Vitality of the Church

The essence of the life, or vitality, of the Church is the very life of Christ. As head over all things to the Church, Christ is the source as well as the object of the health of the Body of Christ. From Him and through Him and to Him are all aspects of eternal life.

Apart from Christ, His Word and His Spirit, the Church may lose its power, fruitfulness, focus, and direction. God by His grace and mercy acts to bring vitality again to the Church in various ways.

Refresh

Through times devoted to fellowship with the Lord, the Church is refreshed in His Presence. Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost emphasized to the audience, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” (Acts 3:19-20 NLT)

Restore

Returning things to their original condition is also referenced to Christ; again, Peter pronounces, “For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.” (Acts 3:21 NLT)

Renew

In the face of weariness, suffering, and expending our energies in life and service, we may regain strength and perspective through the Holy Spirit.  In this way, we return to our original vitality in Christ. “. . . let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 3:23 NLT)

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 ESV) “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3:10 NLT)

Revive

A work of the Holy Spirit often in response to the cries and prayers of God’s people who mourn and repent for the condition of their land and people; it is often characterized by power and joy and salvation. For example, the Psalmist cries out to God, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6 NLT)

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15 ESV)

 Retrieve

When the Church is in a state of amnesia, it is crucial that we remember and retrieve the foundational teachings (traditions) that the apostolic fathers received from Christ. Paul, the apostle made such an appeal in his writings. For example, I Corinthians 11: 23 indicates, “For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself . . . Do this to remember me . . . For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.”

The Church hands on its treasures of faith through its rites and practices, sacraments and pastoral care, as well as creeds, decrees of the ecumenical councils and Holy scripture. In turn, we face the question as to how can we determine which rites and customs are the most appropriate for this transmission of faith? For the apostolic faith to be a living one it has not only to be retrieved, it also needs to be reactivated and received. This requires a living tradition of worship, discipleship and service. Living tradition is the provision of the spiritual environment without which the Bible cannot flourish as Scripture. [Tertullian, Prescription Against Heretics 19, p. 61]

Scripture in a sense is affirmed, sustained, and unfolded by tradition, but tradition is illuminated, judged, and controlled by Scripture. Together they are the content of faith: paradosis. [Augustine, Letters, p. 57-58]

Reform

Reformation is the application of truth, or doctrine, that as it is taught and applied brings a change in understanding and structure to the function of the Church. It typically takes a long time to develop and has long term impact on the Church and society. Ezra led in reform of the people of Israel. “This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.” (Ezra 7:10 NLT) Ezra prayed and wept prostrate on the ground, and God worked in the hearts of the people to join in prayers of repentance for violating God’s laws. After three days of deliberation in the scriptures and exhortation to the people to separate from the cultures of the tribes around them, “Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, ‘Yes, you are right, we must do as you say!’” (Ezra 10:12 NLT)

Reimagine

When a culture is in crisis, fracturing and losing its common identity and values, the Church can contribute to a new cultural framework by reimagining. This is a creative work of the Holy Spirit brooding over that which is chaotic and in disarray to bring order (again). Such reordering and re-imaging was at the core of the creation account in Genesis 1, particularly v. 2.

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.” (Colossians 1:15-16a NLT)

Cultural Crises*

1. Proclaim the integrity of natural world instead of exploiting its resources
   1. Bear witness to the integrity of the world
   2. Resist and confront exploitation
2. Proclaim the truth of love in an age of cynicism
   1. It is the foundation of all things 
   2. Resist the arrogance of power and its cynicism
3. Proclaim the image of God in all human beings in a dehumanizing age
   1. Honor its dignity
   2. Resist the dehumanization in our culture
4. Practice the cultivation of character in a celebrity age
   1. Focus on being admirable
   2. Rather than being admired
5. Pursue the reality of friendship with the Trinity and among people
   1. Seek to include rather than exclude one another
   2. Eschew tribal violence
6. Pursue the product of the commons in an age of individualization
   1. Invest in healthy commons and the good of others (of all)
   2. Renounce self-absorbed individualization

In our lives and our organizations, for ourselves and for our neighbors, as the Church we must cultivate that which is wholesome and resist that which is destructive for our culture.

*Notes modified from lecture by Greg Thompson, New City Commons, at The Pursuit Conference 2016, April 28, 2016.

Resurrect

One distinctive of our Christian faith, and central to the gospel, is resurrection from the dead. Resurrection, or return to vitality, is an important aspect of the engagement of Christ and His church. God’s Kingdom restoration of fallen humanity involves:

Incarnation: God entered our world to identify fully with our broken human condition; Jesus is the embodiment of union (divine and human) with God

Death: Jesus died as a sacrificial offering, an innocent Lamb without blemish, to pay the penalty for the sins of humanity

Resurrection: God raised Jesus from the dead demonstrating victory over death as well as completely paying the penalty for sin. Resurrection established new life emanating from Christ, its head, and a greater release of power and faith. Everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. (I Corinthians 15:22, 45, 54-55)

This pattern of identification, death to self, and resurrection is inherent in the ongoing way the Trinity fellowship revitalizes the Church as it progresses toward the ultimate purpose of the Kingdom of God.