Discipline of Church – Ch. 14

In our reading together through Disciplines of a Godly Man, we now come to the section involving ministry.  In chapter 14, Hughes challenges us with our discipline of church.  How seriously do we view not only attending church, but supporting the church and being the church?  I grew up in a home where the church was held as a priority.  If the church was open, we were there.  I thank God for the discipline that my parents instilled in me.  I agree wholeheartedly with Hughes that we often mistakenly view our relationship with Christ as separate and compartmentalized from our relationship with His church.  Several quotes describe the attitude that exists in many Christians today.  “Church attendance is infected with a malaise of conditional loyalty which has produced an army of ecclesiastical hitchhikers.”  “You go to the meetings and serve on the boards and committees, you grapple with the issues and do the work of the church and pay the bills – and I’ll come along for the ride.  But if things do not suit me, I’ll criticize and complain and probably bail out.”  Church is far more than the sermon or a ministry that meets our needs.  It is a body – His body – that is dependent on each other and provides mutual accountability, discipline, and discipleship.  I believe that one of the reasons commitment to church has decreased is that we would rather avoid accountability, discipline, and discipleship.  As we live in community, our own flaws are exposed and that is extremely uncomfortable.  It becomes far easier then to point out others’ faults so that we don’t have to face our own growth areas.  The church suffers.  Our own growth suffers.  Our ability to reach the world suffers.   I was struck by Hughes’ description of trying to walk with God without the church is “to do battle single-handedly with the outlaw world.”

The church is vitally important to our relationship with Jesus Christ.  I don’t think it is very helpful to think of the church as our mother, but that does not negate the rest of Hughes’ argument that the church is essential to our walk.  Being a Christian without participation in the local church “is never contemplated in the New Testament.”  Men, do we see the church as vital to our growth and maturity in Christ?  Do we allow ourselves to be refined by godly leadership and fellow saints?  Our actions tell us what is important to us.

I enjoyed the various images for the church found in God’s Word.

• We are Christ’s body and He is the head(Eph 1:22, 23)
  • He leads, we are dependent on Him and interdependent on each other
• We are a temple (Eph 2:19-22)
  • The very dwelling place of God
• We are living stones built on Him as the cornerstone (1 Pet 2:5)
  • To offer sacrifices of worship
• We are the bride and Christ is the groom bringing us to His feast! (Eph 5:25-33)  (I love the chorus we sing with Come Thou Fount because it is one of the few phrases that brings this scripture to worship!)
  • To be pure and in union with Christ
• We are sheep and He is the nurturing Shepherd (John 10:14-16, 25-30)
  • To follow Him
• He is the vine, we are the branches (John 15:5-11)
  • He sustains everything we do.

This description leads us to a grand view of church.  It is God-created and sustained and will outlive this world.  Our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ will last for eternity!  As this view of the church pervades our worldview, we will love and yearn for the church.  Coming together is not a chore, but a joy and a commitment.  Hughes writes, “Men, on the most elementary level, you do not have to go to church to be a Christian.  You do not have to go home to be married either.  But in both cases if you do not, you will have a very poor relationship.”  So true!  And probably something we need to hear for both our discipline of home and church.

Hughes mentions several “growth-inducing benefits” of a commitment to the church:  Worship, hearing the Word, attendance at communion, and discipleship.  These are helpful and true, but we still must be careful of turning them into a list of things I want and deserve in a consumer mindset.  What are some of the other benefits of a commitment to church?  Comment below with some of them and lets add a bunch more.

So how can we exhibit our commitment to church?  Heb 10:24-25 reads, And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  Hughes gives us five ways to be disciplined in our commitment to church.

1. Regular Attendance – there are so many things fighting for our time, but we choose what is important.  “Your schedule ought to bow to your commitment.”
2. Membership – Just as commitment changes everything in marriage (ask your wife!) it does so in a church body as well.  Membership is committing to support the church and submit to the church.  Both of these things hit us as men where we struggle with the temptations of self-centeredness and pride.
3. Giving – Men, I challenge you to test and obey God in this area.  Commit to worshiping God with the first of what He provides, all that He provides, and see what He does in your spiritual life.
4. Participation – Use your gifts and talents to serve God in His church.  If you are not sure what to do, call me!  We’ll figure it out together.  We need men training to be teachers of God’s Word as well.
5. Love and prayer – We are to care deeply about our church family and lift them up in prayer.  Let’s mean it when we say, “I’ll pray for you.”

Those are a few ideas for how to be committed to the church.  I would be very interested to hearing your answer to the question posed at the end of the chapter.  “Why is the idea of church so unpopular today?”  What do you think.  Post your answers in the comments below.  The church needs men!  Let’s stand together to build God’s church.