"The Local Church is a Paper Cup"
by Paul Seger
My dad was a pioneer missionary in Nigeria. He pushed into a
new region in the north east corner of the country to evangelize and start
churches. He was successful. For many years those churches have continued
without missionary presence. I just learned that the main church building and
what was the mission station buildings were destroyed in religious riots.
I had hoped to go back to Gadaka one day to visit my home
and the village where I grew up. I could go, but so much will be missing. Dad
is in heaven so I would assume he is not concerned about the destruction. But I
am. I feel a sense of loss that I'll never be able to re-visit the place of my
youth.
What should I think about this?
Local churches are like paper cups. They are designed by God
to contain ministry, but they are disposable. The "universal church"
is permanent. Local churches are not. I am totally committed to the centrality
of the local church. I've spent my entire ministry focused on establishing
local churches. So I am not questioning the importance of churches. But the
reality is that local churches are temporary. They may last 6 months or 60
years. But sooner or later they will cease to exist.
Here is the big deal. The local church is not the end goal
-- disciples are. Local churches are not eternal -- people are. A church is not
an institution; it is a group of Christians. So in that sense, a local church
is a paper cup. They are meant to be a temporary container for ministry. God
intended the Christian life to take place within the context of local churches.
They simply provide the forum for growth and ministry.
If we think of a local church as a porcelain cup, we may
tend to be corporate, too institutional. We would try to build an empire
instead of building people. The Great Commission is to make disciples. While
church planting is a focal point of much missions activity, making disciples is
the ultimate goal.
So I guess I shouldn't feel so badly when I learn the
buildings have been destroyed.
Written by Paul Seger, General Director, Biblical Ministries
Worldwide (BMW)
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