Our Vision for the Church

The Fullness of Christ

Over the past many years there has been a never-ending flow of teachings, books, seminars, models and strategies about how to do church. These include house church, cell church, micro-church, organic church, simple church, etc. There is much to learn from these movements. However, we like to focus on essence.

Assuming that there can be a variety of acceptable models of church, what is the essence? What does God want every church to be and to do? What is His plan? What is the essence of church? Later we will identify a few core elements that are essential to being the church as God designed it. However, here we will focus on the big picture to make clear God’s purpose and plan for the Body of Christ.

God’s plan is for the Church to become the fullness of Christ. In Ephesians 1:22-23 Paul declared at the end of his prayer for the disciples that the Church, “is His body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way.” In Ephesians 3:19 he prayed, “That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  In Ephesians 4:13 Paul explained that God’s plan is for us to grow to maturity and attain, “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Is Paul just waxing eloquent or is the fullness of Christ something actually attainable for us?

The Purpose of the Body of Christ

When Jesus was on earth, He had a human body. When he ascended to heaven he sat at the right hand of God and became the Head of the Body, which is the Church. When Jesus was on earth, He expressed His life through his human body. Now His plan is to express His life through living bodies of believers in every city, town, village and community on the face of the earth. This is His plan. This is the purpose of the Body of Christ. This is how He will win people to Himself in Japan and among all peoples and nations.

I believe that there are various forms of church that are valid, but when the best forms lose the essence, they can no longer fulfill their purpose. The essence of church is Christ Himself! The purpose of every church is to express His life. Jesus is not only the purpose of the Church, but He is the power, life and goal of the Church.

How are we trying to share the gospel with people in the world? What is the attraction? Why should your church be appealing to non-believers?  Around the world people attempt to copy mega-churches and think that the form and strategy will produce fruit. It won’t. Lasting fruit comes from Jesus alone.

Do you really think people will be attracted by your buildings, facilities, sound systems, music, preaching or programs? Or course you should do everything as unto the Lord with excellence. In some situations, it is appropriate to have buildings, programs, etc. But what is the main attraction?

The main attraction to people in the world must be Jesus Himself. They should see Him in our lives and in our community. In Japan the best programs and the best preaching have not attracted many. However, all human beings crave love, acceptance and forgiveness. Do they see that love and grace of Jesus in us? Do they see us loving one another as Jesus loved us? Are we living in true community? Are we a family that walks together with Jesus and with one another daily? Is Christ living among us?

He must be the attraction. He is the life and the essence of church. Is your church focused on maintaining the programs, traditions and a schedule that you have always followed, or is Jesus Himself the center and focus of all that you do?

How will we win the world? How will people in Japan or in your community encounter the living Christ and be drawn to Him? Jesus, the Head of the Body, desires to express His love and His life through us both individually and corporately. He wants us to become the fullness of Christ. His plan is to fully express His life through us.

We Can Experience the Fulness of Christ!

We sometimes chase the latest teachings and models that are supposed to make churches grow. We hope to see huge breakthroughs and want to see the church grow. We hope that it will happen someday. However, after trying various models and methods, we somehow feel that can only imagine, but doubt that we will ever really experience it. This is not right! God wants us to experience the fullness of Christ. This is His plan and His will for every body of believers.

The letter to Ephesians gives many insights into how to experience the fullness of Christ. The starting point, however, is to grasp God’s plan for the Church. When we have His vision for the Body of Christ, we will have a burning passion and desire to see Jesus express His life fully through us. Paul expressed this passion in Galatians 4:19, “I am in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”

Your church is Christ’s body. His plan to express His fullness through you to your community. Stop pursuing forms, programs or methods in the attempt to attract new people. Set you heart and soul on becoming the fullness of Christ. Jesus, the Head of the Body, is the only One who can make it function as it should and produce fruit that lasts.

Pray that we may multiply the fullness of Christ in Japan and among the nations of the world.