THREE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL CHURCH

“THREE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL CHURCHES”*Dr. Crumpton is the long time pastor of Victory Baptist Church and is the founder of Maranatha Baptist Missions P. O. Drawer 1425 Natchez, Mississippi 39121

Sermon by: James W. Crumpton

“And unto the angel of the church in 5ardis write; These things saith he that bath thQ seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” (Revelation 3:1)

Surely the needs of our local churches have never been greater than they are today. From the days of the apostles in the New Testament record the churches have faced many problems, but how could we dare say that they were ever greater than those of the present? There are several different things than can and are being done about these needs. Some are ignoring them; even others are denying that they exist. But those who are playing the ostrich are really “kidding” themselves only. Again, there are those who are facing the needs and seeking by God’s grace and the leadership of the Holy Spirit to meet them in the way that, would best glorify our Lord Jesus.

It is the laziness, coldness, indifference, and lethargy’ of the average member of the local church that has and is resulting in the springing up of various "isms" “cisms”, and “spasms”. In Romans 1:18 we read, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness anti unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” The last phrase of this quotation could be read—”who hold down the truth in unrighteousness”. What a picture that is of many present-day Christians. They are as orthodox as the apostle Paul but doing nothing about getting out the truth of the Word of God. They are sound in the faith; yea, but they are sound— asieep! God’s children are definitely responsible to give out the message of the gospel and as He said, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you . . “. Today we have so many preachers trying to ride several horses going in various directions at the same time anti bragging about how they overlook discussion of the nonessentials in order to reach all people in a!! religious groups. Pray tell me what Jesus taught that is non-essential! He said that we were to teach them ALL things whatsoever He had commanded. We are as obligated by ‘the words of this commission to teach the truth about the church’s organization, ordinances, and polity as we are to preach the gospel.

The average church member knows more Hollywood (fallen) stars than hetoes of the Word of God. They can tell you what some actress wears, eats, and how she takes a bath, but some of these same folk cannot talk intelligently about the experiences of Abraham, Moses, Elijah, or Jeremiah with the Lord. How many of you listeners have a reason from the Word of God to believe the doctrines that you claim to stand for as a church member? Is your belief merely a lot of second-handed, polly parrot stuff that has been handed down to you,or do you search the scriptures for the truth? Oh, that more might be burdened for our church to be one that teaches and practices the teachings of the New Testament without compromising with the sinful desires of men.

In this message I want us to note three needs that the church faces which I believe are truly fundamental.

The first one is that of a converted church membership.

The New Testament teaches it. In Acts 2:47 we read, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” This contradicts the teaching of our Roman Catholic friends when they say that the church is a saving institution. Really, it is a body of regenerated people who have been immersed in baptism and are voluntarily banded together for the purposes of worshipping God, spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth, and of living, teaching, and practicing the complete message of the Saviour. Hence, we can scripturally say that an unsaved person should not be a church member. A lost person has no more business being a ‘church member than a rattlesnake has in being in a baby nursery.

But in the face of the New Testament. which teaches that we should have a converted church membership, what is the present condition? Thousands and thousands of lost church members are ample proof that the teachings of the Word have been ignored. . One preacher has said that our churches do not need new members half so badly as they need to have the old bunch worked ovcr. It is an unregenerated church membership that led this preacher to speak thus. A missionary to Palestine under the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention returned to the states. visited and preached in many churches. anti then stated that he believed that the devil could tuck his horns behind his ears, walk down the aisle of the average Baptist Church, and, without objection, be received into the full fellowship of the church. Baptists, this ought to cause us to hang our heads in shame and confession of sin before God. And you peo ple of the other denominators muct admit that your situation is no better. There is not as much care taken in receiving folk into the church as there is in receiving them into the lodges, clubs, and societies of the world. How can we expect a church to be anything but dead when its members are composed of those whom the Bible speaks of as being dead in trespasses and sins. Too many church meetings today are merely herding lost people into the church instead of winning them to Christ.

