How Important is the church?

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I wonder, if we were to ask the person in the street, “Why is the church important?” … we would get a wide range of answers. Some would laugh at the question, because for them the church has no importance. 

Others might see the church in the same category as museums:  The church preserves things from the past… They’re a nice place to visit on rainy days, where you can observe how quaintly people used to live, but they’re out of touch with our modern world.  

Others might couch their answer in political terms: They view the church as a powerful voting block to oppose the erosion of morality and to preserve the family.

Or, some might respond to our question by saying that they see the church’s importance as a social institution.  It helps meet the physical needs of the poor and the emotional needs of the lonely and distraught. It ministers to people at the pivotal times of life: birth, marriage, death … 

For many American churchgoers, the church is important because it meets many of their personal needs. They shop around for a church that makes them feel good each week…when they feel good, they is no reason to go. It is a weekly boost that enables them to cope with life.

Then, we come to a short, balding man with a beard, who looks decidedly Jewish. Somewhat hesitantly, we ask him,  “Sir, we’re asking people the question,  ‘Why is the church important?’ Would you care to comment?”

He says, “I believe the church of Jesus Christ is the most important force in the world today. Its task is more important than all the governments and universities of the world combined. There is nothing to compare with it!” We reply, “That’s a pretty strong statement, sir! Why do you say that?”

He leans forward and says,

“Because the most significant event in human history was when the living God took on human flesh and lived among us as the Lord Jesus Christ to bear our sins. And since He ascended into heaven, His church now reveals Him on earth, even as He revealed God when He was on earth.” So, The church is important because it reveals Christ, even as Christ reveals God in human flesh.”

I believe this statement with all my heart, even more today that ever before. The church is the unified assembly bearing the embodiment of Grace and Truth. You know I love ya, now go out and be Jesus to somebody! Don

Does God take the Summer off?

Brad Whitt writes the following and I like it:

The writer of Hebrews tells us not to forsake “…the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

At the beginning of my first summer as a pastor, Louise Vandergrift, the only senior adult in our tiny congregation in Tennessee brought me a little article that she had clipped out of a magazine decades before.  I never forgot the point of the article, so years later I called “Mrs. Louise” and asked her to fax it to me.  I share it today with the hope that it sticks in your heart and mind the same way that it has in mine over the past 17 years.

God Takes The Summer Off

“We are sorry to inform you that God will not be available during the summer beginning June 1st.  He feels He deserves some time off, so He has canceled His normal duties for the summer.

He has agreed to send the sun and rain occasionally when He happens to be in town, but so far as answering prayers for the needs of your family, please don’t count on Him.

God has let church leaders know that they should not plan any outreach efforts or mission trips during the summer—or at least if they do, they will have to do it without Him because He plans to be gone a lot to see relatives, baseball games and the lake.  God has expressed the opinion that we should find someone else to take His place.

Then we reminded Him of His promise, “Surely I will be with you always,” but He said He didn’t realize when He said it that it meant going two or three years without a break.  He expressed His sincere regret and hopes that it will not cause anyone any inconvenience.

God may be contacted anytime after September 1st at which time He hopes to get back into the routine.  “Please defer all requests until then,” He requested.

Aren’t you glad God doesn’t take the summer off?  As we approach summer, make it your determination to bring yourself and your family to God’s House on Sunday.  He’ll be waiting for us to worship Him.”

Thank you Brad for the reminder that Summer is a season of service to the Kingdom and a season to build each other up as a member of the greatest community in all of eternity. You know I love ya,  Don

Brad Whitt's Blog is: http://bradwhitt.com/

Where does faith take us next?

 Where do we go from here? I am not sure where God will take the church in the next decade, century or even millennium. God has been at work from the beginning and there is no sign that he is ready to stop. One thing is sure; his faithfulness is steady and his mercies are new every morning. I am confident that he will bring transformation to each and every believer who truly seeks his righteousness.

Christianity is a world religion. Christianity does not only belong to the western portion of the world. Holt states, “Christianity is by nature a global rather than a European faith." The early Jewish Christians experienced Jesus and took the message to everyone on their path. Many of those believers took the message farther and intentionally stepped out into unknown regions to announce the message to the world. The message of faith, hope, and love had transformed their lives and these transformed believers were intentional in following Jesus' command to take the message to all so that everyone might experience that transformation. 

