The church, the “Body of Christ”, as we know it today is in disarray. 

Theologically, most of the so-called Christian church today is apathetic, bewildered or dangerously in error.  Most, if not all, are captives of shallow and superficial fads.  Morally, most of those in these “churches” live lives that are impossible to differentiate from that of the world.  They often have a lot of people who only want to be entertained, a lot of money that is wasted on things other than those things of God, and a lot of activities that keep the people busy, but not in the things of God.  Most have, at best, degenerated into nothing more than social clubs. 

So, the question needs to be asked:  “What has gone wrong?”  At the heart of this mess is a simple problem:  these "churches" have lost their love for, and their confidence in, the Word of God.  For most, bringing your Bible to church is no longer even important.  Those that do bring their Bibles and declare the authority of Scripture, listen to sermons supposedly based on Bible verses, and may still have “Bible-study” classes, but it is all, at best, disingenuous – not much of the Bible is actually read in the service or study.  Sermons or studies usually don’t examine the Word of God to determine what is important to God and what He wants for His people.    The Bible is treated as just simply some collection of poetic tidbits of inspiration, as pop psychology, and as a source of self-help advice.  These churches where God’s Word is ignored are in the worst peril.  Churches that depart from the Word of God will soon find that the God of the Word has left them.  I often say that the greatest mission field for the true church today is the professing church itself.  There are far too many who believe that they are saved who are not.  Jesus speaks directly to these in Matthew 7:21-23. 

This is a sad situation, but the Word of God has a solution.  Paul, in Colossians 3:16 says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  Those who truly know the Lord need the Word to dwell in us richly so we will know the truths that God says are important for us, and that we may know His purposes and priorities.  We must be less concerned about “felt-needs”, and more concerned about the real needs of those who are lost sinners in need of a Savior.

Paul gives us three principles in Colossians that we should follow. 

• First, he calls us to be educated by the Word of God, which will lead us to wisdom by teaching and admonishing one another.  Paul is teaching here that Word of God must be taught and applied to our lives.  The church must encourage and aid in this teaching in order for the body to grow in the Word.  This isn’t just information that is to be taught.  We must be growing in the will and the knowledge of God.  Knowing the will of God will make us wise, and in that wisdom we will be renewed in His image (Romans 12:1-2).    Paul tells us, in Colossians 3:10, to “put on “the new man” that has been renewed by the Word o God.  The wisdom that we gain here will help us to reorder our priorities and purposes from that which is worldly to that which is heavenly. 

• Secondly, Paul calls on us to express the Word through our singing.  He reminds us that singing is an invaluable method of placing the Word of God in our minds and in our hearts.  The importance of singing makes the content of our songs vital to the process.  If we sing the Word of God itself, we will make ourselves rich by hiding the Word in our hearts.  Singing shallow, repetitive songs that have no Scriptural basis will not allow us to hide much of the things of God in our hearts. 

• Thirdly, Paul calls us thankfulness in everything.  When God’s Word dwells in us richly, we will be led by lives of thankfulness and gratitude. 

We need the Word of God more than ever today.  This is how many churches, and the body they encompass, can escape being a mess and then become the radiant body of Christ that He has intended it to be.