The Centrality of the Church

In his book, The Kingdom & the Power, Presbyterian pastor and scholar, Peter Leithart, argues that The Church, rather than social or political action is the primary vehicle for transformation of the world.

To some that may seem a statement of the obvious, yet the role of The Church has been diminished and even dismissed by the world, as well as by a growing number of professing Christians.  Isolated personal piety - me, God and the Bible - has become paramount, while the corporate worship and work of The Church has been relegated to the sidebar of life...hardly worth our notice.

These fallacies have blossomed in America, partly because of:

1)  our infatuation with individualism

2)  our pre-occupation with the impending and imminent end of the world (compliments of pre-millenial eschatology)

3)  an erroneously imposed dichotomy between sacred and secular

4)  our obsession with politics as the means of saving culture

5)  an inexplicable and disgraceful neglect of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament

The Church's mission is simple, yet comprehensive: 

Gather together to hear, sing and pray God's Word; eat His flesh and drink His blood; love, honor and serve one another in unity;  THEN...go out from the sanctuary and transform the world by making disciples (baptizing and teaching) and by working, living, and creating according to His Image with whatever gifts we have been given.

Leithart recognizes our tendency to exclaim, "Is that all there is to it?  Surely there has to be more to the church's arsenal of weapons for world conquest than worship, baptism, the Lord's Supper, church discipline, preaching the Gospel, teaching, prayer and service.  Surely God expects the church to be doing more in the real world than that!  We are inclined to think God has provided us with a sharp rock for a construction project that required power tools.  We seem to have been given muzzle loaders in a war that demands nuclear capability.

"The church is a mystery.  Because she is a mystery, she is grasped only by faith.  Likewise, the church undertakes her mission, and fulfills her mission, only by faith.  In mysterious ways, the public worship and feast of the assembly of God bring nearer the consummation of the kingdom of God.  In ways that go beyond human comprehension, the preaching of the gospel hs creative power.  If we cannot understand precisely how this takes place, it is not because it does not take place.  It is because the church, even in her mission of world conquest, is required to walk by faith, not by sight." (pgs. 193-194)

Leithart concludes:  "The church will have it's most profound impact on the world by faithfully performing its distinctive tasks of sacramental worship, teaching the whole Word of God, evangelism, discipline and mercy.  The highest priority of the church ought to be to reform herself in these areas."

By faith, we, The Corporate Body of Christ, live in love and joy, humbly trusting Christ to thereby renew the world and exalt us to rule at His right hand.  May the Lord grant us, The Church, a heart of belief and a unified and obedient life. May we enter His rest and leave the outcome to Him. 

As always, Leithart's case is well-reasoned, well-written, and based soundly in Scripture.  A helpful and encouraging read.  Check it out.