The Church and the Kingdom: Are they the Same Thing?
The church and the kingdom are not the same thing though a lot of people and even some church traditions think so! But the relationship of the church to the kingdom of God is critically important. Australian theologian Charles Ringma says the church is a sign, sacrament and servant of the kingdom. It is important to unpack this trilogy of meanings. Why? One of the problems of the church today, by and large, is that it is concerned to “bring in the church” rather than to “bring in the kingdom.” We have seen how the kingdom of God is God’s active rule in the world and the flourishing God brings to people. But how does the church bring in the kingdom? Partly by signalling that something really good is going on.
The Church as Sign
When road planners try to put a highway through a hill they usually do not run the road up and down over the hill but rather cut through it so the road can remain fairly level. But in doing so they reveal all the layered strata of both sides of the cut: bedrock, gravel, sand and topsoil. What we see as we drive through such a cut is the outcropping. But the outcropping is a sign that there is a lot more, though not immediately visible. So the church points to the reality, now somewhat invisible, that God is at work in the world bringing human flourishing and renewal. But there is more.
The Church as Sacrament
The most common definition of a sacrament is attributed to Augustine, and is summed up in the Book of Common Prayer as an “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” [i] So the church is an effective sign outwardly and physically of an inward and spiritual grace in the world. That is, the church as people, not the building, brings grace and even spiritual help into the world. Has the church always done this? Of course not. It is a community of sinners being saved. But has the church done the world any good? Yes, remarkably century after century.
A Canadian pastor reviewed the entire history of the church in the Western world in its social and spiritual contribution to the world—starting hospitals, hostels, burying the dead during plagues, starting universities, providing relief during famines and natural disasters, just to mention a few—and concludes that we have done our best work in history as a pioneer, not merely an ambulance caring for the weak and victimized. [ii] So in multiple ways the church is a sacrament of the kingdom. It does this through its prayerful intercession for what is going on in the world, by ministering hope and offering a future worth embracing. It brings grace. In so doing it is the servant of the kingdom.
The Church as Servant
As mentioned above the church and its people serve the kingdom of God and not merely their own self-preservation or growth. Here is the distinction between bringing in the church and bringing in the kingdom. How does this happen?
Because the church is a rhythm of gathering and dispersion, it does this by serving, witnessing, doing kingdom work in the workplace, making a difference in business, education, politics, art, health care and in homes. In so doing the church is engaged in kingdom work. They also do this through witness (verbal and example) and by their whereabouts (they are salt and light in the world). So the people of the church are seeded, planted, and immersed in society, penetrating and salting it. Jesus used all those penetration images of salt, light, yeast, seeds, keys and fire in speaking of the kingdom he brought.
It is critically important that each local church assist its members to be empowered for their full-time service to God and neighbour (and the kingdom) in the workplace. Let me give you one example. If every local church were to interview and pray for an individual person for their Monday to Friday life, even once a month, the church culture could be transformed and the people would be empowered. The church serves the kingdom of God through work, through witness, through prophetically speaking into situations in society that are unjust, and through their service. One church went through a neighbourhood knocking on doors and giving people batteries to refresh their smoke alarms.
Yes, the church is sign, sacrament and servant of the kingdom of God. In so being and doing, the church’s life and work become a prayer-in-action, “Your kingdom come.”
References:
[i] C.O. Buchanan, “Sacrament,” in Sinclair B. Ferguson, and David F. Wright, eds., New Dictionary of Theology(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 606-8.
[ii] E.H. Oliver, The Social Achievements of the Christian Church(Vancouver: Regent Publishing, 1930).
