{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Dialog","title":"1.41 / What is the church for? 4 roles the Bible gives it","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/7a16a9ac\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1758,"description":"An older woman at our church once told me we didn't have anything for elderly singles. I said, \"Yeah, you're right.\" She said, \"Well, y'all need to do something about that.\" I told her I was so glad she was here, because that meant she wanted to start the ministry. She didn't want to. She just thought we should have it.\nWhen you say what the church should do, you're usually revealing what you should be doing at church.\nJesus made the vision of the church clear. Then He didn't tell us how to do it. My co-host Nick Surface and I pick up where Episode 40 left off: what the church is for, how to tell a principle from a method, and the one choice every follower of Jesus has to make about church.\nWhat is the church for?\nScripture and history point to four key roles. Gather: ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) means gathering (Hebrews 10:25). Worship: the tabernacle, מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) in Hebrew, was the dwelling place of God's presence. Equip: like the synagogue, the church is where people are taught to live (Ephesians 4:11-12). Sacrifice: like the temple, it's where you give your time, talent and treasure the most (Romans 12:1). If a church does those four things, the rest is methodology.\nWhat's the difference between a method and a principle?\nMy dad says it this way: methods are many, principles are few, methods always change, but principles never do. It's okay to reject a method. Rejecting the principle with it is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.\nCan you follow Jesus without a church?\nNot according to Scripture. It's not biblical Christianity for it to be just you and your family and call that a church.\nWhat if you can't find a church you like?\nShop around and pick one. If you can't find one, start one. There's no third option where you just critique the church.\nScriptures\nPhilippians 2:12 · Romans 12:1 · Acts 15:36-39 · Mark 7:1-13 · Deuteronomy 31:12 · Hebrews 10:25 · John 4:23-24 · Luke 4:16-21 · Deuteronomy 11:19 · Ephesians 4:11-12\nWords and people\nἐκκλησία...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/7YsfA4gq5VzjhvmKvDET1pQqT0OM6yxv1laklKclR7g/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83ZWZh/MTRmZDEzOWRjZGQz/Y2M2NThkNzYwOTJj/ODA4MC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}