One of my favorite questions asked during the Q & A session of the candidating weekend wondered what my ideal church would look like. Here's a brief but powerful description of the kind of church I want to be a part of...
[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
Here's the power in what I see in these words: That most of the activity described was how the believers lived life together, served each other, sacrificed for each other, loved each other, and yet look at that last line of verse 47..."And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved". Wow! I know these people were sharing their faith with non-believers, I know they were serving in their community, I know they were doing evangelistic activities, but the power in those words is that the way the believers loved each other so impacted the non-believers who witnessed it, that they couldn't wait to come to know the Jesus these believers knew!
Lord, make us a church like that! Do whatever is necessary in us so that we can love God, love others, love ourselves, but also love each other in such a powerful way that it will draw people who don't know You to that Love...Your Love...You! AMEN!
In His Grip
Pastor John
1 comment:
This blog post has some insights in how not to change the world as a Christian:
http://tonymorganlive.com/2008/12/04/10-reasons-i-dont-like-most-christians/
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