By Harold Vaughan
Years ago, I read The Disciple-Making Pastor by Bill Hull, and one insight has stayed with me ever since. Hull noted that most people view the church in one of three ways: a fortress, a field, or a force.
So which is it? How we answer this question shapes everything from our expectations of church life to our understanding of mission and obedience.
The Church as a Fortress
Some see the church primarily as a safe place for believers. Since Satan relentlessly assaults the people of God, the thinking goes, the church must become a holy huddle, a refuge from a hostile world.
Jesus did say, “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). But notice something important: gates don’t attack—armies do. The fortress mentality is almost entirely defensive. It resembles a bunker where believers retreat, wait out the storm and hope for evacuation at the rapture.
In this view, the church exists to protect Christians from the world, rather than to advance Christ’s kingdom in it.
The Church as a Field
Others view the church as a field—a place where Christians serve God through church-sanctioned programs. Ministry happens primarily inside the walls, and participation centers on maintaining the institution.
Here, attention often centers on buildings, budgets and bodies. The church exists to sustain its own activities. As a result, more effort is spent maintaining the trellis (the structure) than cultivating the vine (the disciples). This approach is common and often sincere, but limited.
The Church as a Force
Scripture defines the church as a called-out assembly of baptized believers, committed to edification, education and evangelism. The church is not a museum for saints, a social club for the comfortable, or a shelter for the fearful. Nor is it merely a field or a fortress.
The Church of the living God is meant to be a dynamic force in the earth, advancing God’s kingdom, glorifying His name and carrying out His will on earth as it is in heaven.
When the church functions as a force, it does not retreat, hide, or merely maintain. It moves, engages and overcomes. That is the church Jesus promised to build.
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If you’re a pastor or ministry leader exploring revival for your congregation, we invite you to explore the possibility of hosting a Prayer Advance 24 or a Revival Summit for your congregation!
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