What is the role of the Church in these last days? This question kept coming to my mind. And not just to mine, because I’ve heard other IFA people wondering the same thing. This led me to prayerfully seek the Lord about it. The more people I spoke with, the more sure the consensus: Something has changed within the Church. Have you sensed it? There is a definite stirring within the Body of Christ, and this is the Lord’s doing. In fact, one IFA contributing writer has begun a series on the shifts in the Church today. You can read the first installment here.
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To answer the question about the role of the Church in the last days, we must first determine whether we are in what the Bible calls “the last days.” We get a glimpse into the conditions of the world prior to the Lord’s return in 1 Timothy 3:1–5; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; and Matthew 24:3–14. These passages describe times of increasing violence and hostility, of catastrophic events, of persecution of the Church, and of lawlessness. This sounds very much like what we’re seeing today. The Lord’s message to his disciples was that they ought never to hide, but instead to continue building His kingdom. After His death and resurrection, He issued the commission we know so well:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).
But before giving that commission, He gave them instruction on how to live out their faith.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13–16).
Salt was a preserving agent in ancient times. We are called to look after and conserve biblical truths and everything that God has entrusted to us. Salt was to be included in grain offerings (Leviticus 2:13). We are called to be a pure and spotless bride (see Ephesians 5:27). Jesus says salt is worthless when it has no flavor. And we should never compromise or dilute God’s message to appease the culture — or any individual, for that matter.
The Church is also to be light. As the verse says, no one lights a candle just to then hide it. We must be the light as times grow increasingly darker and more evil. In other words, the light is meant to be seen. How else can people escape the darkness, unless they see the light? This is where in times past, the Church missed the mark. We were so comfortable within the four walls of the church. We let our lights shine in a place that was already filled with light. We were not salty; instead, the Gospel message became diluted and culture-centered rather than Christ-centered. The days in which we live require our light to shine and our hearts and message to be pure.
We all know the Great Commission has not changed since the birth of the Church. It stands to this day. It involves the harvest. Let’s return to this. Let’s not focus on winning arguments with our family or on social media; instead, let’s focus on winning lost souls.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30 NKJV).
As intercessors, our first inclination will always be the call to prayer, but as believers we are also called to be salt and light and to fulfill the Great Commission.
The apostles probably thought the Lord’s return would occur within their own lifetime, and yet they never ceased to pray or to do the work of the Lord. Through persecution, imprisonment, and being hunted down, they remained steadfast and confident in the Lord. The fruit of their ministry was evident, and the conversion rate was high. If you feel that those days are long gone, I pray you receive a fresh vision. The Lord is stirring His Church, and we are seeing the Church return to the early vision. The apostles had no church building, so they met in homes — for prayer, fellowship, preaching, teaching, and caring for the poor and the widows. So, before there was a “building,” there was the Church.
Just to clarify, I am not now, nor have I ever been, “anti-church.” I belong to a wonderful local church. I am an advocate for churches and pastors. Jesus prays for His churches, and so do I. Jesus died for us to become the Church. He loves the Church and so do I. I’ve had dreams of people gathering in homes to have fellowship. We may come to a point in time in the future where that may happen. Whether we are in a building or in a home, the point of church is for the fivefold leadership to equip and mature the body of Christ to work (see Ephesians 4:11–16). They train us up to send us out, not to sit idly by and do nothing. Take the apostles: Whatever Jesus taught them is what we see them doing.
The church is also for building relationships and forming a healthy community. The disciples gathered only in homes, but they were never alone. They gathered together often to pray and study and minister to the needs around them. We need each other (see Ecclesiastes 4:9–11, Proverbs 27:17, Matthew 18:20). The book of Hebrews exhorts that in the days nearer to the Lord’s return, we should not neglect meeting together (or forsake the assembly, as it says in another rendition).
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).
So what is the Church to do in the last days?
First, we are to be the Church. Be salt and light and be the hands and feet of Jesus. For far too long, if we are honest, we have been religious. There has been a dividing wall within the Church — it’s been those inside against those on the outside. Have we forgotten that we, too, were once outside those walls at some point in our lives? Those walls are coming down. The Church is changing. Have you noticed it in your city or state yet? People are leaving the four walls not to abandon the Church, but they are realizing the great needs of people on the outside. I recently spoke with an evangelist from the Netherlands, and he said: “It’s not even about revival anymore, it’s about the harvest.” I am in full agreement with that.
In my city, several outreaches are thriving. People are getting saved and baptized in public parks. Public worship gatherings are happening almost every weekend as churches are unifying. I’ve noticed this happening in other cities and states as well. People are continuously marching and proclaiming Jesus boldly in their cities. I’ve also noticed that prayer gatherings are increasing in many states. And what is the result? We’re seeing people rise up and fight back against wicked agendas in this nation. When I see the increase of evil and the negative news reports but see a Body that’s standing for righteousness and being the hands and feet of Jesus, I’m reminded of the early Church. The Lord is calling us to return to that.
The Church looks different in America than it looks in other countries. In some countries, church services are held underground; some Christians are horribly persecuted or martyred, but the Church can’t be extinguished, no matter how hard the Enemy tries to snuff out the light. Christians continue to be the Church and to shine for Jesus. In the book of Acts, too, Christians faced great opposition and persecution, but they were never diminished; in fact, the Church grew exponentially larger. We are already seeing opposition; will we see that level of persecution? It’s a very real possibility. The Bible shows us that those who do evil will continue to do evil, and that darkness will grow darker, but we are called to let our light shine so that others may see. We are called to be a people of hope in the face of hopelessness. Without hope, how are we any different from those without Jesus Christ? (see Habbukuk 3:17–19 AMPC).
The call to prayer yet stands, but in these last days a call to action is rising.
We are called to shine in the darkness. In fact, when times grow darker, God’s glory shines brighter (see Isaiah 60:1–2). Will you answer the call to rise and shine?
Father, thank You for choosing me and saving me. I could never deserve or earn this, but I do thank You for loving me and making me a part of Your Church and of what You are doing right now. When I feel overcome by hopelessness, remind me that Christ is the hope of glory and the hope of nations. When I don’t know what to do, remind me that I have been saved for such a time as this. When darkness gets thicker, let Your glory rest on me so that I may shine Your light to those living in darkness. Give me strength and boldness to make the most of every opportunity You place before me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
What do you think the role of the end-time Church is? Share your thoughts below.
IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: Josh Eckstein on Unsplash.