God-besotted theology overflowing into joy-fueled, soul-satisfying doxology in the beauty of holiness.
Most churches have a vision for their congregation that reads like a business plan, probably put together from some book or church growth strategy they stumbled upon. We’ve never been very good at business, but we know our Bible. The church of the New Testament is one devoted to prayer and fasting (Acts 1:14, 24, 2:42, 4:23-31, 12:5, 13:2-3, 14:23, 20:36, 21:5). It is one in which they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings” (Acts 2:42) and “examined the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). It is one in which the Spirit of holiness was so manifested during the services that if “an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you” (1 Cor. 14:24-25). It is one that did not engage in evangelism that resembled the Peace Corp, but whose apologia—that prompted others to ask “for the hope that is in [them]”—was simply of a (a) radical, counter-cultural lifestyle (Matt. 5-7; Lk. 6:20-49, 12:8-24; Acts 2:41-47, 4:32-35; 1 Cor. 13:1-13; 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15) as aliens and strangers upon this earth (Phil. 3:20; Heb. 13:14; 1 Pet. 2:11); and (b) persevering faith in the face of trials and sufferings (Matt. 5:11-16; 1 Pet. 3:14-17).
The Biblical vision for church is one that is God-centered, Christ-magnifying, and Spirit-filled whose members are living and holy sacrifices to His glory established, governed, unashamed, nourished, and saturated with the Holy Scriptures. Success is not measured by numbers, but rather by simple faithfulness to the Scriptures in doctrine and practice. We have no plan, no program, no strategy to accomplish this other than what we is seen in Scripture—prayer, preaching, and holiness. The problem with the American Church is not that we preach and pray too much and are too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly good, but the exact opposite. Church is not meant to be cool, fun, accepting, trendy, or contemporary. It is not meant to release inner potential, to make a better you, or for you to achieve your best life now. It is not mean to be entertainment-driven or seeker-friendly (Rom. 3:11).
The Church does not have to make itself attractive to the lost sheep by using carnal means; rather, “thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved…the fragrance of life” (2 Cor. 2:14-16). Therefore, the Church is to be a house of prayer (Matt. 21:13; Mk. 11:17; Lk. 19:46) in which the awesome majesty of God is so predominately real that both the people of God and the unregenerate fall on their faces in worship of God. The former tip-toe out in hushed silence because they have met the Holy One and now bear His aroma to the lost (Ex. 3:5; Heb. 12:28-29), and the later call upon the name of the Lord in penitent faith because they have met the Holy One and know they must die. The travesty of the Church in the West is that it is not broken, filled, and consumed with the weight of glory.
We preach a Reformed theology, a Puritan God-besottedmensity, and a Wesleyan holy fire as we seek to apply God’s soul-satisfying transcendence to every area of life.
ChristChurch Macy 