Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
The local church is Christ’s Body and Bride, called to a glorious purpose: evangelizing the lost, making disciples, and advancing Christ’s Kingdom to the ends of the earth. But when the local church loses sight of her calling, things get not only misguided but outright foolish. Like a bored housewife placing mouthwash cups over imaginary bugs, the church, when distracted, falls into fruitless and absurd pursuits—drifting away from her mission to glorify Christ by making Him known. This is no trivial problem; it’s a gross distortion of her purpose as a tangible expression of love.
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul reminds us:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
The Church was handcrafted by God, not for programs, entertainment, or to cater to personal preferences, but to walk in the good works that He has prepare in advance for us to walk in as our new way of life. These good works are clear: proclaiming the Gospel, discipling all nations, and teaching believers to obey all that Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). Yet, when the church begins to focus on secondary or even entirely unbiblical objectives, such as social justice movements, theological tribalism, or mere programs for comfort and entertainment, she abandons her high calling to chase after worthless pursuits.
Just like a bored housewife spending her time placing mouthwash cups over imaginary bugs because she lacks purpose, so too the church becomes lost and confused when she turns from Christ’s mission and begins obsessing over things that have zero eternal value. The Body & Bride of Christ, meant to advance His kingdom, becomes stuck in a pattern of self-absorbed navel-gazing when her eyes fall away from her Bridegroom.
Paul, in Ephesians 4:11-16, reveals the role Christ has given to His glorious and spotless Bride:
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and pastor-teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
The church is to be equipped for ministry, to build up one another in unity and knowledge of Christ. This is a mature, focused, Christ-centered mission. But when the focus shifts to social justice movements that often redefine love, reconciliation, humanity, identity, and even the Gospel… or to theological camps that breed division instead of unity… or to programs that entertain but don’t disciple… the local church is no longer building up the Body of Christ to honor Him as she should. Instead, she becomes stagnant, her purpose diluted, and her effectiveness crippled.
Paul warns against this kind of tragic distraction:
“…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)
When we allow subjective feelings, cultural fads, or personal preferences to guide the Church, we are no longer functioning as mature believers striving for Christ’s fullness. We become like children, easily distracted, pulled away from the mission by whatever seems urgent or novel at the moment.
The true mission of the Church is simple, yet profoundly important: to glorify Christ by proclaiming His Gospel, discipling the saints, and advancing His kingdom. When the local church shifts her focus to anything else—whether it’s social justice, entertainment, or catering to people’s feelings over the truth of Scripture—she is exposing herself as counterfeit. This distraction is not just foolish; it’s tragic. The Bride of Christ, with her glorious calling, is reduced to something mundane and hopeless, like a housewife consumed by nonsensical tasks that accomplish nothing of any value.
But there is hope! The local church can and must right the ship and return to her God-given mission. We must look again to Christ, our glorious Bridegroom, and refocus on the good works He has prepared for us to walk in as our NEW way of life! We must be a people equipped for ministry, dedicated to discipleship, and committed to proclaiming the objective truth of the Gospel, that King Jesus is the only WAY, the only TRUTH, and the only LIFE in a world that so desperately needs HIM! That’s how we fulfill our purpose, by honoring our Bridegroom, and building His kingdom to the glory of God.
Let us press forward, not as those who are bored and lost, but as Christ’s chosen, purposeful people!
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)
That’s our high calling and glorious mission! Anything less is a tragic waste.
Blessings and love,
Kevin M. Kelley
Comments