If you Google “something is wrong with the church,” you’ll get millions of results in a matter of seconds.

A quick perusal of the articles reveals a familiar theme.

“5 Stupid Things the Church Needs to Quit Doing.”

“Anatomy of a Sick Church: 10 Symptoms to Watch.”

“7 Things We Get Wrong About Worship.”

“12 Reasons Millennials Are Over Church.”

And, “What’s Wrong With the Church? It’s You!”

According to many “experts,” there is a lot wrong with the church. And if you’re on Facebook, you frequently read pejorative, derogatory, and demeaning comments about the church.

Some criticisms deserve thoughtful examination. After all, churches are made up of imperfect people. But before we write off the church, criticize it, or dismiss its importance, we need to remember how God views His church.

The question that matters most is not, “What does the world think about the church?” but, “What does God say about the church?”

The Bible presents a dramatically different picture. The church is not merely a human organization or social institution that can be evaluated by cultural standards. The church is what Christ promised to build, purchased with His own blood, loved as His bride, and identified in Scripture as the Body of the saved (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13).

In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul speaks positively of the church as paramount and important in our lives.

“I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

From this text, we learn several important facts.

(1) The Church Belongs to God.

God planned it. Purposed it. And determined His eternal plan for it before the foundation of the world (Eph. 3:10-11). He sent Christ to die for it and made Him to be the head of the church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22-23).

Let’s be careful about being critical of that which belongs to the Lord.

(2) The Church Is a Family.

The church is not a building. A social organization. Or a human institution. The church is about people. Saved people. Like Paul and Timothy. Peter and John. And you and me.

“House of God” speaks to the familial relationship we enjoy in the church. God is our Father. Jesus Christ is our elder brother. And we are all brothers and sisters in the same spiritual family.

We’re a family where close relationships are developed. Where mutual love should abound. Where generosity and sharing are practiced. Where spiritual growth is encouraged. Where individual talents are developed. And where protection is offered, healing can occur.

We are a family that supports one another. Cares for one another. Forgive one another. Help one another. Accepts one another. And encourages one another.

Families are not perfect because families are made up of imperfect people. The church has problems because people have problems. But God’s solution has never been to abandon the family. His desire is to transform the hearts and lives of those within it.

(3) The Church Supports the Truth.

The expression “pillar and ground” conjures an architectural image that Timothy could relate to. The great temple of Diana at Ephesus had 127 pillars. The word “ground” suggests a bulwark or buttress that supports the building.

In a world that rejects Truth or says that truth is relative, the church should be holding forth the Truth so everyone can see it.

We uphold, support, and protect the Truth. But the church must not only proclaim the Truth; it must display the Truth. A world skeptical of Christianity needs to see the transforming power of God’s Word lived out through His people.

While some churches have failed to hold fast to the words of sound doctrine, it is the responsibility of the Lord’s church to stand for and defend the Truth of God’s Word.

(4) We Should Behave Ourselves.

I remember, as a kid, my mom saying to me when I was unruly, “Behave yourself.” I knew what that meant.

Our Heavenly Father is issuing the same exhortation to those of us in His family. Behave.

Our conduct should reflect favorably on Him whom we serve, the commands of Scripture, and our fellow brothers and sisters. The Bible teaches our conduct ought to be good, holy, honorable, respectful, and pure (Jas. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:15; 2:12; 3:2).

Let’s treat spiritual family members with kindness, consideration, and compassion. Express love. Show respect. And don’t talk disparagingly about your fellow brothers and sisters who also belong to the family of God.

The church is not perfect because its members are not perfect. But it is precious because it belongs to God.

Rather than joining the chorus of those who criticize the church, let us be the people who strengthen it, serve it, and reflect the beauty of Christ through it.

God desires that we belong to His church. Don’t dismiss what God declares as His holy family.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman