church

What is a church? Who is it for? We say the church is a body of believers. If this is so, what should we do about non-believers who attend church? Should they? If they do, are we supposed to be worried about offending them? Isn’t there a verse that says we are an offense to those who don’t believe? Aren’t we supposed to be so different that we offend them? Yet there is something in that offense that is attractive, something they desire, but don’t know what it is. Are we supposed to cater to them? Just be so happy they decided to come? What is happening to our churches because of the influence they are bringing in? Are we letting the enemy in our door? That sounds harsher than it really is, I just can’t think of another way to put it. If a non-believer wants to be a part of your church, but what you do offends him (and what you are doing is scripturally sound, etc), should you change for him? Compromise just so he will stay so you can get him saved? Is church supposed to be used for outreach or as an outreach? Or is it supposed to be used for believers to gather together for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training, and the building up of the body of believers for the outreach they are to be doing the rest of the week? Is a church supposed to be everything to everyone, saved and unsaved, just keep them coming in the door? Awhile back we had the “seeker-sensitive movement”. What did that do for the church? Did it strengthen it or hinder it/soften it? What happens when a church hits “it hard”-takes a hard line on sin, preaches the Word, and delves deep into God? That’s right-attendance usually goes down, and with it, the offering. Often we have so many “programs” we need to fund (often to get the non-believers into the church) that we water down the message so the money keeps coming, but then what is the use/depth of the message they are getting? Is it worth it?