There must also be an explicit, visible communion of the saints.
Schaeffer writes,
What should the church consciously be then? The church consciously should be that which encourages its members in the true Christian life, in true spirituality . . . . It should encourage them in freedom in the present life from the bonds of sin, and in freedom in the present life from the results of the bonds of sin. It should encourage substantial healing in their separation from themselves and a substantial healing in their separation from their fellowman, especially fellow Christians (149). Ture Spirituality
The church should teach a practice of the existence of God, “and a practice of the reality of and the exhibition of God’s character of holiness and love. The church cannot merely teach these things in words; we must see the practice of these things in the church as a corporate body.
The purpose of the church is to be a living example of the living Jesus Christ in the world today. The roll the church plays in the world is to be the example of the reality of Jesus Christ in our lives.
The role of the spiritual leaders, pastors of the local church is to see Christ glorified.
Here is what John Piper said back in 1995 on Spiritual leadership:
- I define spiritual leadership as knowing where God wants people to be and taking the initiative to use God's methods to get them there in reliance on God's power. The answer to where God wants people to be is in a spiritual condition and in a lifestyle that display his glory and honor his name. Therefore, the goal of spiritual leadership is that people come to know God and to glorify him in all that they do. Spiritual leadership is aimed not so much at directing people as it is at changing people. If we would be the kind of leaders we ought to be, we must make it our aim to develop persons rather than dictate plans. You can get people to do what you want, but if they don't change in their heart you have not led them spiritually. You have not taken them to where God wants them to be.
