The Bible on Church, Acts 11

"and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." Acts 11.26

The Church is to be a place of teaching. Over a year ago I was in a conversation with a man who was very musically inclined. He had at one point lead music for a church, but as we talked he seemed to put too much emphasis on music in a church service. He said, "Why can't we just sing for the whole time, and that could be the blessing?" I kept my mouth shut because I knew nothing I could say would do any good, but music doesn't due what a Biblically rooted, Spirit empowered sermon will.

Think back the fear of the Lord comments from the last post, how many songs teach you about the fear of the Lord? How many make you feel it? I can't think of a single one. Pretty much every song I've ever heard in Church falls under one of these categories: Feel good, '90's hand raise chorus, Reflective prayer, or Tear jerker. I'm not trying to take anything away from music as a part of worship. I think it's an essential element that helps us connect with part of God. But looking at the songs we sing, they only connect to part of God.

Some of my favorite songs do tell us who God is (I think Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin do a phenomenal job with this), but music cannot replace the sermon. The Church is a place where teaching is essential. We must learn about who God is, and in that learn to fear Him and find comfort in the Spirit. We must learn what the Bible says, which many people today don't know even the simplest things (last week was the Student Week Championships on Jeopardy, and the three smartest high schoolers in the competition didn't know a single answer in the Biblical Quotes category). We must learn who Christ is, what He is like, and how to become like Him. I've yet to hear a song that does all of that.

Did you know that the word pastor is only found once in the Bible? Ephesians 4.11, "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,". That's it, the only mention in the whole Bible. That verse is followed by the Biblical job description of a pastor/teacher, "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4.12-13) Pastors are to teach so that the saints, those in the Church, are equipped to serve so that the Church, the body of Christ, can be built up. These works of service lead to the unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus as Savior and Lord, so that we may be mature and Christ like. (My mind is going to 1 John 2.12-14, but it's a different thought line so I'm putting this here so I remember it.)

Paul continues in verses 14-16, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." We teach to equip, so that the teaching can be passed on. We teach to equip so that all are able to use their gifts in the service of God. We teach to equip so that love is presented.

The Church is a place of teaching. It is an essential element that we cannot cast aside for the sake of more music. It is something we cannot water down to "tickle the ears" of people so as not to offend them. Here in Acts 11.26 we are told that it is in Antioch where the followers were first called Christians. They were taught about Christ, they were taught to live like Him, and they were given the title "Little Christ" because they followed the teaching they had received.

Today are we worthy of that same title? Does the teaching in the Church share who Christ is and challenge and instruct the people on how to become like Him? Over the years a lot of what I've heard hasn't done that. A lot of what I've heard has been simple, shallow, feel good about your life, sermons. The Church must be a place of solid, Biblically rooted teaching. We as pastors must take up our calling and equip the saints to serve so that the Church may be built up, and full of mature Christlike Christians. For this to happen we must teach.

"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you