‘Theology Matters’ is a blog series on the Asian American Christian Fellowship at UCLA’s book study of “Dug Down Deep” by Joshua Harris. In this series I will be posting updates, reminders, thoughts, and study questions all about the book.
Chapter 10: Society seems to like the idea of faith without the community of the church. We have more and more people trying to de-institutionalize the institution of the church because they want to revert back to the format of the ‘early churches’ (even though that wasn’t how the early church was), or are jaded by the hypocrisy of those who make up the church. However, the church is the bride of Christ, and if so, we need to care and love the church as much as our Lord did.
The doctrine of the church. It’s imperative that we understand that our faith isn’t an absolutely individual thing but God has always planned to redeem a people. God has a purpose and a plan for the church. Harris writes that the church “is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham to bless all the nations of the world. The church, comprised of men and women from every nationality and ethnicity, is now God’s chosen people in the world. The church is how God makes himself known in the world.” As Christians, the church must be central to our lives, and to deny the church is to deny God’s plan and purpose for his people. “We need to care about the church for own spiritual good and for the sake of the world that needs us to be the church.” The church needs to be the church: we need to be countercultural in our lives and in living out the truth of God’s Word—to slow down the decay of this world. No matter what our churches are like, the church is the means through which Christ is glorified and his glory is put on display. We have to love the church.
Study Questions:
1. Have you ever treated church like a gas station? Why is this attitude toward church wrong? (pg 197-201)
2. Why is it important to belong to a local church? (pg 203-205)
3. What is God’s mission for the church? In what ways have you been carrying out this mission and in what ways have you failed? (pg 207-215)
Next Week: Chapter 11 – “Humble Orthodoxy”
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