Understanding the Obedient Church

Introduction: What Kind of Church Are We?

The fundamental question for any congregation is: What kind of church are we? While churches might categorize themselves by denomination, worship style, or social emphasis, the most critical distinction from a biblical perspective is whether a church is obedient to its Head, Jesus Christ. Jesus declared He would build His church upon Himself and those who share His nature (Matthew 16:18). This implies a church characterized by obedience to His commands and purposes. This resource explores the characteristics of an obedient church, contrasting it with forms of disobedience, and examining key areas where obedience must be lived out.

I. The Foundation: Obedience to God

• Obedience Defined: Obedience is more than agreement; it's actively following the commands and will of God, submitting to the authority of Jesus Christ. (Luke 4:4, 4:8, 4:10-12). It reflects the core relationship described in Luke 10:27: loving God completely and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

• Obedience as a Characteristic of God's People: Throughout scripture, obedience is presented as a defining trait of those who belong to God. Abraham, the father of faith, modeled obedience (though imperfectly), and Israel was called to be a blessing through obedience (Genesis 12:1-3). Disobedience contradicted their core mission.

• Partial Obedience is Disobedience: Incomplete obedience is not acceptable to God. King Saul learned this difficult lesson when he performed religious rituals but failed to fully obey God's specific instructions. Samuel's rebuke highlights that God desires obedience above sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Prioritizing human preferences (the will of the people) or religious performance over God's clear commands constitutes disobedience.

II. The Core Mission: The Great Commission and Discipleship

• The Central Command: Jesus' final command to His followers, the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), was to "make disciples." This should not be the last or least priority of the church, but its central, driving purpose.

• Jesus' Authority: This command comes from Jesus, who possesses all authority through His Lordship and His redemptive work – He purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28).

• The Process of Discipleship (The Four M's): An obedient church is actively engaged in:

  • Making: Intentionally bringing people into a relationship with Christ, calling them to follow Him (Mark 1:17). This involves sacrifice and dedication to God's Word, reaching beyond familiar circles.

  • Marking: Disciples should visibly impact their surroundings, demonstrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Like a scent left behind, their presence should signify positive change through Christ.

  • Maturing: Spiritual growth takes time and intentional effort. Disciples need to be nurtured in the Word, growing in understanding and application, developing the spiritual maturity to discern and follow God's will, even through trials (Hebrews 5:12-14). Rushing this process or placing people in positions based on convenience rather than spiritual readiness hinders the church.

  • Multiplying: Healthy discipleship leads to reproduction. Obedient disciples naturally share their faith and help make new disciples. This is different from merely adding numbers through superficial means ("fans"); true multiplication involves deep transformation and commitment passed on to others.

III. Recognizing Disobedience in the Church

• "Sounds of Disobedience": Disobedience can be masked by outward activity. Churches might prioritize:

  • Rituals and performances over heartfelt obedience (like Saul).

  • Focusing on self-serving worship rather than God.

  • Allowing human desires or perceived needs to override God's clear will.

  • Valuing money and resources more than God's Word and will.

• Negligent Disobedience: This is failing to prioritize what God prioritizes. It's "majoring in the minors" – focusing on secondary activities (buildings, programs, social events, even the gift shop) while neglecting the primary purpose of making disciples. A church sick with misplaced priorities cannot effectively reach a sick world.

• In Name But Not In Purpose: A church can bear the name "Christian" but fail to function according to its God-given purpose: being the body of Christ, with Him as the head (Colossians 1:18-20). When the body's actions are inconsistent with the Head's direction, dysfunction results.

IV. Obedience in Action: Key Areas of Church Life

• Missions: The goal of missions must extend beyond outreach to intentionally making disciples. A mission effort without discipleship is incomplete obedience. This often involves conflict with the world, requiring perseverance (John 17:18). We must stay the course despite opposition, trusting God's plan.

• Evangelism: Obedient evangelism focuses on multiplication (making disciples) rather than mere addition (gaining converts without deep commitment). It avoids "easy believism," recognizing that true faith involves submission to Christ's Lordship and a willingness to deny self (Luke 9:23). Evangelism is most effective within the process of discipleship – disciples make disciples.

• Christian Education: The purpose of Christian education (preaching, teaching) is to mature disciples into the image of Christ (Romans 12:2; Galatians 4:19). It involves conveying the mind of Christ so believers can live and share the truth. Teachers and preachers are disciple-makers, equipping others to live faithfully and train others also (2 Timothy 2:2).

• Christian Leadership: Leaders must be spiritually mature disciples who model Christ-like character and actively reproduce that character in others. Leadership is about investing deeply in people's lives to shape them for Christ, seeing discipleship as the ministry, not just a ministry. Concerns about placing leaders based on convenience (e.g., gender, availability) rather than calling and maturity reflect a departure from obedient leadership.

• Worship: True worship is God-focused (vertical), conducted "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). It should be an authentic encounter with God, led by those who have spent time with Him. Worship that is merely performance, emotionalism, or human-focused (horizontal) is negligent disobedience if it doesn't lead to transformed lives and disciple-making action. Authentic worship rejuvenates believers for their mission and results in offering ourselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1).

• Social Justice: Obedience includes a divine concern for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed (Amos 5:21-24). Ignoring injustice and human suffering is disobedience. However, this concern must be rooted in the Gospel, remembering the ultimate importance of a person's relationship with Christ (Matthew 16:26).

Conclusion: The Call to Obedience

An obedient church is one fundamentally submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord and Head. Its primary focus is fulfilling His Great Commission through the intentional making, marking, maturing, and multiplying of disciples. This obedience should permeate every aspect of the church's life – its mission, evangelism, education, leadership, worship, and concern for justice. While challenges exist, the call remains clear: to be a church characterized by faithful obedience to the Word and will of God.

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. How does our church currently prioritize the Great Commission (making disciples)?

2. In what areas might our church be practicing "negligent disobedience" by focusing on secondary things?

3. How can our worship be more intentionally focused on encountering God and equipping us for disciple-making?

4. What steps can we take to ensure our leadership development focuses on spiritual maturity and reproducing disciples?

5. How does the concept of "partial obedience is disobedience" challenge our personal lives and our church's activities?

6. How can we better integrate the call to social justice with the primary mission of making disciples?