The Anatomy of a church

Examining the

body of Christ

There is one body

Romans 12:4-5

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: 5. so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

1 Corinthians 10

16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? 17. seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we are all partake of the one bread.

1 Corinthians 12

12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14. For the body is not one member, but many.

A Spiritual Checkup

2 Corinthians 13:5

Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate

As members of the body

• ARE we in the FAITH?

– Do we believe in Jesus?– Do we understand and

practice His teachings?– Do we manifest the love of

Christ in our relationships with others in the church?

– ... or those in the world?

• IS Jesus Christ IN you?

Looking in the Mirror

James 1:23-24For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: 24. for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

1 Corinthians 12

15. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.

16. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.

17. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18. But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.

Growing Together

Ephesians 4:15-16

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; 16. from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.

Healthy Growth

• Every church wants to “grow”• However, not all forms of

growth are healthy• Tumors and cancers are

“growths”, but they are not healthy

• Churches that compromise their spiritual health for numerical growth are “sick”

Unhealthy situations

• A church can have a cancer, or worse – “gangrene”

2 Timothy 2:16-17

But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, 17. and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus;

Word Study

• kenophonia, empty sounding, i.e. fruitless discussion:--vain.

• gaggraina, from graino (to gnaw); an ulcer ("gangrene"):--canker.

Bloated on False Doctrine

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; 4. and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.

Unhealthy Growth

• Numbers swelled by a steady diet of “junk food”

• Truth is “refined” until it is a tasteless, harmless, worthless message retaining only a mere “flavor” of truth

• Many are attracted to such teaching and churches grow large on it

Teaching the Unvarnished Truth

• Teaching truth does not always result in greater numbers

• Sometimes it can mean a reduction in numbers

John 6:59-60 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 60. Many therefore of his disciples, when the heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

Stumbling at the Truth

John 6:61-63 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble? 62. What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63. It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, are are life.

Walking Away

John 6:66-67

Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away?

Healthy Spiritual Growth

• Requires:– Proper nutrition

• The Word of God / Truth• NOT religious junk food

– Regular exercise• Application of the lessons

Lack of Growth

Happens for various reasons:

– Malnutrition – the result of• Not being fed• No appetite• Eat only sugar and snacks

– Disease• Infection• condition

– Injury• Weak back, weak knee, etc.

Nutrition and Exercise

1 Timothy 4:6-8 If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed until now: 7. but refuse profane and old wives' fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness: 8. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.

Painful problems

A sore tooth• Needs to be treated• Sometimes needs to be removed

Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. 18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.

Different Problems

• Ingrown toenail

• Ear infection

• Nasal congestion

• Skin irritation

• Headache

• Backache

• Stomach ache

When you are sick

• The whole body suffers

1 Corinthians 12:25-26

that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26. And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Treating the Problem

• “put the salve on the sore”– Neglect is NOT a treatment

• In a church – identifying and dealing with an individual who is causing problems is a necessary process to maintaining the spiritual health of the body

Healing the Body

• Our medicine is a mixture of TRUTH and LOVE– Error will poison a church– Envy and pride, discontent

and murmuring will choke the love out of a church

• God expects us to treat our problems promptly – and sufficiently

The path to spiritual health

Titus 1:10-13 For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, 11. whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 12. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons. 13. This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith

Public Rebuke

1 Timothy 5:20-21

Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. 21. I charge thee in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

The prayer of faith

James 5:14-16

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15. and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. 16. Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

A Sound Church

– Teaches “sound” doctrine– Has healthy “members” who

respect, love and cooperate one with another

– Is united in faith, purpose and work

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul