The Model Church

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, the genitives ‚"of faith," "of love," and "of hope" are characterized by the generating principles of "work," "love," and "steadfastness," which set their mark upon each of the genitives. Therefore, work is produced by faith; and is characteristic of faith. Labor is prompted by love; and is characteristic of love. Steadfastness is marked by hope; and is characteristic of hope. Verses 3-4 contain the great triad of Christian graces that are evident of the model church.

A successful church before God must possess three virtues: faith, love, and hope. Churches today rarely measure success in terms of these virtues. Perhaps one reason is that the virtues are difficult to measure. Another reason may be that these virtues are the sovereign work of God, and none in the church can receive recognition for their existence.

These three virtues are the environment by (out of) which authentic quantitative and qualitative growth and ministry emerge. Certainly there is a kind of growth and ministry that can emerge as the result of human ability and effort, and this can cause a church to be self-satisfied as the leaders and congregation outwardly credit its growth and ministry to God but inwardly are prideful of their own achievements. Nevertheless, God does not credit its perceived success, because it is not His work. Growth and ministry that is the result of human ability and effort will breed pride, and pride will in turn breed all manner of internal problems and ultimate failure.

If the managerial models of Pepsi increased sales from 2 Pepsis to 5 million, and this same model was superimposed upon the church, and it caused growth from a handful of people to tens of thousands, is it safer to conclude that God grew Pepsi's business or that managerial techniques grew these so-called churches? Modern church growth methods, which are often touted as possible revival, often function on their own abilities and efforts, and consequently they are not churches by God's definition.