The Church as the Primary Means of Grace

Prayer.  Scripture.  Baptism and the Eucharist.  Fellowship.

These are means of grace.

What does that mean?  Does that rustle your feathers a little?  Does it sound too Roman Catholic for you?  I assure you that there is nothing magical about this concept of the means of grace.  We do not believe in ex opere operato.  Nevertheless, God has prescribed specific acts--many of them physical--to which He has attached promises.  The Church has long known these as the means of grace.

Let's be clear about one thing--God can (and does) work however He pleases. He can work directly, miraculously, etc. when He so chooses (see the Conversion of St. Paul). However, He has ordained to use certain, concrete activities to convert and sanctify His people. As Christians, if we wish to grow in holiness and intimacy with God, we are called to utilize these spiritual gardening tools.

The primary means of grace have traditionally been identified as the reading/preaching of the Word, the Sacraments, and prayer. Some people add fellowship as a fourth, while other file that under the Sacraments. Regardless, the list is generally the same. We see these acts described throughout the Bible, Old Testament and New, as components of a Godly rule of life.

Here's the rub--these means can (and should) be utilized individually, as families, etc., but are primarily found in the community of believers, the Church. The Church, then, could be accurately described as the primary means of grace. As the environment or the arena of faith, the Church is where we regularly encounter the means of grace. Salvation is not normally found outside of the Church.

As a clarification, by Church I primarily mean not the physical institution, but the Body of Believers. The Body does have ordained authority structures, but it is a mystical entity. We are united not simply by our beliefs, a common cause, or shared interests, but by the very Spirit of God! The means of grace are designed to be utilized within the context of this Spirit-united Body.

So, you say you're a Christian? You say you want to follow Christ and grow in your faith? Go to church! The primary and most fundamental step toward spiritual growth is to commit faithfully to a local congregation that faithfully represents the catholic Church. Attending Sunday services is the bare minimum. I'm talking about building your life--your schedule, your routines, your habits--around a local body of believers.

I have recently written about why we go to church.  There I argued that the weekly church service is primarily designed for worship; it is primarily God-centered.  Here's the thing--the same acts that serve as worship to our God also serve as means of grace to us!  As is often the case in the Christian life, the answer is not either/or, but both/and!

We certainly believe we can encounter God anywhere--fishing, playing sports, etc.  We believe that all of Creation reveals our God and that He is present with us wherever we go, but God has not promised to meet you salvifically in a fishing boat or at home plate.  He has promised to meet you when you gather with His Church.  He has designed us to function and flourish in this context.  He has ordained the Church as the primary means of grace.