In 1993, a fellow Helenan wrote: “I was raised in northern Montana where there was a golden glow in the air in late summer – and the air smelled of wheat harvest … perhaps it was only yesterday or maybe a lifetime ago. It etched a mark upon my soul” (Jim McCormick, revised).
We all have marks etched upon our souls. In days gone by, many understood that our souls were infinitely fascinating because they were made in the image of the Triune God. But God’s image in us has also been marred by ugly marks – embedded stains resulting both from our being victimized and from our taking advantage of others. Or our stain is deepened when we withdraw instead of love. In days gone by, the perpetrators of those abuses were called “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” Each of these wants to “be God.” But, God already is. Ouch.
As we ponder what to do, if we turn to the Bible, we eventually meet the word “gospel” (from “good” spell” or “good message”). The Greek word for “gospel” is “eu-angelion.” We see the word “angel” – and understand the word “messenger” or “message.” We see the prefix “eu” and remember it is used in “eulogy” – “eu” (“good”) – “logy” (“word’). So, the Greeks understood “eu-angelion” to be GOOD NEWS of a GREAT event, a GRAND victory, or the ascension of a NOBLE king. Such NEWS could change the lives of those who heard it.
What is the “gospel” the Bible describes? Astonishingly, the holy God has entered the world in Jesus Christ to rescue, at great cost to himself, broken people who could not rescue themselves. This rescue is not accomplished by giving them good advice – but by uniting them to himself, so they can have a new relationship with the Triune God and each other – even their enemies. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). As a boy of 7, I first heard this GOSPEL and thought it was the best news I’d ever heard. I still do.
When similarly astonished people gather together, a gospel culture forms. That “counter-culture” can move to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.”
Although individuals and organizations can carry this GOSPEL, the Bible tells us that the church is the primary agent. “Church” also comes to us from Greek. Add two Greek words, “kuria” (Lord) and “kos” (of the), and you get “kuriakos.” Among some Christians in India, Kuriakos is a family name. For example, a friend who loves Malamute dogs called her operation Kuriakos Alaskan Malamutes. We get “kurk” by dropping “ia” from “kuria” and “os” from “kos” and joining them as “kurk.” Sometimes “ch” has a hard “k” sound – as in “character” or “chaos.” So, “church” is “what belongs to the Lord” or “those who belong to the Lord.” I love that. “When we identify ourselves with the person of Christ, we identify ourselves also with the people of Christ. Because we belong to Him, we also belong to them” (“Total Christianity,” p. 33).
Of course, in a broken world, the church is often damaged to some extent too. Still, study after study demonstrates that your health can be better and your marriage significantly less likely to suffer divorce if you attend church – any church. Remarkable. Check it out. Look for a church, any church.
If somehow you go further and look for a healthy church, history tells us to look for these three characteristics church: (1) The church has a clear understanding of the Gospel and Jesus because it has a high view of the Bible. (2) The church has a healthy view and practice of the sacraments. (3) The church practices church discipline.
Contemporary church leader, Tim Keller, lists five other characteristics to pursue as we go looking for a healthy church (here, I quote him extensively because he expresses what we are considering so well):
(1) The church is “outward-facing.” Such a church is highly effective in helping skeptical and secular people find faith. The gospel leads us sympathetically but effectively to find ways to answer hopes and aspirations of secular cultural hopes with Christ and his saving work. The church anticipates and addresses the concerns, objections, and reservations of skeptics and ‘spiritual pilgrims’ with the greatest respect and sympathy.
(2) The church has a rich Christian community. The gospel creates a new community – a sign and foretaste of the city of God. The church models the alternate human society that the gospel creates, showing how, through the gospel, sex, money, and power are used in life-giving and non-destructive ways.
(3) The church is committed to justice. The resurrection of Jesus shows that he will redeem both the spiritual and the material. Therefore God is not just concerned with the salvation of souls but also with removing poverty, hunger, and injustice. Indifference to the poor means there has not been a proper grasp of one’s salvation by sheer grace.
(4) The church equips believers to integrate their faith with their work. The gospel has a profound and vital impact on how we do art, business, government, media, and scholarship. Churches are highly committed to supporting Christians’ engagement with culture, helping them work with excellence, distinctiveness, and accountability in their professions.
(5) The church routinely plants other churches with the same ministry fullness.
Now, neighbor, as you begin to take such realities to heart, begin to have these conversations:
- What do you love about Helena?
- What challenges does Helena face?
- What kind of church does Helena need to help address those challenges?
I’ve asked these questions hundreds of times. Of course, to the first and second questions, I get various responses. But, I often get no answer to the third question – other than a quizzical look or an “I don’t know.”
Still, the third question is pregnant. Hopefully, you and your church – if you are part of a church – will be part of the answer – time and time again. How do we know your church is such a church? Many in the community would miss such habits of loving our neighbors if your church closed.
God had Jeremiah write to exiles in corrupt Babylon: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29:7). In a letter written to his city and published in the Billings Gazette, Alfred Poirier, pastor of a church in Billings, wrote: “Billings is no Babylon, or Hollywood or Las Vegas. So, if God calls his people to pray for Babylon, how much more Billings?
And may we love and pray for Helena – loving the One who gave himself for sinners like us. And for our own good and the good of Helena, may Jesus bring more and more of us to the intersection of the gospel and our city – a healthy church.
