We are in the fourteenth chapter of Acts, verses one through seven. Paul and Barnabas are on this first missionary journey. As I said in my past few blogs, their method of teaching was straightforward. They entered a community, located the synagogue, waited until the Sabbath, and talked about Jesus.
In our text for today, we are told they are in Iconium. Guess what they did? They entered the community, located the synagogue, waited until the Sabbath, and talked about Jesus. In my last blog, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, I talked about the three reactions you can expect when you talk about Jesus. They are illustrated once again in this text. The Gentiles were good because they accepted the Good News. The Jews were bad because they ignored the Good News. Some of the Jews were ugly because they wanted to prevent anyone from hearing the Good News. Verse 4 tells us the whole city was divided. Everyone had an emotional opinion. The debate was so heated that some formed a plot to stone the apostles. When Paul and Barnabas got wind of those plans, they fled town, but they didn’t stop talking about Jesus. They traveled about twenty miles to the cities of Lystra and Derbe. When they got there, guess what they did? They entered the city, located the synagogue, waited until the Sabbath, and talked about Jesus. Verse seven summarizes it for us. It says, “They continued to preach the gospel.” I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but continuing to preach the gospel is extremely important. It is the only thing that really matters in the life of the church. We must talk about Jesus! Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) once said, “If the church stops talking about Jesus, then the church has nothing to say.” We are not much different than Paul and Barnabas. They had to talk about Jesus and so do we. Sadly, many churches have gown mute.
The building sits at 702 Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio. It is located next to absolutely nothing. However, at one time it was considered “out in the country” next to the once proud city. It is the home of Hopewell Theater, one of the community theater groups in my area. I have been inside several times because my wife Kathryn has been in several of their productions. It wasn’t built as a theater; it was built as a church. It doesn’t take much imagination to imagine the good old days. The audience sits in uncomfortable pews. The chancel area has been replaced by a small flat stage. The fellowship hall in the basement has been converted into tiny changing rooms. Every time I go, I ask the same question, “What was the name of this church?” Every time, I get the same answer, “I don’t know.” The next line has nothing to do with the quality of the productions. However, it has everything to do with the unknown church. Every time I walk into that building, I grow sad. That building was not built for entertainment purposes; it was built to tell people about Jesus. That building does not stand alone.
There are other church buildings that have been “repurposed.” There are far too many examples. Former church buildings have been repurposed into all kinds of things. In my community, former church buildings have been turned into daycare centers, beauty spas, microbreweries, and art museums. That is not all bad. I like young children, attractive women, cold beer, and art. However, the whole situation makes me sad, and the trend is not over. More churches will close, and new businesses will be opened on those sites. According to Lifeway Research, approximately 4,500 churches close in America annually. The vacated buildings are often large and sit on public locations. I learned long ago churches are much like people. They have a lifeline. When they are young, they grow and thrive. When they are old, they decline and die. However, this is not the end of the story. The church will continue.
The same study tells us 3,000 new churches start in America annually. They are easy to overlook. They are not found in obvious locations. They are found in strip plazas, malls, bars, and private homes. It is easy to see them as a threat to the established church. I try not to do so. I find them to be the next chapter of the church. Society is constantly changing, and the church must evolve to adapt. Many believe the largest churches in America in thirty years have not yet been started. Many active church members do not like these church starts because they are not interested in continuing church traditions and ways. Instead, they are interested in promoting Jesus, like Paul and Barnabas. I would like to think all these churches will succeed, but many will fail. They will be replaced by even newer churches. However, one thing is clear: The church will continue because the church is of God.
In seminary I heard a lecture that changed the way I look at the church. The professor told us the church will exist forever, because the church performs various divine functions unique to the church. This is the list:
Worship The church has no other option than to worship God. It is a public event. It is the one thing every congregation must do to remain a church. Style of worship does not matter. The only thing that matters is the heart of the worshippers. In worship, we publicly declare our love for God.
Spiritual Disciplines Believers have no other option but to practice the spiritual disciplines. It is a private act. The church encourages us to pray and study the Bible. In those, we share our lives with God and learn about his ways.
Fellowship The church faith was never to be lived in isolation. We need one another. Fellowship has little to do with learning someone else’s name and having fun. Fellowship has everything to do with holding one another spiritually accountable and encouraging one another.
Service The church must give everyone an opportunity to serve. Jesus cared about the basic needs of individuals. He cared that people had enough to eat and he cared about their health. The same must be true in the church. Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Evangelism In the great commission, Jesus commands us to go into the world and make disciples. To be a disciple, you must be a disciple, yourself. That means two things. Are you living in a way that is pleasing to God? Are you able to tell the world what Jesus means to you?
St. Andrews Episcopal Church was in Austintown, Ohio. I was there several times for a variety of reasons. I did not consider that congregation to be old. I considered it to be a younger congregation. That is why I was so surprised to hear the news. The church was closing, and the building was being put up for sale. In other words, the congregation did not die off; they gave up. They grew tired of all the fundraising. They grew tired of the building maintenance and all the pastoral changes. One day they simply locked the door and never looked back. Today, that building is a counseling center with a wonderful pipe organ. Every time I drive by that building, I am sad. It wasn’t constructed to be a counseling center. That building was built to proclaim the Good News. The building was built to tell people about Jesus. Yet, that is not the end of the story. The church will continue.
Roman Emperor Constintine (272-337) once said, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.” He knew what many in our time have forgotten. As moral beings, we need God! First, we need God in this world because our lives are incomplete without him. We will never experience spiritual peace without God. Second, we need God when we leave this world because without Him there is no hope of salvation. That is why the church is so important. That is why the church will continue.Let me end with this simple story.
A couple took their son, 11, and daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. As always, when the tour reached the deepest point in the cavern, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth’s surface. The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, was frightened, and began to cry. Immediately, her brother replied, “Don’t cry. Somebody here knows how to turn on the lights.” Can I state the obvious? Our world can be a dark place and the church is the only one who knows how to turn the lights on. That is exactly why the church must continue to preach the Good News. Fear not. The church will continue!
Russ Adams 