HOW DO YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (From The Unshakable Truth Study Guide)
How would you define the Christian church—the church as God intended it?
“I define the church as God meant it to be as….”
The true nature of the church is explained in this excerpt from chapter 45 of The Unshakable Truth book.“The late author and Christian historian Dr. Robert Webber passed along this startling quote:
• ‘The church started as a missionary movement in Jerusalem.
• It moved to Rome and became an institution.
• It traveled to Europe and became a culture.
• It crossed the Atlantic to America and became a big business.’
“While there may be some truth to that quote, Christ’s true church is still alive and well today. It’s true that ‘church’ organizations and institutions disappoint, and many may have lost their way as God’s visible expression of himself. But if you look, you can find the church active and involved in the world. Bob Roberts Jr., pastor of a megachurch and author of the book Transformation, said he had to travel halfway around the world to see firsthand what the church looked like. He relates this story:“‘I didn’t even realize how lost I was until I saw what the church was really supposed to look like. At first, I didn’t even recognize it; then I wanted to rationalize it. I had to go halfway around the world to find it
—in the persecuted underground house church in Asia. I had heard the stories and statistics, but I had never met anyone face to face. They were nothing like me. They were nothing like any believers I had ever met. Not just culturally, but spiritually they blew me away. Sure, their theology is fuzzy. Some don’t even have whole parts of the Bible, only perhaps an entire book or a few passages. But they know God at a depth I never had nor knew anyone else who had.“‘Worship takes on a completely new expression on the other side of the world. No sound systems, no calculated transitions, just sweaty believers crammed together into small rooms, weeping as the Holy Spirit oozes out among them, as I never before experienced. I don’t know if they are charismatic or not (all I knew was it wasn’t my tongue), but it doesn’t matter. No one is getting rich, and no one is fighting for control or position. If there is a favored position, it is the privilege of being the first to die. Living on the edge as they do leaves little room for insincerity or self-promotion. These people are living what I grew up hearing the church should be.
Luke 19:1-9 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019:1-9&version=CEV)
19 Jesus was going through Jericho, 2 where a man named Zacchaeus lived. He was in charge of collecting taxes[a] and was very rich. 3-4 Jesus was heading his way, and Zacchaeus wanted to see what he was like. But Zacchaeus was a short man and could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree.
5 When Jesus got there, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down! I want to stay with you today.” 6 Zacchaeus hurried down and gladly welcomed Jesus.
7 Everyone who saw this started grumbling, “This man Zacchaeus is a sinner! And Jesus is going home to eat with him.”
8 Later that day Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “I will give half of my property to the poor. And I will now pay back four times as much[b] to everyone I have ever cheated.”
9 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today you and your family have been saved,[c] because you are a true son of Abraham.[d]
15 When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.
Romans 12:15b (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:15b&version=CEV)
15 When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.
34 But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Luke 19:1-9 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019:1-9&version=CEV)
19 Jesus was going through Jericho, 2 where a man named Zacchaeus lived. He was in charge of collecting taxes[a] and was very rich. 3-4 Jesus was heading his way, and Zacchaeus wanted to see what he was like. But Zacchaeus was a short man and could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree.
5 When Jesus got there, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down! I want to stay with you today.”6 Zacchaeus hurried down and gladly welcomed Jesus.
7 Everyone who saw this started grumbling, “This man Zacchaeus is a sinner! And Jesus is going home to eat with him.”
8 Later that day Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “I will give half of my property to the poor. And I will now pay back four times as much[b] to everyone I have ever cheated.”
9 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today you and your family have been saved,[c] because you are a true son of Abraham.[d]
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