What is a Church?
Is it a cinema?
How about a coffee house?
Maybe it’s a entertainment venue?
Or the local community center?
Think these questions are off base? In how we see some Churches advertise we very well could think it is any of these. We see advertisements for movie nights (cinema), the latest coffee blends for sale (coffee house), a concert they are having (entertainment venue) or urging to join their community (community center).
What would Jesus think of such things? We don’t have to wonder too long as there are clear examples of the Lord reaction to similar situations.
The Jewish law stated every man should pay a tribute to the service of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:11-16). As the Jews were currently under Roman rule, it became convenient to have money changers at the temple to exchange the Roman coin with the Jewish shekel. This service was provided at the temple and the temple made more (more than the temple tax) by providing this service and hence during the many feasts, it became a very profitable business.
Not only were they exchanging money, but the law required two doves or pigeons (Leviticus 14:22; Luke 2:24) to be sacrificed. As some came from far away, it became more convenient to sell these animals at the temple to the out of towners. These merchants sold birds, cattle, sheep, and other livestock for sacrifices. This also became a very profitable business. Hence, we read:
John 2:14-17
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
This Jesus did soon after His first miracle at the wedding feast. He drove out all the merchandizers. However, they apparently did not reverence the correction from God as we find Jesus yet again cleansing out the temple after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Matthew 21:12-13
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Quoting Isaiah 56:7)
Jesus cleansed the temple twice due to the carnality which was taking place. Rather than a place where someone could meet God it was a place of covetousness (which is idolatry) and greed.
Today, sadly, we are seeing this same spirit sweep over Churches. They are more concerned with monetary profit than someone’s eternity. They plan their coffee shops and fundraisers to build their monetary wealth but are empty when it comes to prayer.
They want someone to come to their movie night, hoping that once they arrive and meet everyone they will somehow fall in love with God. They hope the latest entertainment faze which they adopted from the world will grow heaven.
However, let us remember, what a Church really is according to the Word, calling out or a called-out believer. The Church is a person(s) who is called out from this world and consecrated unto God.
Now, in the Old Testament the Jews had to go to the temple as that is where the Spirit of God resided in between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. However, in the New Testament, we find we are the temple of the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 6:19). Henceforth, we ourselves should be a house of prayer.
It is easier and more rewarding to the flesh to host a movie night than hold a prayer meeting. We would rather host a carnival because we can immediately see and count those results. We could pray for a year and never physically see results. We could wait on the Lord and press in the spirit for six months and never see an increase in our attendance.
Sadly, we have seen many groups focus more on the things of this world (entertainment, fundraising, etc.) than on prayer. Why was it the early Church was turning their world upside down (Acts 17:6) and we in the modern era of internet, vehicles, organizational structure, and social media are not even noticed? Is it because we have focused more on the carnal things of this world than praying and waiting on the Lord?
