The Church: An Organization and Organization Coexisting Together

by Roy Landers

July 25, 2019

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The question of whether the Church is an organism, or an organization is debated.

An organism is a live and breathing creature. It has a life of its own and has special significance.

An organization is as an artificial being. It is an operational business or government entity. It has a life of its own. It operates in the form of a corporation or other legal recognized form.

From a religious standpoint, the Church organism is never an organization.

To do so would be against the will of God and engage the Church in a secular relationship with government.or other man created entity and that would not be in keeping with God’s Word.

In truth, the modern-day Church is both an organism and an organization. It cannot legally or practically exist without being both. Let’s examine the history and reality of the Church. History shows that the Church as an organism and an organization coexist. And that God has no problem with it.

THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH AS AN ORGANISM

The Church as an organism has its origins in the Bible (New Testament). It is an organic living entity. It is separate and apart from the world, yet in the world.

It sets an example for righteousness and how to live a victorious life through Jesus Christ. Jesus established the Church and made it clear that the term church is inclusive. It is a body of believers in Christ. And its function is to be a repository for believers to meet and support one another. And take God's message to the world.

The ultimate goal of of the church is to lead lost souls to Christ for salvation.

Jesus Christ Founder and Foundation of The Church

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said to Simon Peter. "And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

This passage of scripture shows that Christ is the builder and founder of the New Testament church. And He calls this church his church. Any church founded by someone other than Christ is not Christ's church.

He is the founder and the foundation because the rock on which he builds his church, is himself. As Simon Peter declared, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:16.

Peter was not the rock Jesus referred to, although the rock became his nickname. Christ and his divine relationship with God is the rock. David, in the Old Testament, announced a great truth. He said, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." (Psalm 127:1).

In the New Testament we learn that the "house of God is the church of the living God" (1 Timothy 3:15). If the Lord did not build the house (church) those who did build it labored in vain.

Jesus declared, "Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." (Matthew 15:13).

The apostle Paul makes this clear. He wrote “For other foundation can no man lay than that that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

A church built on a name other than Jesus is on the wrong foundation. Special religious doctrine made by man to form a church is on the wrong foundation. It will not stand.

The church our Lord founded and established is built on him and on the fact He is God’s Son. That is why every person who becomes a member of the church must confess his faith in Christ as the Son of God. Acts 8:37.

The church is a spiritual house made up of lively or living stones. Before one can become a living stone and become a spiritual house, they must believe that Jesus is the Son of God (1 Peter 2:5,6).

The Church Building Is Not “The Church”

Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia. This word means “an assembly” or “called-out ones.”

The root meaning of church is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building.

Romans 16:5 says, “Greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. God placed all things under Jesus' feet. And appointed him to be head over everything for the church. Ephesians 1:22–23 .

The body of Christ consists of all believers in Jesus Christ. Starting from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until Christ’s return.

Purpose of the Church As an Organism

The church has an internal and an external purpose. Its purpose is to bring people together. People from different backgrounds cultures, races, and talents congregate in the true church. The Holy Spirit provides them with training and opportunities in doing God’s work.

Internal Function of The Church

Internally, the church works within the church body. Those who have accepted and are following Christ.

Acts 2:42 outlines the internal function of the church. It is to teach fellowship and communion with one another. It also prepares and equips believers to teach sound doctrine based only on the Word of God. “....Go into the world and preach the Gospel of God....Matthew 28: 16-20

There are many influences in the world that claim to have the truth, but God entrusted His word to the church. Ephesians 4:14. Knowledge of doctrine is useless if it isn’t applied.

Ephesians 4:11-13, says "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

The purpose of the church is to act as a filling or service station. It is like pulling into a gasoline station when we are low or out of gas. Believers need refilling to continue the journey of following Christ.

Within the church we have communion (the breaking of bread). This often means eating together and fellowship with one another. It also provides the church with an opportunity to commemorate and remember what Christ did for believers. He shed His blood and gave up his broken body as a sacrifice for all sins.

We break bread at the Lord’s Supper. This unifies us as it reminds believers in Christ that we are all saved by Christ’s sacrifice. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. It also provides an opportunity to reconcile differences and right wrongs between believers. We examine our interaction with one another. 1 Corinthians 11:27:28. We look to others interests and not ours.

The church also is set up to take care of each other through prayer. Acts 12:5; Philippians 1:3-4 and to show honor, have compassion, encourage and to show love. Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 John 3:11. And we are to attend to each other’s practical needs.

Providing for the needs of its members is one of the primary purposes of the church. Acts 20:34-35; Romans 15:26.

External Function of The Church

Externally, the church works in the world. The goal is to do what God has instructed it to do. (The church is in the world but not of the world). It is sent to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Before He ascended back to heaven, Christ gave instructions to the remaining disciples. Here is the Biblical account:

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them and when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20.

There is no higher calling for the church than to introduce others to Christ. We do this by glorifying him and doing our best through His guidance to become who He has called us to be. Philippians 2:15 encourages us to be blameless and innocent children of God. We are to be without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.

The church is required to be an external witness to people throughout the world. That means within our neighborhoods and to foreign lands. The call of the church is to manifest the Holy Spirit. Embodying Jesus’ character and telling others about Him accomplishes this.

