Journal: The Church - A Museum or a Hospital?

There's a description of the church that is growing in popularity. It says that the church is not a museum for the display of saints but a hospital for sinners.  Since the first part of this statement is true, it's tempting to accept the second part as a good description of the church.  It's even more tempting because it is also true -- but only in part.  However, when we consider what a hospital does we can see how it is a deceptive description of the church.  A hospital mends sick and injured people in order to return them to the lives that they were living before their illnesses and injuries.  This is not the desired outcome of the work that the church does in a person's life.  The point of the church is not to enable people to live as they did before "entering the hospital," but to transform them into a radically new life in Christ.

The church is neither a museum nor a hospital.  What is it?  Using the Bible's terminology, the church is a kingdom.  As a kingdom the church includes hospitals and museums, as well as schools, businesses, stores, recreational areas, and much more.  It's only when we understand what kind of kingdom the church is that we  understand the purpose of it including all these things.

The church is not only a kingdom, but it is a kingdom at war.  The militant kingdom of the church is engaged in an ongoing counterinsurgency.  It's a kingdom that has been invaded by an enemy that seeks to overthrow the King and to destroy all those who are loyal to Him.  For this reason, perhaps the best way that we can describe the church in earthly terms is to call the church an army.  Unlike any earthly army, the church is an army that is absolutely ensured to be victorious whenever we battle the enemy.  Also, the church is a unique army because, rather than destroy and kill, we bring life to the dead whenever and wherever we conquer the opposing forces.  When we see ourselves as the victorious army of Christ at war in this world we will not be content to be passive -- whether in a museum or a hospital -- but will be eager to engage and defeat the enemy to the glory of our King.