In this twelfth and concluding article in his series, For Elders and Deacons, Rev. Harry C. Arnold, pastor of the First CRC of Lansing, Illinois, writes that “. . . office-bearers should realize that it is basically through their decisions that the church has manifested herself as Christ’s body at work. Thank God for your privileged position and the challenge of this responsibility!” THE OUTLOOK is deeply appreciative of Rev. Arnold’s willingness to present this excellent series for publication.

In the past year we have discussed many matters which pertain to office in the church. This has bearing on the church‘s institutional life, since Christ is pleased to rule His church through office-bearers. It is important, therefore, that the office-bearers perform their duties well for the health of the whole body of Christ.

Nevertheless, we must not lose sight of the fact that the whole church is functioning under the leadership of the offices. Therefore, in this concluding article we shall take a look at Christ’s Body at Work in different aspects of its corporate life. Our concern will be mainly with the church in its organizational manifestation.

In Congregational Life – When the church gathers on the Lord’s Day for public worship she is a manifestation of the body of Christ in the congregational setting. Now one may question whether this is really the church at work. In a sense, it is simply a manifestation of the body of Christ. Yet even in worship there is the working aspect to the church’s life. For one thing, the Word of God is preached. While the church is at worship and the Word of the gospel is being preached, the church is also at work. She is fulfilling, in part at least, Christ’s mandate to “go into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Through her minister, she is being faithful to the charge to “preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (II Tim. 4:2). For another thing, when the church through her office-bearers maintains the “pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ,” then she is the church at work as well as at worship. Besides all this, when discipline is exercised in the congregation and the congregation gives its silent assent to the actions of the consistory, then again she is the church at work as well as at worship. It is essential, therefore, that the church manifest the marks of the true church (cf. Belgic Confession, Art. 29) in order to be Christ’s body at work.

The congregation may also show herself to be Christ’s body at work through the various programs which come under the consistory’s supervision. Thus, the whole educational program of the congregation is a way of showing Christ’s body at work. And the whole of congregational evangelism may be another way of setting forth that Christ’s body is at work. And the whole of congregational evangelism may be another way of setting forth that Christ’s body is at work. Such programs which are meant to nurture the body of believers and to reach the lost for Christ are, indeed ways in which the congregation can sh0w herself to be a working church. Every member ought to follow the leadership of the consistory so that the whole congregation will prove to be Christ’s body at work!

In Denominational Life – In the Reformed tradition, each church is a complete manifestation of the body of Christ. However, we also believe that every congregation is duty bound to unite with other churches of like confession in order to give greater visible manifestation to the unity of the church. Our confessional unity as a denomination serves this purpose. This corporate union of churches also serves to manifest Christ’s body at work. The denomination via classis and synod—is able to undertake programs and accomplish certain tasks which an individual congregation can hardly do by itself. The Christian Reformed Church, for example, is able to show itself as Christ’s body at work through the classical meetings and annual meetings of synod.

In addition, the churches mutually supervise each other through church visiting. Besides, the individual members have recourse to the right of appeal if any should believe himself to have been wronged by a consistory. But, from the positive viewpoint, the various churches can manifest themselves together as Christ‘s body at work by marshalling their support of the programs of the broader assemblies. Thus, the Christian Reformed Church becomes Christ’s body at work in broadcasting the gospel by means of the Back to God Hour to various countries and in various languages of the world. Again, the Christian Reformed Church becomes Christ’s body at work in sending out missionaries at home and abroad; in ministering to the needy through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee; and in supporting Calvin College and Seminary, as well as various denominationally related educational institutions. We ought to praise God for the privilege of being members of Christ’s body at work! And office-bearers should realize that it is basically through their decisions that the church has manifested herself as Christ’s body at work. Thank God for your privileged position and the challenge of this responsibility!

In All of Life – These last remarks really relate to the church as organism, yet they cannot be divorced from the church‘s institutional life. As a Calvinistic church we believe that the gospel must be applied to every area of life. We believe that the institutional church must preach “the whole counsel of God{ (Acts 20:27) through her ministers. Out of this gospel the people of God must live. Thus, when the people of God leave the place of worship, they are enjoined to bring that gospel to bear on the various areas of life. It is in the application of the gospel by the church members in voluntary associations that such things as Christian day schools, institutions of mercy, and resl homes have come into being. Christian labor and political action, as well as the effort to permeate the whole of society through Christian action, have their rootage in the gospel preached on the Lord‘s Day. Since this is so, we may say that Christ‘s body at work’ exceeds the borders of the institutional church.

Nevertheless, it must not be forgotten that the institutional church is the instrument through which God brings His kingdom to pass. And that means that it is incumbent on every office-bearer to serve faithfully in the church of Christ so that the fruit of his labors will be the manifestation of Christ‘s body at work—both within and outside of the institutional church.

Elders and deacons, be faithful to your task so that you can pray with the apostle Paul as recorded in Ephesians 3:20 and 21:

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.”