Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: January 18, 2008
“OF FOOD, FUN, AND FELLOWSHIP”
Jerry C. Brewer
Many people today would describe the church as a large organization characterized by two distinct classes —
the “Youth” and everybody else — with its mission to provide “food, fun and fellowship” for the first class at
the sole expense of the latter. But Paul said there are no class distinctions in the church. We are all one in
Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
When I was a boy, we had a “young people's class” on Sunday evening at 5p.m. before our worship at 6p.m.
This was a simple Bible class in which we learned the Bible and it was attended by junior high and high
school students. Through the years, I witnessed an evolutionary process by which this simple Bible class
arrangement became a separate entity with a life of its own. In those days, the Methodists had their MYF
(Methodist Youth Fellowship) and the Baptists had their Training Union for Youth. With longing eyes, many
of our brethren viewed the fun and games these denominational organizations provided and saw their
tremendous drawing power. Consequently, many churches began structuring their “young people's class”
toward a separate entity known as a “Youth Group.” By doing this, they drove a wedge into the body of Christ
that separated young people from the rest of the church and — as they say — “the rest is history.”
One result of all this copy-cat class distinction in the church is the proliferation of “Family & Youth
Ministers” who take degrees in that discipline from so-called Christian colleges and now populate the
church in many places with absolutely no scriptural right to exist. And, like the frogs in boiling water, many
good people in the church have become so inured to having it this way that they see nothing wrong with this
division.
The “Youth Group” industry is big business today. It sells T-Shirts, “Contemporary Christian” music,
concert tickets, camping trips, outings to Six Flags amusement parks, and other gadgets and activities for
big money. It continues to be fed by people like Oklahoma Christian's Dudley Chauncey who runs
“Winterfest” and by colleges which hand out their “Youth and Family Ministry” degrees. Step back and take
an objective look at this structural arrangement in the light of the New Testament and you won't recognize
anything from any inspired writer.
Moreover, the phrase, “our Young People” as it relates to the church is not found within the Sacred
Scriptures. The church has no young people. Parents have young people. The elders are not charged with
providing social activities for my children. I'm charged with that responsibility which also includes bringing
them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). We do a tremendous disservice to youth by
giving them special status in the church. In so doing, we make them think the church is a social service
center instead of the blood-bought company of all the redeemed, and we denigrate the church for which
Jesus suffered and died. According to many of the bulletins I read each month, one would think that Christ
died to purchase a playground for people between the ages of 6 and 18 and that older members' sole
responsibility is to shovel them the money to fund all their “activities.” Thus, in their imagination, the
mission of the church is to provide “food, fun and fellowship” for the youth, at the expense of the older folks.
The Childress, Texas church even has a periodical collection for “Youth” activities that is taken at the door
following regular worship. To paraphrase J. D. Tant, many members of the church today — young and old —
wouldn't know whether Jesus Christ died for the church at Calvary or was drowned on a log ride at Six Flags.
The only scriptural youth director I ever knew was Clyde Brewer and he provided recreational funds for my
brothers and me when we could pry them out of him.
[NOTE: Even though the preceding article was written in 2002, the contents are just as applicable in 2009.]
THE ONE BODY
Marvin L. Weir
People often make amazing decisions based purely upon biased or prejudiced feelings. The Bible clearly
reveals that the church of the Lord is one body. A human body with two or more heads is abnormal. The
same would be true of a human head having two or more bodies. The human body is used in the Scriptures
as a metaphor of the church or the body of Christ.
The church of our Lord is one body. The apostle Paul says, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally
members thereof" (1 Cor. 12:27). There is only one body, but many members of the one body. Paul likewise
taught the Roman brethren, saying, "so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members
one of another" (Rom. 12:5).
In our world there are many different religious bodies all claiming Christ as the one head. Such surely is the
wistful thinking of man because such a concept cannot be found in the word of God! Christ promised to
build only His church (Matt. 16:18). He never promised to build one belonging to someone else. The church
and the body are terms that refer to the same thing (Eph. 1:22-23). There is only one body for which Christ
died (Eph. 4:4; Acts 20:28) and only one body He has promised to save (Eph. 5:23).
The act of water baptism puts one into the one body of Christ. Paul proclaims, "For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all
made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:13). The same apostle taught the Galatians, "For as many of you as
were baptized into Christ did put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27). Peter commanded those on Pentecost to "Repent ye,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins... " (Acts 2:38).
This baptism is a burial and not a sprinkling as is evidenced by studying the fourth verse of the sixth
chapter of Romans.
All people are to be members of the same body. It matters not whether one is young or old, rich or poor,
educated or uneducated -- all who obey God's word are members of the same body. To the Galatians Paul
said, "There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and
female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs
according to promise" (Gal. 3:28-29).
Each member of the one body is important. "And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or
again the head to the feet, I have no need of you" (1 Cor. 12:21). All members of the body are to work
together for the glory of God. What one member does or does not do can have an effect on the rest of the
body. It is also easy for folks to see that one leg does not travel in one direction while the other leg travels
in the opposite direction and yet they both end up at the same destination. Such is the claim of many
religious groups who contend that although they take different routes (doctrine and worship) they will all
arrive at the same destination (Heaven).
Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he
that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).
There is to be no division in the one body of the Lord. The plea of the inspired Scriptures is that members of
the body are to give "diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). Please note
that this is not some man-made, man-agreed upon unity, but rather the "unity of the Spirit."
Religious division is sinful and contrary to the will of Christ. It is not the church of man's choice but rather
the church which Christ built (Matt. 16:18) that people should give their allegiance to.
Pride will stand between many people and their obedience to the Gospel. Bias and prejudice will cause
multitudes to reject the simple truths found in God's word. How horrible it will be for those who had every
opportunity to see, yet chose to remain blind!