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Verse:His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. —Ephesians 3:10, NIV
As you consider the condition of your local church, what analogy would best portray it? For example, Paul compared the church to the human body with all its various organs and members (1 Corinthians 12:12–31).
Others refer to it as a spiritual hospital with many sick patients. A friend once told me that his local church was like the popular 7-Eleven convenience store —members participate only on the seventh day at 11:00 A.M.
At a time when Christianity had lost much of its original identity, John Calvin (1509–1564) inspired and supervised the reformation of the ecclesiastical, educational, and political structures of Geneva, Switzerland.
What Luther was to the German-speaking reformation, Calvin was to its French-speaking counterpart. Calvin died on May 27, 1564, in Geneva, but he left an impressive legacy of efficient church organization for Christianity.
One of Calvin’s most insightful analogies was his comparison of the church to an orchestra. In his commentary on Psalm 135:13, 14, he said, “The whole world is a theatre for the display of the divine goodness, wisdom, justice, and power, but the Church is the orchestra, as it were —the most conspicuous part of it; and the nearer the approaches are that God makes to us, the more intimate and condescending the communication of his benefits, the more attentively are we called to consider them.” This statement should lead us to meaningful reflection. Let us imagine for a moment that your church is indeed an orchestra. So, how well tuned are the instruments? Are all members of the orchestra playing the same work in the same key? Furthermore, how impressed would the audience be with the music that is being performed? According to Mark Dever, “The Church is the gospel made visible.”51 So, what kind of gospel does your church make visible? Your local congregation is God’s orchestra for the community in which it is located.
Perhaps you should consider some practical strategies to improve it so it can perform the best music in the most beautiful way possible.
Remember, God deserves nothing less than our best.