Through the church organism God uses people with different personalities, backgrounds and gifts. He unifies them as a single body. He equips them to care for each other and reach the world. The Church (believers in Christ) are not meant to live the Christian life alone. Together we find our own purpose through the teaching and loving community of the church.

The True Church Is Non-Denominational

The church is universal and local. The universal church is everyone and everywhere, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ. They have received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. These comprise the universal church.

Denominations and distinctions such as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and other organized religious organizations are manmade. Christ only established one church. His church, which includes all baptized believers who have professed a faith in Him regardless of any denominational title.

The local church is described in Galatians 1:1–2 There, the Apostle Paul says “Paul, an apostle . . . and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia. In the province of Galatia there were many churches. They had localized ministries scattered throughout the province.

They were local churches. Therefore, a Baptist church, a Lutheran church, any denominational church is of no significance if it is not based on Christ and Christ alone. These are not the church. The true universal church consists of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The Church Is Also An Organization

The modern-day church organism is also an organization. They coexist to perform and complete the will of God. Without organization the implementation of Christ's great commission would be a chaotic mess.

Let’s examine the reason the church is an organization as well as an organism.

Most people don't meet in homes for church the way they did when the first Christians met for worship. Churches meet in dedicated buildings. The church building is either leased or owned by the church. The lease or ownership is not in the name of an organism. It is in the name of an entity.

The organization is usually in the form of an entity created by a state or local governing body. A corporation or an organized religious association is usually the entity. The organization (corporation) is created by man for the governing and maintenance of order and provision of operating guidelines for best practices of promoting goodwill, efficiency, accountability and accomplishment of the mission and vision of the organized entity.

Churches, in order to be legally recognized and enjoy the benefits provided specifically for religious organizations, must comply with certain government rules and regulations. If they do it is given certain privileges and is exempt from requirements that nonreligious organizations must comply with. Some of these exemptions and privileges are as follows:

Tax exemption from having to pay certain taxes
Ability to raise funds through donations because the church organization is granted special status to receive funds from donors and in turn donors are allowed to write off the donation as a taxable gift or donation which helps decrease the donors tax burden
Special exemption from application of laws that apply to non-religious organizations
The organization (corporation) provides some protection and shields the church organism from claims of lawsuits and other harmful actions. This is called limitation of liability. It protects the members (believers) of the organization as well because the organization is regarded as an "artificial being" that stands between the organism and whomever attempts to bring harm to the "church."

There Is No Conflict Between the Church Organism and Church Organization

God’s Word reconciles the church organism with the church organization. They coexist to create the building of God’s kingdom on earth and for the preparation of the Kingdom to come.

God, in his infinite wisdom, knew there would be a time when the church as an organism would need to coexist with the rules of man and yet not have its mission compromised or hindered. Remember Christ’s declaration: The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18.

God set up the coexistence of the church organism and the church organization through His Word. There are scriptures that exhort Christians to follow the law and the government under which they are subject to.

We do well when we follow God’s instruction to submit to the law and government that He has allowed to be installed and allows to exist. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. "Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer." Thus, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience...... Romans 13:3-7.

Jesus’ enemies tried to trap him by asking whether it was right for the Jews to pay tribute to Caesar. He took a Roman coin used to pay the tribute and asked whose picture was on it: the answer was “Caesar’s.” Jesus’ reply implied that in using Roman coins, the Jews accepted the rule of the Romans.

Under those circumstances, the Roman government had the right to tax them. The exception being a rule that required the Jews to not perform their religious duties. Mark 12:17. Jesus’ more general point was “Give to worldly authorities the things that belong to them. Give to God what belongs to God.”

This illustrates the church organization (a corporation) is part of the church organism. It is the secular operative arm of the church and allows it to maneuver through its activities with the ruling authorities.

God’s Word further states: “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17.

Our Country's Constitution mandates that there be a separation of church and state. The church organism operates separate and apart from government interference and control. This allows It to exercise and promote Christ’s great commission. This too supports the fact that the church exists as an organism as well as an organization.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when the question is asked whether the church is an organism or organization, the facts support the position that the church is an organism and an organization coexisting to obey Jesus Christ’s command and commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It must be like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden and to be the salt of the earth.

This coexistence is consistent with the Word of God as outlined in this article. There is only one exception to the coexistence relationship. That is whenever the organization part of the church runs afoul of the Word of God, God’s Word always overrules.

This is a mandate in God’s Word: “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29. Governments may make laws or attempt to enforce laws that are in direct conflict with God’s law. In such instances, God’s laws are always supreme. We must follow God’s law instead of man’s law, when man's law is inconsistent with God’s commandments.

We may be subject to negative consequences that man may impose upon us if we refuse to disobey God law. That is when our faith must be steadfast and strong. We must trust that God will take care of us. Even in the face of danger that might appear from the wrath of man and his organizational structure. God is faithful and will rescue those who follow him in faith and keep His Word.

He is true to His Word. He even places His Word above His name. Psalms 138:2. He will work it out for good for those who trust and follow Him.

Let me know your thoughts about this concept of the church as an organism and an organization. Your comments are important.

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