All The Right Ingredients
by Pastor Matthew E. Walker
Have you ever eaten a piece of cake where one
of the ingredients was left out or perhaps there was too much
of a certain spice? Typically, we don’t like cakes that
are really salty. In baking, not only is it important to have
all the ingredients, but it is also important to mix them in the
right proportion.
Here at College Park, we believe that being the
right kind of church requires having all the right ingredients
for a good church and then mixing them proportionally to their
level of importance. Because of that we have developed some non-negotiable
priorities for our ministry. These priorities are the ingredients
that make up our church and ones which we will not back down from
for anything.
Our first non-negotiable is that Jesus
is the head of our church. This is in obedience to the
clear teaching of Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of
the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
This means that no one is ever going to be the Head of this church
but Christ. CPBC is certainly not Matthew Walker’s church,
though some may refer to it that way. It is Jesus Christ’s
church and He makes the decisions around here.
Our second non-negotiable is that the
Bible is our final authority. It is the written Word
of God breathed out by Him. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works.” The Bible teaches us about God, brings conviction
to our heart, makes changes as they are necessary, and then helps
us to live out that change so that we might bring glory to Him.
Our third non-negotiable is the plurality
of godly leadership. As the pastor, my ministry is to
fulfill this Scriptural office as God enables me to do so. Technically,
in Greek I am the PESBO(a). That is, I am the pastor,
elder, shepherd, bishop, overseer, and possibly angel depending
on the meaning of that term in Revelation 1-3. We also have deacons
here at College Park who desire to serve the body here taking
care of many of the mundane tasks that mount up in a growing ministry.
Then we take seriously Ephesians 4:12 which reveals what church
leadership is all about: “For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ.” The saints of College Park are the ones doing the
“work of the ministry” and they are involved in “edifying
the body of Christ.”
Our fourth non-negotiable is centrality
of preaching in the church. While many churches are moving
toward a post-modern approach to ministry which includes drama,
music (labeled improperly as worship), and even something called
“liturgical dance,” our focus here is on the clear
expositional teaching of the Bible. That is why we make the sermon
so much of an emphasis here. In fact, the whole service is geared
to work up to the preaching of God’s Word. Paul instructed
Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 to “Preach the word; be instant
in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine.” Paul also instructed Titus to preach in Titus
2:15. “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all
authority. Let no man despise thee.”
Our fifth non-negotiable is that Christian music must be sacred.
In many modern evangelical churches music has become anything
but sacred. Be honest about it. Would you call your worship service
sacred, or would you use a term more like relevant or practical?
We believe that when people come into the church sanctuary that
they are coming to meet with God. That doesn’t mean that
they cannot meet God outside the walls of a church building. It
does mean, though, that this building has been set aside for God’s
use. The music and every other ministry here must be sacred. God
told Moses in Exodus 3:5 to put off his shoes “for the place
whereon thou standest is holy ground.” When we meet with
God in church it must be in a reverent manner. God is holy and
His holiness demands that our attitude be one of holy fear.
Our sixth non-negotiable is that a church should be a
loving environment where people encourage one another spiritually.
Ephesians 4:15-16 teaches that our attitude towards others should
be in a loving spirit. “But speaking the truth in love,
may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by
that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto
the edifying of itself in love.” The spirit that rules in
some churches is a gossiping, back-biting, and self-serving spirit.
That attitude should not describe the church which Jesus selflessly
died to redeem.
Our seventh non-negotiable is that God
has called us to plant new churches. We believe that
this is the best explanation of our Lord’s statement in
Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen.” Because of that, our ministry
philosophy is not to create a mega-church with a sprawling campus
that includes a fitness center, restaurant, and bookstore. Instead,
we desire to build many churches out of our church by raising
up Christ-like leaders and then commissioning them to go out and
do what Jesus commanded. We already support many missionaries
that are around the world preaching Christ.
Just about every evangelical church agrees with
these non-negotiable priorities in some way. The question is one
of balance. Mixing these ingredients in the right proportion allows
us to give glory to the Divine Chef—Jesus Christ. Because
of that, our church is a spiritually vibrant place where Christians
are growing to become more like Jesus Christ. If these priorities
coincide with yours, we would love to have you join us this Sunday!
|
|
"Corner" Articles:
•
All The Right Ingredients
•
And The Winner Is . . .
•
Driving in the HOV Lane
•
Global Warning
•
God's Bailout Plan
•
God's Expectation
•
How To Find A Good Church
•
Mice in the Church
•
Sectarianism or Separatism
•
The Issue With Blogs
•
Would America Elect Moses?
|
