Tag: church

A Place or A People?

By Janelle Pollard

“I’m going to church today.”

“Would you like to visit my church?”

“VBS meeting tonight at church!”

These are a few examples of the kinds of things many Christians (myself included) often say or have said when referring to the place that we worship. Well-meaning, and probably due to habit or for the sake of convenience, we can often be heard descibing “church” as the building in which we meet each week to fellowship with other Christians and worship God. But what is the accurate description of the church, according to the Bible?

The topic of “church” is mentioned throughout the New Testament. In Ephesians 5:25-26, the apostle Paul, inspired by God, writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,”

So does this mean the church is a place or a people? If we were to replace the word “church” with “building” or “place of meeting,” would it make sense? Let’s find out..

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the building and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.”

It wouldn’t make sense. So, why does this matter anyway? It matters because Jesus died on the cross and paid for the church with his own blood (Ephesians 5:25, “..as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her…” When we obey the gospel, we are added to the church, not by our own doing, but by God’s, which we read about in Acts 2 where Peter was preaching at Pentecost:.

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

When we become a Christian through faith and obedience, we are added by God to the one and only church.

Romans 12:5, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Choosing to be a part of this family, the church, is the best decision you could make, and one that you will never regret. If you aren’t sure yet about this decision, but would like more information about the church, please reach out and we would love to answer any questions you might have!

The Heart of Stone

Perhaps the choices you made over the past year were hard on your heart.

By Kathy Pollard

I know what a stony heart feels like, don’t you?

  • It’s when I am indifferent to the needs of others.
  • It’s when I am disengaged in worship week after week.
  • It’s when I’ve been involved in sin and my conscience is no longer pricked.
  • It’s when I withhold forgiveness.
  • It’s when I no longer hunger for the Word.
  • It’s when I stop thinking souls.
  • It’s when Calvary doesn’t move me.
  • It’s when my heart has become divided instead of devoted.

It is an unhappy thing when you know your heart has hardened in any of these areas but you lack the desire or discipline to do anything about it.  Perhaps the choices you made over the past year were hard on your heart.  Perhaps you can tell you’ve drifted away from God, or you’ve allowed your connection to your church family to grow cold.  When that happens, it’s easy to become disheartened, discouraged with yourself, or indifferent in your spiritual walk.  Have you ever looked in the mirror and asked, “What’s the matter with me?  How did I get here?”

Listen to what God said to His people.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

God gave this beautiful promise to people who had misrepresented His holy name.  They weren’t acting like people who belonged to Him.  Those who saw them acknowledged their hypocrisy.  In modern terms they said, “They call themselves ‘Christians’ but they don’t act like it” (v. 20).  Yet God still wanted their heart.  He wanted to redeem them and give them His Spirit (v. 27).

This encourages me.  There are times when my heart problem is obvious to others.  But there are times when only I am aware of the hardening while I continue to go through the motions.  Either way, I can know that God still desires to cleanse me and save me (v. 29, 33).  God is willing to act on my behalf for my good (notice all the “I will” statements He makes in v. 23-38).  This may not be pleasant at first.  It may be in the form of exposed sin or an unhappy trial.  But I can see how necessary it is to shake me out of my complacency.  It reminds me of the song, “Break my heart, dear Lord.”  I am thankful for the opportunities God gives me to soften my heart again.

 

Revive Me #21- Long for Fellowship

Revive Me, Week 21– A Year of Growing Stronger in the Lord

Long for Fellowship

I have rolled my eyes at the idea of another potluck.  I’ve whispered “amen” to posts or comments about the fact that fellowship is not about eating a meal together.  Well, I’ve decided that I’ve been guilty of a bad attitude.

If I’m honest, I must get to the bottom of my lack of enthusiasm.  Is it the meal itself?  No.  Is it the effort it would take on my part to prepare a dish?  No.  So that leaves only two other reasons.  Either I don’t relish the idea of spending more time with my Christian family or I don’t want to cram another event into my already busy schedule.  Spelling it out like that doesn’t make me sound too good, does it?  What could be more important than spending time with God’s people?  What does it say about the spiritual condition of my heart when I lose the desire to do so?

God’s people are the best of people!  I never regret spending time with them.

What does God think about Christian fellowship?

