What's Right with the Church?

A few weeks ago, I asked several friends of Heritage Christian University to respond to the question: "What is right with the church?" Adam Faughn, the preacher for the Lebanon Road church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee, provides the answer this week. Adam keeps a regular blog; you would do well to visit often. – Justin Imel

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What is Right with the Church

Written by Adam Faughn

We live in an era when there are many attacks on the Church of our Lord. Many seem to find pleasure in listing every mistake made by congregations or individuals. While there is a place for pointing out mistakes and shortcomings, we can get so caught up in that side of things that we fail to remember just how glorious and beautiful the Lord's Church is.

Think with me of just a few of the things that are right with the Church.

• The Church has the Right Builder, Purchaser and Foundation: Jesus Christ. Jesus stated that He would build His Church (Matt. 16:18). He loves the Church enough that He was willing to purchase it, even with His own precious blood (Acts 20:28). He also stands as the Chief Cornerstone of the Church (Eph, 2:20). Other organizations are built upon sinful, frail men. The Church is built upon and bought by the perfect Son of God.


• The Church has the Right Creed. God loves us enough that He has given "to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3). We have the book from the Lord, which contains "the faith, once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 7). Other groups must vote, or wait for a board of men to decide what they will believe. Are you not grateful that we have a creed that does not change, because God does not change? If we wish to please Him, we should be grateful that He has told us exactly how to do just that.


• The Church has the Right People. Yes, we are all sinful (cf. Romans 3:23). Yes, we will fail each other at times. I am convinced, however, that the people of God are the finest people in the world. Everywhere it is my privilege to travel, it is a joy to see people who love God and who desire to shine His love to their community and to the entire world. These are people who have found Christ, the Foundation; who have read and obeyed the Bible, the "Creed;" and who now live, trying to help others to do the same.


• The Church has the Right Hope. One of my favorite songs is "The Christian's Welcome Home" (written by Mary Kidder). It reminds us that, though we struggle in this life, Christians are on the same journey to the great reward of heaven. That is our hope. Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica not to "grieve as others do, who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). We will shed tears in this life, but we have hope, and it is the right hope: the hope of heaven.

Surely, there is more we could add to this list, but may these things remind you that there is so much that is right with the Church of our Lord. May we seek to share those "right things" with a world gone ever so wrong.