Churches - Then and Now

If you have to discuss on Church effectiveness, you may not be able to explain it without referring to the early Church pattern referred in the Bible. The early church was established in the midst of extreme conditions, challenges from the political arena, legalistic community and also from Jewish community. Yet the fervor and high growth rate was remarkable.

If you notice, the early church never settled for mediocrity nor maintained status quo. Apostle Paul to 1 Thessalonians 2:14 remarks “For you brothers and sisters become imitators of God’s Churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. .”. The Churches of Judea are probably selected for example, not as being the oldest and best organized Churches but the most afflicted, both by want (Acts 11:29; 24:17; Romans 15:26), and primarily by persecution from the “Jews”.

Strong bonding and fellowship in the early Church is what stands as a distinguishable trait in the Church then, which is rare in the Churches now. The trust level was high, and they ensured that there is no one who suffers either spiritually or materialistically. It was the leaders and apostles that ensured the management of resources not to amass wealth for themselves but to take the contribution and charity gifts (Acts 15:17) to the suffering fellow saints.

Today there is something called “Know your customers” (KYC) in business corporate world. Every individual is required to submit a KYC to banks, mobile service provider, business entities and in any places of dealings that connects a person to a larger world. What about Churches? Does the Church leadership know the members well? Is there a database with complete information of the Church members? Or is it expected that the congregation should only know the pastor & leadership? In some cases, both the members of the congregation or the Church leadership are least concerned to know each other. Ray Ortund Puts it beautifully, “Church life can be immeasurably happy, humane, uplifting or unspeakably painful, brutal, degrading. I’ve seen both. When it is former, the gospel has sweetly subdued that Church, when the latter, worldly agendas have taken over and are defrauding and plundering that Church.”.

Let me state a view honestly with no intention to throw stones, but to help the Churches, leaders and individuals to think. Working with close to 100 Church denominations I have rarely seen Churches know the congregation well and have customized programs catering to the need of the poor in the Churches.  In mega churches you are identified based on the tithes you give and in some cases it’s the membership fee, these data for sure will be recorded. But what about your complete profile? What about your abilities? Does the Church have an effective outreach or social program where you can be part of? Or is it expected that you just give the money for the program and the Church takes care of it without you?  Does the Church have a social program catering to the need of the people? "The worst that can happen to a church is not catastrophic disaster but the tragic nothingness, the empty inconsequentiality, of dull "success" -- with a faithful doctrinal statement, good attendance, money flowing in, but it isn't for Jesus, and the Spirit has departed." Ray Ortlund

It is seen quite often people quote the book of Malachi to talk about tithes which says “Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. .” Malachi 3: 10 Great! ‘food in my house’, food for whom? Early church brought all their personal resources to share and meet the needs of people who were suffering. Therefore, they were called the “highly favored Church”. (Acts 2:47) There are many who come to the Church languishing in poverty loneliness and in pain. Do we even know them? Do we have food to feed them?

You may refer to my earlier blog on imitating the Church: Imitate me Imitate my Church

Blessings