TODAY’S CHURCH
BEV MURRILL

Today’s church is not only a family; it’s also an ARMY! A battalion whose heart cry is for her neighbour, whether they live next door or in the next suburb or in the uttermost parts of the world!

Today’s church has ears that are tuned to hear the sound of the battle cry trumpeting through the land, calling forth a people who have willingly beaten their ploughshares into swords and their pruning hooks into spears.

Today’s church is alive and vital, sensing the battle ahead and CHOOSING to go forward, no longer allowing fear of man or fear of failure to cause her to shrink back!

Today’s church does not hide behind her songs of praise and her good works, but with all her heart reaches up toward God and with all her strength reaches out to the people He weeps for.

Today’s church tucks up her royal robes of righteousness and kneels to wash broken feet that have trodden out the grapes of wrath in a society that has become numb to the horror of its own sin.

Today’s church takes off her own cloak to wrap around the poverty and brokenness of a world where desperation has plumbed the deepest reaches of darkness.

Today’s church refuses to sit fat and swollen with spiritual and social riches, but uses her own money and resources to feed the children of the damned and bind up their wounds.

Today’s church understands that we don’t reap to keep, but to sow into others that which has been freely given to us.

Today’s church knows that the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous has great power to impact the spiritual realm.

Today’s church has salvation as her walls, and her gates are praise.

Today’s church knows what it is to be down but not out, cast down but not destroyed, overwhelmed but not in retreat.

Today’s church is a people who have forgotten the things that lie behind; so busy are they with reaching forward to the future. They’re pressing toward their goal, the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Today’s church, though pummelled by the stones and arrows of friendly and unfriendly fire, still respond with cheerful forgiveness.

Today’s church has an eternal battle cry - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall never die, but have everlasting life.

Today’s church is a people who willingly lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets them, to run with perseverance the race set before them.

Today’s church desires above everything else to know Jesus Christ and the power of His death and resurrection, understanding that this will be coupled with the fellowship of His suffering. They’re willing to be conformed to His death… and many in Today’s church will meet death for the sake of the gospel!!

Today’s church knows what it is to be satisfied by a relationship with the Father to a degree that defies and dissolves every other hunger and thirst.

Today’s church rises like an eagle on the thermals of the Holy Spirit, to be renewed, refreshed and recharged by the power of God at work in her.

Today’s church, though rained upon with many blows, stands with armour undented and untarnished because the weapons of her warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to pull down strongholds

Today’s church knows that it’s not over until it’s over.

Today’s church refuses to wallow in the lukewarm bath of defeat, discouragement and despair, but rises again and again with the victory cry of Jesus on her lips.

Today’s church will never join the accuser of the brethren as he points the finger of judgment, criticism and complaint at those who pour out their life serving God, even when they don’t understand that way of serving.

Today’s church is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, knowing that it is the power of God unto salvation.

Today’s church is a rich and multi faceted organism made up of millions of people spread across time, space, culture and race, who publicly displays to the works of darkness the pure and unadulterated wisdom of God.

And despite the things we fear must disqualify us…too old to be of use, too young to have experience; despite our weaknesses, our problems and our pain… people of God… we are Today’s church!

Bev Murrill
Christian Growth International Chelmsford UK

I love that my church uses my gifts to build it. Awesome!

I love that my church is my church. I can’t think of anywhere else I would choose to give, connect, serve, worship than there.

In my experience where I live in Austrlaia it’s the parachurch orgs that have been making a difference and inspiring and uniting the local churches into action!

I agree that the local church is the hope of the world, no question but to be honest parachurch orgs have done more to shape my faith than any church i’ve attended in my entire life! They have been more of a true expression of ‘the Church’ because they arent hung up on their own needs/denominational bents etc and have simply got out there with the Gospel message and made a difference in people’s lives. They arent afraid to network and work across many churches and dont let ‘people pleasing’ get in the way of God’s mission. I’m yet to find a ‘local church’ where I live with this much drive and commitment to getting God’s work done…

I just think you were a little dismissive of parachurch orgs, I know that wasnt your intent but i wanted to flag it here.

