How People View Churches Today

There’s a phrase that I’ve heard in recent years. The phrase goes like this: “Isn’t it ironic that churches have become more worldly, and the world has become more churchy?”. That saying came from an observant unbeliever. To say that churches have a good reputation in our modern society would be somewhat inaccurate. If you were to survey our society on what church is (fill in the blank). You’d get so many intriguing answers, such as:

• Full of hypocrites,
• Too judgmental,
• Not relevant to my life,
• Demonising anything outside of the church,
• Ignoring the real world’s problems,
• Boring,
• Anti-science, etc.

Since we know that a church is not a building but it is its people, then we also know that the perception problem arises from the members of the church. In that case, we may be guilty as charged, including me. Unbeknownst to us, we might have conducted ourselves in a certain way that has tainted our church’s reputation in our society.

This begs the question, how is the church supposed to evangelise effectively to society when society seems to dislike the church so much?

The Impact of Churches on Society in the Past

Throughout history, churches have played an important role in shaping societies, influencing cultures and championing causes. However today the positive impact of the church has been understated in the context of human history.

Did you know schools, hospitals, orphanages, and charities were all founded by Christians?Many of the well-known organisations such as Oxfam, Salvation Army, the Samaritans, Alcoholics Anonymous and the RSPCA are all rooted in Christianity.

Due to ignorance, our modern society tends to take these organisations for granted today.The church was involved in the civil rights movement in the United States and the campaign to end apartheid in South Africa. We can see that the impact of churches on society has been tremendous in the past from educational to humanitarian. As we reflect on history, we need to acknowledge that churches have lost their credibility and reputation in the public’s eyes today.

The Purpose of A Church

Let’s go back to the Bible about the church’s original purposes. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles ‘ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 According to the Bible, the church’s purposes are (in no particular order):

• Purpose #1: Teaching Biblical doctrines

The church is to teach Biblical doctrines so believers can be grounded in their faith and not swayed by false teachings. The church also needs to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sins and not be washed away by the strong current of this world. Here at BIC, we have a KOM program that will provide a strong foundation for our faith (The next KOM semester will start this July).

• Purpose #2: Providing Fellowship

The church serves as a community where believers can support, honour, instruct, encourage, and love one another. Since our church is quite large in numbers and every Christian needs each other, it’s encouraged for everyone to join our small group (known as COOL). 

• Purpose #3: Observing the Lord’s supper

The church observes the Lord’s Supper to remember Christ’s sacrifice, which also includes sharing meals to foster fellowship.

• Purpose #4: Praying

The church is dedicated to teaching, promoting, and practising prayer, helping members to find peace through their faith. (Did you know that BIC has a prayer service every Tuesday night at 7pm at church? Everyone is welcome to join).

• Purpose #5: Ministering to People in Need

The church is to be about the business of ministering to those in need. This includes both physical and spiritual support. Basic physical needs such as food, clothing and shelter as needed and appropriate.

• Purpose #6: Proclaiming the Gospel

At its core, spreading the Gospel is THE function of any church. Even if we fail at the rest, we must not fail at this one. We are all called to be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel through word and deed. We need to be the lighthouse in our community, mobilising people to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The church is to both promote the Gospel and prepare us to spread the Gospel.

Conclusion

The church’s role in our society is multifaceted, dynamic, and essential. We all need to embody Christ’s love, compassion, and justice in our conducts. When the rest of the world cannot tell us apart, it means we have become like them through assimilation. Since we know the whole world is in a state of disarray, churches need to be more engaged in the society by creating a counterculture community that shows how radically different a Christian society is with regard to sex, money and power.

Let us keep praying so that churches around the world may continue to be a beacon of hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a force for good, and a catalyst for positive change.

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV)