. The church needs preaching with the Jerusalem ring (the old
         Jerusalem gospel).
      2. It needs preachers that condemn sin, false doctrine and
         wickedness in no uncertain terms.  This encourages godliness
         and faithfulness in the church. 
      3. Paul labeled sin as sin and in many instances called the    
         names of those involved, e.g., Hymenaeus and Philetus (2    
         Tim. 2:16-18); Demas (2 Tim. 4:10); Alexander the           
         coppersmith (2 Tim. 4:14-15).
      4. Such preaching is unpopular today; nevertheless, we need
         courageous men who will condemn sin wherever it is found and
         spare not.  Isa. 58:1

IV. THE CHURCH NEEDS TO DEVELOP LEADERS.
   A. The church ought to be busy developing elders, preachers,      
      deacons, and teachers.
      1. It is its own training and edification society.  Eph 4:11-16
      2. It is autonomous, self-governing, self-sustaining.
   B. One area wherein many churches have failed miserably is in     
      their responsibility to train preachers.
      1. There is definitely a preacher shortage today.  It is common
         for small churches to go a full year without finding someone
         to work with them.  Jesus said -- Matt. 9:37
      2. Churches have failed in the following ways:
         a. They have depended on colleges to train their preachers. 
            The church is autonomous and therefore ought to develop
            its own preachers.
         b. They have failed in encouraging young men to preach. 
            There has been very little training in the home along    
            this line.
         c. There has been sickening selfishness, materialism, and
            worldliness in many churches and  for this reason fewer  
            men have been put in the field.
      3. Some solutions to this problem:
         a. Churches need to have programs to train men to preach.
         b. Let all members resolve to generally improve the lot of
            preachers; thus, his life and work will be more          
            attractive to the young men as  they choose a profession.
        c. Let every Christian pray for reapers.  Matt. 9:37-38

V. IF THE CHURCH IS TO BE AS GOD WOULD HAVE IT, IT NEEDS DEDICATED
   MEMBERS.
   A. Many have never counted the cost of church membership.
      1. Churches are filled with members who are unwilling to work  
         or to scarcely make any sacrifice whatsoever.
      2. Bulletin article: "300 total membership, 20 too old to work,
         280 left to work, but 30 too young to assume much
         responsibility, 250 left to work, but 20 work out of town or
         are away in school, 230 left to work, but 40 work long hours
         six or seven days a week, 190 left to work, but 20 are tied 
         down with small children, 170 left to work, but 34          
         handicapped by poor health, aches and pains, 136 left to    
         work, but 32 hindered by unbelieving companions, 104 left to
         work, but 58 are unfaithful and do not attend regularly, 46 
         left to work, but 30 attend but refuse to work, 16 left to  
         do the work, but 14 are tired and ask to be relieved, 2 left
         to do the work, YOU and I, but I'm too busy with other      
         things, so YOU do the work."
   B. We need members who put the kingdom of God first (Matt. 6:33),
      who deny themselves or their own interest, ambitions and       
      desires, and work for the Lord (Luke 9:23).
      1. Wonders could be accomplished if all members would take
         Christianity seriously and live a godly, devoted and        
         consecrated life for Christ. 
      2. If we had many truly dedicated members, the church would
         begin to grow as it has never grown before.  Great wonders
         would be accomplished.

VI. THE CHURCH NEEDS TO PRACTICE DISCIPLINE.
   A. Discipline is a rarity in most congregations.
      1. The unfaithful are simply being ignored and removed from the
         directory and forgotten.
   B. There are at least three important reasons why discipline ought
      to be practiced.
      1. To uphold the authority of Christ.  2 Thess. 3:6
      2. To save the souls of the guilty.  1 Cor. 5:5
      3. To maintain the purity of the church.  1 Cor. 5:6; Eph.     
         5:25-27
   C. Hasten the day when churches begin to practice discipline.

VII. INTEREST IN SOULS.
   A. There is not much interest in soul winning today.
      1. Some churches have many thousands of dollars in their
         treasuries.
      2. Some small churches are content to give only in proportion  
         to their expenses.
   B. The church is a soul saving institution.  1 Tim. 3:15  This is 
      what Christianity is all about--to save ourselves and as many  
      others as we can.
      1. Consider the example of the early Christians.  Acts 8:4; 1 
         Thess. 1:8
   C. We need to be bringing in the sheaves.  This thought is from an
      old favorite hymn (No. 571, Sacred Selections), and is based on
      Psalm 126:6.
      1. There is great rejoicing when sheaves are brought in.  Acts
         2:41,46; 8:39; 11:23
      2. In far too many cases the seed is still in the barn.  Many  
         talents have been buried in the earth.
      3. There are many sheaves that need to be gathered today and we
         need to be busy bringing them in.

Concl.
   A. Thus, we have looked at some things that are important for the
      church: distinguished from denominations, united, having sound
      preaching, developing leaders, having dedicated members,
      practicing discipline, and interested in lost souls.
   B. If we have these things, we have the church as God wants       
      it--like the Bible pattern.
      1. We need to work in these areas so that we can be more like  
         the pattern and meet God's approval.
   C. If you have not obeyed the gospel, that's your first step in   
      meeting God's approval.  If you have strayed away, renew       
      yourself by repentance and prayer so you can once again have   
      divine approval.