Vision and Mission
You may have noticed that recently we have been upgrading sections of the website. It is a work in progress so there will be changes as we proceed. Hopefully all will be positive developments as we tweak existing material. With the vision and mission statements, it is not easy to capsulize important spiritual principles. Expect to see upgrades as we continue to work with the whole idea of who and what the Church of God, the Father’s Call is.
It is apparent that many in other groups cannot understand why we exist. In some minds, where they are is the true Church and we are not there, so we are not part of the true Church. No amount of “there are members of the body scattered through many organizations” covers the fact that the intent is that those scattered members should be with “us”.
The idea or concept of, “We are the true Church” still runs deep within the Church of God communities and we are not immune.
Mr. Armstrong’s view of this, very early in the modern era of the Church, is interesting: “As long as doctrine is employed as the basis for church unity, every so-called “church” will continue to suffer strife, division and separation into more divisions. And yet each denomination firmly believes that it, and it alone, is God’s one and only true Church! And they think they base their claim on solid biblical evidence, the same as you probably think about yours! So many assume that salvation hinges upon such an organization connection and whether you accept its creed!”
Although this was written with the world’s churches in mind, you and I can vouch for its fulfillment in God’s Church in our time.
A part of what we are struggling to communicate is the spiritual difference between organization and organism. We fully support the statement made many times by Herbert Armstrong that the Church is not an organization, but a spiritual organism. It is a statement that rated alongside his statements about the two trees. How many times did he say, “you just don’t get it.” And many did not.
What is the true Church?
It is a spiritual organism. It is the body of Christ. It is God’s ecclesia. A group of called out ones who submitted their lives to God, thus allowing God’s Holy Spirit to work in and through them to display the glory of God. Or, as Peter wrote it – “… they may by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). An organism represents a whole with interdependent parts. Only the presence of God’s Holy Spirit can make a group of people operate in an interdependent spiritual state.
The Church must be organized. But that organization must not have dominance over the spiritual nature.
The Church Christ started will be “… endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:3-6).
We are trying very hard to communicate this by example. Not just in word, but in deed. We are to hear and then be “doers of the word”, as the Apostle James made clear.
The true Church will be a spiritual representation of Jesus Christ. We accept that this is a noble goal and we are not there yet. But we are trying with every ounce of God’s Spirit to be worthy interdependent parts of a whole.
We will continue to work on the website and the wording of our vision and mission statements to reflect the noble goal of living and sharing the gospel message. Please pray for God to lead and guide us as we struggle to accurately represent the living head of the Church, Jesus Christ.
Brian Orchard