Let me challenge you Christian friends to get a burden for a converted church membership. We are stewards for the Lord Jesus; how can we go on failing Him? We must take the responsibility of talking with those seeking church membership that we might have assurance that they have had an experience of salvation with Christ. They must also be instructed as to what Cod expects of a church member. A good friend of mine testifies that when he went forward during an invitation that he was given three words of instruction before the church received him. The pastor shook hands with him, giving the three words of instruction which were: “Have a seat!” Personally, I believe that every church should have a church membership committee. It is not to serve as a police force, as sonic falsely accuse. hut as an instruction and welcoming committee. In observing one function for nearly ten years, I can testify that it works.

The second need of out churches which is fundamental is that of consecrated church membership.

Of course, consecration is a work that God does for us when we sanctify ourselves or. We do the sanctifying (setting apart), and rod does the consecrating (baneful— the giving of handsful to do for Him). Again, we turn to the Now Te:tcment to find the Word advocating the separation that is necessary for consecraticn to be effected. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye seoarate saith the Lord, and touch net the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” (II Corinthians (6:17). "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendshin of the world is enmity with God? . Whosoever therefore will he a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”, (James 4:4)

Our churches sadly lack what the Word advocates here. The absence of prayer with its power, Bible study with its food, soul winning with its joy, and daily abiding in Him with its peace is conspicuous. There is more and more attention given to such things as the theater, the dance, the night club, the cocktail party, the mixed bathing party, the bridge party, and the “our clique” party. Many attend Sunday School to eat and drink the doughnuts and coffee that will be served without thinking oF the food and drink that the inner roan needs. Others attend regularly in order to be able to play on the church’s athletic team. “They satisfy”, ‘Not a Cough in a Carload”, and “Easy on the throat” have convinced many church folk of the harmlessness (??) of the filthy, sinful habit. Oh for a separated, consecrated people that would be the New Testament kind of Christians who are all out for God.

Let us accept God’s challenge, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) The story is told of a lady who asked her pastor to tell her how to go about becoming a consecrated Christian. His reply was that she should take a blank sheet of paper and sign it at the bottom. Then she was to’ ask God to fill it in; she had already signed whatever He would write. Think of the transforming revival that we would experience with a consecrated, converted church membership.

Finally, we ‘look at a courageous church membership as the third fundamental need of our churches.

We see it in the testimony of Peter and John when they were forbidden to speak any more in the Name of Jesus; listen to their answer in Acts 4:19-20: “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Paul manifested that needed courage in preaching the true gospel of salvation by grace through faith plus nothing, and when attacked by the Judaizers, he, by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, uttered the words of Galatians 1:8-9: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

We live in a day when every truth of the Word is attacked. The virgin birth, inspired Bible, blood atonement, bodily resurrection, and second coming are denied by so many that even some Christians seem apologetic for believing these truths. I attended a Sunday School class sometime ago where a preacher was teaching the lesson on the resurrection, but he practically apologized for believing it before he was through. Oh, for courageous Christians who will go in the boldness of the Holy Spirit When we see the lack of courageous Christians, we say that there is no wonder that the world laughs at Christianity. This same lack of courage is seen in the matter of taking a stand against sin. The average church today has drunkards, gamblers, murderers, thieves, whoremongers, harlots, adulterers, adulteresses, and operators of various immoral and illegitimate places of business who are still in good standing with the church. Some times the church officers have a part in these gross sins; yet, the church officers and members in general lack the courage that is necessary to take a stand for Christ. Is there any wonder that the world often thinks of the church as a sissy, soft-soaping, compromising institution?

God help us to courageously stand for the truths of the Word of God, to condemn sin fearlessly, and do it all lovingly for the glory of our Lord Jesus. Every church should courageously carry on a New Testament church discipline program. It will work, else Jesus would not have commanded it.

May we face these needs of a converted, consecrated, and courageous church membership and seek His leadership in meeting them for His glory!