The Purpose of the Local Church and Community Issues

As believers committed to Jesus Christ, our involvement in social or cultural issues is sometimes misunderstood. The desire to concentrate on what God has called the church to do - teach the word - requires us to be selective in how we spend our time. The choice to limit our involvement comes from the desire to be obedient to God.

Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit uses the word of God to change lives. When the word of God is taught and assimilated into a life, two things happen: salvation and spiritual growth.

Salvation

The Bible says, 'Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God' (Romans 10:17). When a person is exposed to the word of God, the Holy Spirit has opportunity to use the word in their heart and bring about salvation, which is sometimes called the new birth. Without exposure to the Word there can be no new birth. Sharing the word of God is necessary for anyone to be saved from the punishment for sin.

Spiritual Growth

The newborn spiritual life is compared to newborn babies who have an unquenchable hunger for milk. It is the church's duty to provide the spiritual food (Word of God) that Christians may grow to maturity in Christ. '...like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation' (1 Peter 2:2 ).

Local Church

The pattern for spiritual shepherds was established in the life of Israel in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 3:15 says, 'Then I will give you shepherd's after my own heart who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.' These shepherds served as pastors who fed spiritual food (the Word of God) to the flock of Israel.

In a similar manner, the apostle Paul instructs the leaders of the local church: 'Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to the exortation and the teaching' (1 Timothy 4:13). Because the people did not have personal copies of the Scriptures, Timothy was instructed to read, exhort and teach God's word.

The Ministry of the local church is to be centered on presenting the word of God. Pastors are to be involved in the verbal communication of the word, equipping the Saints to do the work of service which leads to the building up of the body of Christ and the carrying on of the Ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Since the word is central to the Ministry of the church, and our resources are limited, we measure everything we do in light of whether it carries us to our ultimate goal of teaching the word of God. Our divinely appointed purpose is to reach the lost with the message of salvation and build believers to Christian maturity.

Community and Social Issues

There have been times when we have a been approached about getting involved in various community or social issues. 'If Indian Hills would get involved in,' organizers say, 'it would make such a difference!' Yes, our involvement may help their cause, but it would take strength and energy away from our God-given task-teaching the word!

Churches have been uniquely called to present the word of God. That is our appointment and no other organization has this mandate. We must focus our energies on the work that will make a real difference!

Individual Involvement

Each believer has a conscience, and the freedom to decide before God what he will do with his time and energy. Many organizations are beneficial to society and if a Christian is involved, it should be because he wants his testimony and the impact of his life, as a believer, felt there.

It is not unbiblical for a person to get involved in other organizations. However, each individual has limited time and energy that are greatly needed in the work of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). These are factors to consider.

It would be great to have a better society with less social problems. However, we must be wise and not diffuse our strength by addressing only the symptoms and miss fixing the real problem. The real problem is that people are sinners who need the Savior!

We have been entrusted with the 'cure' for social ills. We know that when a person is transformed on the inside, the change is permanent. Any other cure is at best temporary, superficial and illusionary.

In 100 years what will matter is whether a person heard and believed the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sharing the truth is where the church and the members (individual believers) are to function in their unique role.

We must invest our lives in that which is the eternal. If people are being transformed and conformed to the image of Christ, the cure is affected. We need to 'zero in' on the underlying cause and teach the Word.