Cheers

I love that the church is waking up to the importance of wholistic redemption and not just swinging to one side or the other (hope for the next life or hope for this one).

“Johm to the seven churches which are in Asia” (Rev.4) is one example of the “local” church. The NT is full of others examples as weel. Yes, the word “local” church does not appear in the Bible, but I must point out that the word KJV doesn’t appear in the Bible either. In fact, the word BIBLE does not even appear in the Bible!

Thanks for the suggestion. I send you regards from Germany.

Craig, I just wanted to personally thank you for the vision that you have and are living out every day. I am a passionate follower of Christ, but I struggle just like everyone else and I always need the daily encouragement to keep on going. In addition to my church family (which coincidently is called LifeChurch), your podcast and blog have been a huge part of that. You had a vision from God and you followed it and I just want to say thank you for that. It is making a difference in my life as well as many others.

It reminds me when I was little we would “play” school in our exclusive “GIRL” clubhouse…(I was the teacher of course ha!) and we had fun “playing” but it was not REALLY school. Seriously, if we were going to grow on what I was teaching or what we knew..BAH.. we would have only graduated in silly putty, shrinky dinks, and wonder woman (yes I am showing my age).. I think the same is true with church if we “PLAY” church and try to keep Church in a Preschool(Man made) clubhouse…we are fooling ourselves…We need so much more of God and so much less of us….running the show.

“The local church is the hope of the world.”

Hmmm? Have some questions about “church.”
Can’t seem to find “local church” in the KJV.

When you hear words that are not in the Bible?
don’t you wonder why we use them?
and where they came from?

Isn’t it challenge enough understanding?
the truth of the words that are written?
How much harder word’s that we make up?

Doesn’t the Bible warn us about;

The commandments of men?

The doctrines of men?

The philosophies of men?

The traditions of men
that make the Word of God
of non effect?

Making the word of God of none effect
through your tradition…
Mark 7:13

Hmmm? A simple word, church?
What do most people understand
the word “church” to mean?

Building with a steeple?
Is that in the Bible?

Pastor in a pulpit preaching to people in pews?
Is that in the Bible?

That’s what the world thinks, the unbeliever, isn’t it?

Isn’t that what the so called “local church”
has accomplished with four buildings on
four corners in a lot of “local towns?”

Haven’t we deceived the people
we’re supposed to be reaching out to?

Does the world, the unbeliever, know that “The Church of God” is -

The people of God?

The habitation of God? Where He dwells?

The redeemed of the Lord? By His blood.

The body of Christ? Purchased with His blood.

The Israel of God?

And Jesus is the head of the body, the church?

Does God dwell in buildings made with
the hands of men? Or does He dwell in us?

Did Jesus shed His blood for;
a building, a denomination,
an institution, an organization, a corporation?

Should we call a corporation, “The Church?”

Will people know that “The Church of God?”

Are kings and priests unto God?

The bride of Christ?

The servants of Christ?

The sons of God?
Led by the spirit? Or led by man?

Disciples of Christ?
Learners and students of Christ?

Ambassadors for Christ?

How many will know, in the Bible,
no one ever went to church?

How many will know, in the Bible,
you become “the Church?”
And hear His voice? And follow Him?

Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that he might instruct thee.
Deuteronomy 4:36

Church? Hmmm?

I will build my church

the Lord added to the church

great fear came upon all the church

great persecution against the church

Saul, he made havock of the church,
entering into every house

they assembled themselves with the church

Herod the king stretched forth his hands
to vex certain of the church

and had gathered the church together

And being brought on their way by the church

they were received of the church

set them to judge who are least esteemed
in the church. Hmmm? Must be a misprint?

If therefore the whole church
be come together into one place

Christ is the head of the church

Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it

feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased
with his own blood

gave him to be the head
over all things to the church

the church is subject unto Christ

he is the head of the body, the church

And other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring,
and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd.
John 10:16

One Fold - One Shepherd - One Voice.

If Not Now, When?

In His Service. By His Grace.