Is It Still… – Richmond Community Church

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Sermon Audio: Is It Still…The Church
Speaker: Pastor John Pettigrew
Scripture Text: James 2:14-24
Duration: 24:08
Size: 11.0 MB

When does something change so fundamentally from what it was originally that it is no longer what it originally was, even if it still has the same name?

Is what we call “the Church” today in 2013 still the Church?

D. S. Warner’s answer to “is it still the church” was “no.” The church had become tied to its institutions. Its theology. Its own teaching. Warner claimed that those denominations taught that the way to God was through their denomination-their organization, and not through Christ.

The theologians take the simple and make it complicated-so that the complicated can be explained simply.

The theologians taught me that the Church as we know it didn’t start until Pentecost.

What isn’t the church

Pastor
Building
Staff
Music
Tradition
Ministries

All good, but if you take them away, the church still exists.

So, What is the Church?

The church is the believers-or followers of Christ.

A believer is somebody who has chosen to follow Christ and live by his teachings.

When what you say, what you sing, how you dress, how you think, how you vote becomes more important than how you can shine your light into the world, you are no longer the church.

When on Sunday the church building is full, but the rest of the week, the church cannot be seen, you are no longer the church.

When the church becomes the judge, taking on the role of God, you are no longer the church.

When the church stops sharing the faith, and instead shares a lifestyle, you are no longer the church.

When the purpose, plan and mission are gone, the church is gone.

Tag: Is It Still…

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