As a pastor, I get into these conversations more than the average bear. But that’s good! Conversations about the identity, mission, and purpose of the Church need to happen. It’s telling when a church’s statement of beliefs leads with, “God is good all the time; as (adjusted already) the Creator, Peace-Maker and Redeemer, He has been leading His Church on Mission for the last 2000 years.” (or some version of that). That church is trying to refocus its lenses to the reality of Jesus and His Kingdom. On the flip side, a church may begin their belief statement with, “All people are created in God’s image. All people are basically good. Though we mess up from time to time, the church exists to encourage and affirm the goodness of people, not the bad.” Do you see the difference? Our culture would say the second church is beautiful and accepting. The Bible disagrees. When people are the focus, the church can become whatever it wants to be. In fact, it’s free to cease being a church and focus all its time and attention on becoming a better version of itself. The Bride of Christ, however, is called to something quite different. 

In one of the most poignant descriptions of the church in the New Testament, Paul says, “No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the Church, because we are members of His body.” If you never read the verses around that or worked to hear Paul’s heart in it, you could be quick to decide that Paul is saying the highest purpose of the church is to nourish and cherish itself! But that is not at all what he is saying. This verse is smack in the middle of a deep discussion about marriage. In fact, it’s the discussion that makes most of us wince when we read it. These are the verses in Ephesians 5 that talk about wives submitting to their husbands and the husbands loving their wives as their own bodies. That’s where he’s aiming when he says “nourish and cherish.” And he aims a little higher. Paul is ultimately talking about Jesus loving the Church; nourishing and cherishing us by giving Himself up for us. Sacrifice, not sentiment, is the focus of the passage. 

This passage, and so many others like it, give us more than a glimpse at the purpose of the Church. The ultimate goal of the church is not to make people feel better. We aren’t here to apologize for an endless series of culture identified “mistakes.” Our hope is not to help you achieve your goals or “make you a better you.” The Church’s only hope is rooted in Christ and His unbelievable work already accomplished for us. If we fix our eyes on any other source, we’re dysfunctional at best. 

One reason the world is confused about the message of the Gospel and the purpose of the Church is because the Church is sending out a hundred different, competing messages a day. “We exist to support this cause, affirm this group, challenge this ruling, stand against this political leader…” The list goes on forever. But in the background, and sometimes in the foreground, is a group shouting “Christ! Christ! Christ!” Throughout history, we’ve never been the majority. The group that sees the culture as primary and Jesus’ agenda as secondary has always been larger. This smaller group can always be found, if you look for us. We will be found on the ground, in the most unpopular places, when every other group exits. We will be seen moving against the current of the culture, using Scripture as our boat. We will be heard speaking the truth in love, even when it hurts, because we know that deep down every human is broken, not whole. Our aim will mimic Christ’s and the loving husbands: to lay ourselves down, not for the good, but for the holiness of the Church, Jesus’ gathered Body. 

In the end, I think most people want to be told what they) need to hear, not what they want to hear. This is why fad groups die with the culture they support, but the Church of Christ continues to stand and shine. Will you stand with us?