Think Spiritually, Stay Biblical
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:46–47)
Let me suggest two principles and two imperatives I believe all churches should examine and apply. The first principle: clear, biblical thinking must override secular planning and a corporate mentality. And the imperative? Think spiritually! However well-organized our churches become, we must give priority to biblical, rather than secular, thinking. I’ve taken the time to write about what was present in the early church, but let me also mention some of what wasn’t there.
- No secular organizational structures or church politics.
- No guru of authority or “chairman” of anything.
- No power grabs from control freaks.
- No personal maneuverings, infightings, financial squabbles, or turf protection.
Instead, we see a place where a spiritual emphasis took precedence over the world’s way of doing things.
What does this look like when applied today? For starters, our teaching needs to be biblically based and spiritually inclined. Our Sunday school classes, adult fellowships, and small-group instruction gatherings need to center on the teaching of the Bible and spiritual lessons. Our songs and hymns should have spiritual content. Our counseling ministry needs to be derived from the Spirit’s revelation in the Scriptures.
Our relationships with one another need to have spiritual priorities—intimate fellowship where people can trust one another. The church ought to be the one place where spiritual thinking overrides everything else—all those battles we fight within the marketplace. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. Remember, the church is a spiritual entity.
Second, studied, accurate decisions must originate from God’s Word, not human opinions. A true, spiritual mind-set comes from meditation on the Scriptures. So the imperative would be: stay biblical! The Word of God ought to be central to every worship service on Sunday. Furthermore, every elders’ meeting and every staff meeting should have the Scriptures as the basis of the decisions that are made. God’s Word is to be the church’s guide; it shapes our current thinking and future planning by giving us principles we can understand, believe, and apply. If our churches are committed to these essential dimensions and distinctions, we’ll have the most contagious body of individuals in the community.
Taken from The Church Awakening by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Faith Words, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