  • The early Christians were devoted to it- Acts 2:42
  • He lists it as a blessing of walking in the Light- 1 John 1:7

There are commands we can only fulfill with time and togetherness:

  • We meet together to encourage each other- Heb. 10:25
  • We are to bear each other’s burdens- Gal. 6:2
  • We are to have the same mind and the same love- Phil. 2:2
  • We are to comfort one another- 2 Cor. 13:11
  • We are to confess our sins to one another and pray for each other- James 5:16
  • We are to look to the interests of others- Phil. 2:4
  • We are to do good to each other- Gal. 6:10
  • We are to love one another- 1 John 4:7
  • We are to exhort one another- Heb. 3:13

Only so many of those can be accomplished through social media.  Paul desired to see Christians so he could be encouraged by their faith (Rom. 1:11,12).

Busyness.  Introvertedness.  Isolation.  These may be the types of things that lead to a lack of desire for togetherness.  Or maybe the withdrawal comes from hurt feelings.  Maybe someone said something thoughtless or let you down.  Whatever the cause, let us remember that fellowship was special to the church of the New Testament.  Let us remember that fellowship is about more than getting, it’s about giving.  We encourage, love, serve, exhort.  We hug and laugh together.  We light each other’s fire to save souls.  We let others glimpse our faith.

The first century Christians were united and turned the world upside-down (Acts 17:6).  Certainly that is the desire of every Christian today.

Suggestions for the Week:

1.  Look up the “one another” passages and list what Christians are to do together.

2.  If your desire to fellowship is waning, try to determine the cause.  Have you been hurt?  Are you so busy that you are burned out?  Have worldly pursuits distracted you?  Pray about it.

3.  Make sure the same people aren’t having to schedule fellowship activities.  Help brainstorm and create opportunities to be together.

4.  Pay attention to those who are missing fellowship activities.  Reach out to them and encourage them to join you.

5.  Be intentional in your fellowship.  While you’re with Christians, focus on giving, loving, encouraging, and listening.

Read it.  Memorize it.  Live it.

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Revive Me, Week 13- Be a Greeter

Revive Me, Week 13– A Year of Growing Stronger in the Lord

Be a Greeter

When you think of your home congregation, what are some words you would use to describe it?

active, warm, loving, sincere, giving, evangelistic

OR

cold, dead, apathetic, stuck in a rut, cliquish

 

Part of how your home congregation can be described is directly related to your role in that same congregation.  If you are consistently warm and friendly, the congregation is warm and friendly because you help make up the church.  If you keep to yourself or just go through the motions, the congregation does, too, because you help make up the church!

You definitely have an effect on the Lord’s church.  How the church is seen in your community depends on what you do or don’t do every time you meet with the saints.  God can use your efforts to grow His kingdom!

One easy way to make sure you’re doing your part to make the church warm and loving is to be a greeter.  Smile and speak to all who come.  Have you ever visited a congregation and left shaking your head because no one spoke to you?  That should never be said of the Lord’s church!

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you” (Rom. 16:16).

“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matt. 5:47).

“Greet” appears 59 times in the New Testament.  It means “to welcome” and also means “to respect; to be happy about; to embrace.”  What an impact we could make if we greeted EVERYONE who comes into the assemblies in that way, visitors and members alike!

“The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God.”  –Unknown

Suggestions for the Week:

  1.  If you have a church directory, go through it and see if there some names you’re not as familiar with.  Jot them down and make a point to have a real conversation with them the next time you see them.
  2. Don’t spend all of your “fellowshipping time” with your familiar friends.  Step out of your comfort zone and use that time instead to grow in your relationships with others.  Look for those who might be overlooked or neglected.
  3.  Spend time in the foyer before and after worship looking for visitors.  Greet them warmly.
  4.  If you struggle with remembering names, don’t hesitate to ask again, write it down, or do whatever it takes to help you.  Calling someone by name the next time you see them makes them feel special.
  5.  Encourage your children to be greeters.  Ask them to go up and talk to three others before they run off to play with their friends.  You can assign different ones each week (senior citizens; teachers; elders; teens, people they don’t know, etc.).
  6. Make a point to speak kindly (sincerely so) to those who are prickly.  You might even surprise them with a hug.  Who knows?  You may be the one who softens them up!
  7. Create a culture of warmth by asking a different person each week to join you in greeting others.

 

 

 

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