Upon This Rock I Build – Part 1

TimeWatch Editorial
January 14, 2016

Jay Gallimore, President of the Michigan Conference of Seventh Day Adventists published an article in Adventists Affirm entitled: “Can the church be relevant and survive?” It is quite an in depth article worth your reading, but there are some issues that he dealt with that are totally worthy of our attention. The concept of “relevance” now is applied to numbers and process rather than truth and character. How to become “relevant” now becomes the goal.

“Many are fascinated by the great mega churches with their thousands of members. Their highly visible ministries are so well executed that everything about them seems to breathe success. Then we look at our own churches. So many of them are so small and struggling that we ask, "What’s wrong with us? They must be doing something right and we need to find out what it is." So great is our hunger for "success" that we are tempted to throw caution to the wind.” Jay Gallimore, “Can the church be relevant and survive?” Adventists Affirm

Andy Zoppelt in an article entitled The Origin of the Word "church" says the following:

“Language and its use of words is vital, it is the fundamental means in which we use to conveying and pass information from one person to another. The changing of one word can literally change the world. Therefore, translators are given an extreme responsibility in making sure they get it right, especially key words. ..The word “church” represents the complete opposite of building His kingdom on this earth as it is in heaven. Jesus would rather have said, "Upon this rock I will build my called out assembly"....a people called out of this world by faith in Him, assembling and gathering in one name and for one purpose all being one.” Andy Zoppelt, The Origin of the Word "church"

Perhaps the problem we face begins with our understanding or lack of understanding of what “church” is. The fascination with size, numbers and process is driven by the conviction that the final success rests within the walls of the building, and the complexity of the processes we pursue. Listen to how Ron Cantor puts it:

“Ecclesia (the word that is translated church in your Bible) is not a religious word. In Acts 19 it refers to a town council. In verses 32, 39 and 41 the KJV correctly translates the word as assembly, referring to the meeting of the council. Ecclesia simply means “those called to a regular gathering.” For years believers have said it means “Called out ones” — as in, called out from the world.” Ron Cantor, April 11, 2013, Church is not in the New Testament.

Strong’s Concordance joins the chorus in explaining the meaning of the word Ecclesia:

“ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλεσιας, ἡ (from ἔκκλητος called out or forth, and this from ἐκκαλέω); properly, a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an assembly; or

Among the Greeks from Thucydides (cf. Herodotus 3, 142) down, an assembly of the people convened at the public place of council for the purpose of deliberating: Acts 19:39 .” Strong’s NT 1577: ἐκκλησία

A clear understanding of the proper translation of “the called out ones” is a description of those who have responded to the call of God, to turn from the world and its crowded condition to obey the Word of God. The obsession would then be faith, obedience and the development of a Christlike character, instead of being fascinated by the great mega churches with their thousands of members. The three thousand that were baptized on the day of Pentecost were drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by “Seeker Sensitive” approach.

One of the organizations most famous for the “Seeker Sensitive” method has been Willow Creek, where hundreds of ministers have gone to study the method. Andy Nash, says in The Adventist Review, December 18, 1997

“Adventists, both pastors and laypeople, consistently make up one of the largest groups at Willow Creek's half-dozen annual seminars-including church leadership conferences in May and October and a leadership summit in August.” Andy Nash, “On-Willow Creek,” The Adventist Review, December 18, 1997

So that would explain what you now see before you in your congregation.

“Since 1975, Willow Creek has avoided conventional church approaches, using its Sunday services to reach the unchurched through polished music, multimedia, and sermons referencing popular culture and other familiar themes. The church's leadership believed the approach would attract people searching for answers, bring them into a relationship with Christ, and then capitalize on their contagious fervor to evangelize others.” Matt Branaugh, “Willow Creek’s Huge Shift,” Christianity Today.

It will surprise you to find out what Hybels discovered after using this method for a number of years. We will discuss that in our next editorial.

Cameron A. Bowen