the specialized organization is markedly successful. And just how successful do you think that spe cialized ministry would be if, like the church, it were obliged to take into its ranks all who profess to believe? It is often successful sim ply because it can be exclusive and choose with whom it will associate and with whom it will work. "But, we are an arm of the church," some people will say. And just how many arms can a body have? And do the arms coordinate and direct the body or vice versa? Not many could qualify as an arm of the church by that simple test. But the church has failed, you insist. And I agree in part. But even though this is true, the rem edy is not to abandon or demean the church but rather to get in there and pitch and make it the organization it ought to be. If the church has failed it is because the members have failed, and they are you and I. Every indictment of the church is an indictment of you and me. May I remind you of a few un alterable truths about the church? The risen and ascended Lord walks in the midst of local churches, di recting, correcting, exhorting but never disowning them (Revelation 1-3). It is the church which is the center of the exercise of spiritual gifts for the building up of the saints (I Corinthians 12). The church when it comes together observes the ordinances which her head gave to her (I Corinthians 11). The church is responsible for the relief of its poor at home and in other places (Acts 11; I Timothy 5). Into its services the unsaved shall come to hear the message of God (I Cor inthians 14:23-24). It exercises dis- Page 7
the Lord Jesus conducted his most famous dialog with an unregener ated individual. That dialog was, of course, with Nicodemus, an intel lectual and religious leader of his day. But you will remember that our Lord did not seek to explore areas of mutual agreement in their Judaic heritage; nor did He dwell on their common professional stat us as rabbis; nor did He ask for Nicodemus' critical appraisal of the viewpoint presented to him. The Lord patiently, persistently and pointedly kept facing this lost man with, "Ye must be born again." That is dialog at its finest. There may be various ways to do this, but if the intent of dialog is to rep resent self, not Christ, and if the content is of the lowest common denominator or mutual agreement, and not the gospel, the result can only be a mirage generated by the hot air of the participants. A second mirage joyfully pic tures the church in a coffin. At a recent Christian leadership confer ence this slogan was frequently heard: "Flee the church to where the action is!" "The Church is fin ished" goes another cliche — or more boldly, "God is through with the church." None of these state ments is true. But because they are presumed to be true, we are being told to give our money, efforts and time to other Christian works which are supposed to be doing a better job for the Lord. I in no way con done the incrustations of church- ianity, but neither can we afford to throw the baby out with the bath. The church, and I speak of the lo cal assembly of professing believ ers in Christ, is a God-ordained institution. But, it is said, the church is failing to get the job done while
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