Sunday Sermons

A Strong Church

Mark Dunagan
08/27/07 - Sunday Morning

A Strong Church

In the July/August 2002 edition of Focus Magazine, Mike Wilson noted a number of factors that contribute to the growth of a congregation.

· When we evangelize the lost.

· When saints are convicted.

· When leaders lead.

· When preaching is strong.

· When parents instill biblical virtues.

· When sound teaching is welcomed.

· When corrective discipline is practiced.

· When brotherly love exists.

· When sacrifice replaces complacency.

In this lesson I want to address the importance of sound teaching in the life of a congregation. Shying away from an emphasis upon biblical teaching is not a new problem, but rather a very old one among God’s people, “For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘You must not see visions’; and to the prophets, ‘You must not prophesy to us what is right. Speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions’” (Isaiah 30:9-10). Sadly, when this happened, the people loved it (Jeremiah 5:31), yet they ultimately perished(Hosea 4:6).

“In 1972 Dean Kelly published a remarkable book entitled Why Conservative Churches Are Growing. In it he documented a striking shift in the fortunes of America’s oldest and largest Protestant denominations. After two centuries of growth that culminated in the 1950’s, virtually all mainline Protestant denominations had begun losing members. The losses, however, were far from uniform. Liberal denominations were declining much more rapidly than conservative denominations, and the most conservative were growing” (Why Strict Churches Are Strong, Laurence R. Iannaccone, Santa Clara University, AJS Volume 99 Number 5 (March 1994): p. 1180). It is noteworthy that Kelley said the traits of a conservative church are absolutism, conformity and zeal (which some would call fanaticism), while the traits of a liberal church are relativism (the idea that truth is in a state of constant flux), diversity, and dialogue (a lot of sharing of human opinion to the point that almost every view is equally valued or at least tolerated). Conservative churches proclaim an exclusive truth, a closed, comprehensive, and eternal doctrine. They demand adherence to a distinctive faith, lifestyle, and morality.

Dialogue

This has become a popular word among religious people. The Bible teaches that Christians are expected to have dialogue with the world (1 Peter 3:15; Matthew 28:20; Mark 16:15). Yet the “dialogue” often stressed in liberal circles is the type of discussion in which nothing is settled. “If they are open to unobstructed discourse about Scripture too often it is because they do not take Scripture as seriously as they ought. At times they remind me of the philosophers on Mars Hill—willing to listen to anything, but willing to commit to nothing. For them biblical doctrine is ‘interesting’ but not ‘compelling’; ‘directive’, perhaps, but not ‘deciding’” (The Cultural Church, F. LaGard Smith, p. 29). By contrast, the “dialogue” expected of Christians is one of presenting God’s absolute truth to the world without compromise or adjustment (2 Timothy 4:2; Acts 17:2-3).

The Benefits of Sound Teaching

· Sound Teaching Increases Commitment:

Because sound doctrine demands completely loyalty and unwavering belief and a distinctive lifestyle (Matthew 6:33; Luke 14:26; 1 Peter 2:12). Sound doctrine raises the level of participation by all members (Ephesians 4:16). If commitment is required then sound churches will attract committed people, if something less is acceptable, then that is what a group will get.

· Sound Teaching Enhances Worship:

“The pleasure and edification that I derive from a Sunday service does not depend solely on what I bring to the service (through my presence, attentiveness, public singing, etc), it also depends on how many others attend, how warmly they greet me, how enthusiastically they read and pray, and how deep their commitments are” (p. 1184). The pattern is that sound doctrine increases commitment, and the committed attend, and when they do, they really want to sing, are intend upon listening, and want to edify their brethren as well (Hebrews 10:24; Ephesians 4:16 “Causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”). “A church member who attends regularly, sings wholeheartedly, and greets others warmly---enhances not just his own spiritual life, but also those of his fellow members” (p. 1185). The author equally noted that people who contribute very little of their personal resources (time, energy, etc) to others are actually people who can threaten the life of a religious group. The benefit of sound doctrine is that when such teaching confronts such an individual either they will change or they will go somewhere else that is less demanding. There is a warning here to groups that new members are wonderful, but the wrong kind of member can actually threaten the survival of the group. This is one reason that Jesus was continually weeding out the half-hearted from His followers (John 6:26; 6:60-66; Luke 14:26).

· Reduces Free-Rider Problems:

“Like other collective activities, religion is susceptible to ‘free riding’. Free-riding has wrecked many an enterprise, from small charities to global initiatives. Two-types of free-rider problems are particularly common in religion. In any group, people with low levels of religious commitment tend to free ride off those with higher levels; they tend to take more than they give. They may do so unintentionally. Nevertheless, if only because their lower commitment inclines them to participate and contribute less than others, their mere presence dilutes a group’s resources, reducing the average level of participation, enthusiasm, energy, and the like. One need not look very far to find an anemic congregation plagued by free-rider problems—a visit to the nearest liberal, mainline Protestant church usually will suffice” (pp. 1184-1185).

· Weeds out the Exploiters:

There have always been people who seek to attach themselves to a church, not because of a genuine desire for salvation, but rather for some nonreligious benefit (“They will exploit you with false words” (2 Peter 2:3); “Who suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5). The Shakers had problems with transient members who would join the group in late fall, obtain food and shelter throughout the winter, and then leave when employment opportunities improved. “The Salvation Army will readily attest that the promise of free meals guarantees an audience of less than average commitment” (p. 1186). In fact, not only can churches be threatened by failure, they can also be threatened by success. A growing church can attract a crowd of members who lack the enthusiasm and faith of the earlier ones and are attracted only by self-interest. By contrast, an emphasis upon sound teaching produces:

· An expected lifestyle of all the members and zero toleration for deviation from the biblical pattern of morality (1 Corinthians 5:11).

· An absolute standard of truth, rather than being enslaved to the eclectic views of an excuse making social misfit (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

· An absolute standard of truth, rather than being tossed here and there by the fads and trends in the culture(Ephesians 4:14).

· Holding on to God’s vision of the work of the church (1 Timothy 3:15), rather than being pressured to opt for the “vision” of some man or woman.

· Weeds out the Pretenders:

The Bible does teach a definite moral standard (Galatians 5:19-24; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:1-6). When this standard is preached often and enforced through brotherly confrontation and congregational discipline (Matthew 18:15), anyone with ulterior motives for being part of the group often leaves. As one writer notes, “private drinking from a hidden bottle is a poor substitute for social drinking at bars and parties, and a concealed smoking habit may be more trouble than it is worth” (p. 1188).

· Keeps Things a Little Smaller:

Truth by its very nature is narrow (John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14), and thus an emphasis on truth will keep a congregation somewhat smaller, not tiny, but at times smaller than a group where the doctrine might be “potluck”. Thus, being in a congregation where your presence is noticed (as well as your absence) where you are expected to attend, to be involved and to be under the oversight of elders (Hebrews 13:17), makes it harder to live a life of deception. Thus truth ensures intimacy, true fellowship (Acts 2:42), and accountability to God and others.

Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017