Separating the Holy from the Profane

2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

14 - Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 - Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 - Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17 - "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
18 - "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.

Many commentators have dissected this passage over the years. It has been applied to the business world, marriage, and even to entering into pagan temples or other types of religious worship centers. The place it is rarely applied is in a literal sense to the worship gathering of Christians. What is the reason the instruction is not applied here? Is it not clear? Or is it more likely that it conflicts with the methodology and traditions that are binding the practices of the modern church? You decide.

One thing that is clear from the passage is that the two things that are never to be “yoked together” are Christians and unbelievers. The point is stressed emphatically as Paul takes the comparison to extremes by using Christ and Belial as the comparisons. Why would we bring unbelievers into a service that does the things we see described in 1 Corinthians? Could the unbeliever participate in a meaningful way? Could they offer up a spiritual gift for the edification of the body? Can God’s Word edify them prior to their accepting Christ as their Savior? The Bible clearly says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the natural man. He cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

If the practice of allowing unbelievers into the worship gathering were to stop many things would immediately change in the church. Invitation and attraction would no longer be used as a means to grow the church. Leaders would have to teach the people to make disciples or the church would never grow. The devestating effects of consumerism would be immediately wiped out.

The practice of inviting or allowing unbelievers in the worship gathering is so entrenched in our society that most never stop to ask if God intended us to allow it. Their is overwhelming evidence that the early church did not allow it. Only after the Edict of Milan was the practice allowed. We can easily see that under the Law no one outside the covenant could participate in worship. No place in the New Testament writings is this practice allowed. It is time that Christians stop and ask themselves what we gave up when we began to allow unbelievers into the worship gathering.

It is my firm belief that this is the first practice that must be stopped if the church is return to its transformational power. I believe that God has begun a reformation of the church and this practice must cease. I also believe that this is the reason that the institutional church in America can not be reformed from within. Its very existence and operation depends upon the practice of offering public worship gatherings. Which means, its very existence relies on a practice that violates Scripture and was not a part of the practice of the early church.

New Works in the Making

Disciple Driven Church has sent two of its leaders to begin new works. Anthony Marks will be returning to Northern Indiana this fall to begin a new work and Terry and Suzette Goodwin are beginning to work in the Hyde Park neighborhood in North St. Louis.

It is exciting to see new works begin as the vision of Disciple Driven Church begins to unfold. God has begun His reformation and we are blessed to be a part of it.

Summer Internships 2009

Our interns have returned to their homes after an exciting summer of transformation. We wish them the best as they return to their lives and begin to apply what they learned this summer.