What’s Wrong with the Church

The foundational problem of the church upon which perhaps every other problem of the church is based, is simply this:

The church frequently forgets, neglects, or abandons its highest calling.

Though many Christians would agree that they are familiar with the “Great Commandment” and the “Great Commission,” the reality is that most religious zeal and church activity is not focused upon fulfilling this commandment and commission. The church forgets, neglects, or becomes distracted from the fact that these two doctrines are at the very heart of its calling.

This calling can be summarized as follows:

The Great Commandment: 1) Love God, and 2) Love others.

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)

The Great Commission: 1) Go, 2) Preach the Gospel, and 3) Make disciples.

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

The premise of this blog is that a widespread paradigm shift, one that restores the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as the driving forces behind every action of the church, is both necessary and critical to the ongoing ability of the church to successfully serve its purpose.

Next Page: How the Church Neglects its Calling