 

The future is often a scary place to contemplate. God has provided a means for growth for believers who walk with in the Holy Spirit's guidance. Holt states it as: “Christian spirituality is a style of walking in the Holy Spirit. The Bible gives a series of normative principles, positive and negative examples of life experiences, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, on which all else depends." This truth of God's revelation grants the believer hope in the scary life. It is his faithfulness which grants power to overcome fear. It is his mercies that instill energy to spiritual development. It is his grace that empowers every believer to stand firm in the conviction of a loving God while seeking for a restored relationship with their creator.

The 2000 years of church history of men and women thirsting after God is a tribute to God's faithfulness and ability for quenching the thirst of those who seek after his righteousness. Too many believers think of spiritual formation as private and not to be shared, yet any study of Christ and his church demonstrates that believers are never intended to travel the road of faith alone. The refreshing flow that quenches the thirst for God is only found in relationship. Holt would describes the community of believers as a community with the following traits: “unity in diversity, evaluating the criteria, transmitting spiritualities, and learning form non-Christian movements.” I agree with these needs of community for the purpose of taking the message to a global audience, while avoiding pitfalls of cultural un-righteousness.

Our time is filled with the same tests that have challenged the church throughout the ages. There are new twists to the challenges such as global communication, technological advances for communication, and video capturing of events with the touch of a phone. These challenges are enhanced by the small world in which we live. The current world is already a global economy while societies are moving to a global society with the merging of cultures. The downfalls realized in this new reality is a reduced passion and dedication. These downfalls are mediocrity, personal pride, and a laziness toward living the hard work of spiritual formation. These failures are not new to the kingdom and will need a direct call for a renewed faith and dedication.

The pendulum swings in cultures to and fro in the faith. How does the church proceed to restore that which has been lost? The answer is in living a personal walk with Jesus in a public way. This action requires courage. Holt states it as, “we need much more courageous leadership in the churches to teach and practice the spiritual life.” The courage of men and women throughout the ages testifies to the truth of God and his ability to quench the thirsting of our souls. The current cultures must do the same and live like Jesus did. The believer must seek to be relevant to every culture while not compromising the Bible as foundational for all rebuke and encouragement, and for bringing people to a saving relationship with God.

The church of God is not a place for judgment. It is a place where the foundational principles for abundant living are practiced and implemented. Thus, a great need is required for the practice of spiritual disciplines and the implementation of grace. Holt states: “God's passion is love. All of this is grounded not in our worthy intentions, but in God's forgiveness, God's empowerment, God's creation. It is through these great gifts that all believers might become a great testimony of faith. The courage to stand strong is not in the removal of fear, but within the faith of certainty and assurance granted through the recognition of God's faithfulness and mercy.

We are created to have a natural thirst for God much as we are created to have a thirst for water. The thirst for water is satisfied by drinking water. The thirst for God is quenched by drinking the soothing relationship that comes through knowing him. The great members of the faith in our past are cheering us on as we seek to discover this relationship. It is good to review and hear their legacy of courage, discipline, and hope so that we might follow in their footsteps and declare the message of Jesus to go and preach the gospel to all.

You know I love ya, Don

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005). 204.

Change, Challenges, Stretching, and Hope!

This morning I learned that a ministry friend of ours is moving to a new congregation after 14 years. God is leading him to a new work and he is leaving with a strong reputation along with that is a large congregation that will have a hole, but also a fantastic legacy of worship and declaration of how much God is worth in their lives. Well done!

This got me to consider God's work and the Kingdom we all minister in. I am continually amazed at how God does not see a plurality of churches, but one church in the singular. There are times when God paints a new picture for a congregation and the minister is not in the picture. Praise the Lord, He also is painting a new picture for another group of believers with that minister in the picture with a totally new (and often renewing) abundance of life. Jesus told Peter, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her." (Don's Paraphrase) The unity we share is also proportional to the abundance we grow and stretch.

Change is the hard part of the equation. It is hard to process the abilities and education that comes with change. I have discovered that as we change, we are challenged and with challenge comes growth. I think this is much of what Paul was talking about in Romans chapter 5. Paul's words of challenge and growth guides us to a production of "Hope."

The key to this equation is to not compromise on doctrine. The only way to know if you are not compromising is to know what the Bible teaches. Thus, a believer needs to be in the word daily and sometimes more than once a day. There is also a deep need to listen to God in prayer. I have found some of the best counsel in this world is to wait and listen to God's direction. There are also times that waiting for God is the hardest challenge. God's timing is so perfect, that I often get anxious and jump ahead or not move at all.

What I like most is that Jesus truly grants his words of Matthew 11:30, "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (NKJV) It is not about us AND we are not alone in the process. WOW! That will preach.

Have a great Monday and you know we love ya,