One Church, Two Church, Three Church, Four

As I have driven through towns across America, one thing that stands out more than any other to me is the number of buildings that says, _________________ Church.  There are countless buildings that have one name or another that represent some kind of church.  Why so many?  Why so many different names?  Why so many different beliefs? 

 

Why is it that on Sunday, we scatter to our “own” particular choice of “Church” and when the worship gatherings are over, we meet our friends and family at a local restaurant to each lunch together?   The restaurant is the one thing that we seem to be able to agree upon.

I’ve often wondered what God thinks about us as we pull out of our driveways to go to our chosen place of worship because we have a dislike or a disagreement of all the other churches we pass along the way. 

Is it possible that Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17 is one prayer we have chosen to ignore because we are bent on having it our way?  Jesus’ prayer was meant for those in 2015, too.   Jesus prayed:  “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.  “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.  I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. “ (NLT)

Is it possible that we’ve become so comfortable with our passed down theology that we’ve never given much thought to studying what the Scriptures really says about what has been believed?  Knowing truth and handling it is vital for seekers of a better life.  The marquees on our buildings never portray what is being taught in the classrooms or in the lobbies or from the stages of our churches.  The Apostle Paul told Timothy to ensure that truth is handled correctly.  False teaching was rampant and Timothy needed to deal with it.  Paul wrote to Timothy and said in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (NIV)

If a seeker of a better life were driving through our town, where would they find it?  On the corner of where I am the minister, there are four different types of churches, styles of worship, and views of theology.  What would the seeker of a better life learn if she visited all four of us?

Have we gotten so far away from what the first believers where like in Acts 2:42-47 when the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe…All the believers were together and had everything in common…Every day they continued to meet together with glad and sincere hearts…praising God and enjoying favor of ALL the people….” (Acts 2:42-47)  For the seeker wanting to know about a better life in Christ, where would she find it?  How would she know what church to go to?  Would she become confused and frustrated?  Does our town look like Acts 2:42-47?   Do we seek to better understand Scripture the way God intended it or just accept what has been passed down from one generation to another?

We’ve also gotten the notion that if one does not like one style of church, start your own or go to another place.  In our county alone, there are over a hundred churches.   Why?  Is it that we can’t get along?  Is it that we disagree with the teachings of one particular church?  Is it that one is too big or too small?  Or, is it because we want it our own way?

Jesus prayed for unity, not division.  Jesus' desire is for us to be one, not divided.  The early believers were able to worship daily.  They didn’t go their separate ways and they didn’t say, “when your church is over, meet me at our usual restaurant?  They were together.  Strong.  Committed.  Devoted.  United. 

May we reach out to each other and rightly handle truth by resolving our differences and unite as God intended for it to be.

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Pay it Forward Through Serving!

Serving others should be a way of life and the service render must comes from the heart that is pure and honorable, not one that has hidden motives, deception or monetary gain.  The goal of service is to put the needs of others first and to ensure the person being served knows that they are loved and appreciated.  Philippians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."

Each service we do must be in the name of Jesus.  The Apostle Paul said to the Christian in Colossians 3:17  "Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus...." (The Message) The service that we render isn't stamped with our name on it, but rather, Jesus’ name.  The desire is to demonstrate a servant’s heart toward others and at the same time, do it as representatives of Jesus.   I challenge each of us to find one person who needs help doing a task.  Use this time to help this person know about Jesus or be reminded that Jesus loves them unconditionally.  When you are finished, pray with this person before you leave. 

Serving others models the life of Jesus.  Jesus said, Matthew 20:28  "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve....” Jesus' idea of service was to go the extra miles, give food to countless thousands who were hungry, to open the eyes of the blind man for the first time, to help an old crippled man walk again, to teach a lady at a well compassion, and to serve humanity by dying for our sins.  Service comes in all shapes and sizes.  However, no service goes unnoticed by God when the heart is pure.

Service with love demonstrates a godly heart.     Galatians 5:13 "...Serve one another in love."  Love is colorblind.  Love has no ethnicity.  Love has no gender.  Love has no hidden motives.  Loves serves every individual without discrimination.  Our world is filled with hate and violence.  If there is ever a time where the world needs people who will serve with no strings attached is now.

Serving others with a smile breaks down barriers and puts those being served at ease.    

The Apostle Peter said in his letter, 1 Peter 4:9-10 "Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay...use them well to serve one another." God has blessed us abundantly.  We have cars to drive, houses to live in, money to spend, vacation homes, clothes to wear, and so much more.  None of these things are ours to keep.  God has given them to us to be good stewards over.  What we do with our things determines our priority in life.

Service to God shows our allegiance to him.  Deuteronomy 6:13   "Deeply respect God, your God. Serve and worship him exclusively."  We serve God in a variety of ways.  It may be that we open a door for the person behind us or we seek first righteousness or we love our neighbors or we do to others, as we want them to do to us. God serves us every day.  He provides.  He heals.  He loves.  He creates.  He shares.  He forgives.  He redeems.  He gives.  Knowing and loving God propel our service to him. 

This week, serve others.  Make someone’s day by an act of unexpected service.  Whatever service that is done, do it with love, a smile, a godly heart and with the desire to point the person being served to Jesus. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

The Value of Women

Women have as much value as men do.  When God said in Genesis 1:27 about creating humans in his image, he was referring to genders, male and female.  Women have an incredible ability to love and nurture and to make our world a better place.  Women also have the abilities to fix cars, build a house, engineer roads or bridges, and drive a semi-truck and a plethora of other things. 

For many years, women were expected to be barefoot and pregnant.  Their place was in the kitchen; laundry room and ensuring the kids were dressed and well behaved.  Women’s role from the beginning was not to be a servant to the husband or any man; rather she was designed to be a partner who co-exists in life.

There is constant bickering over the role of women is society, in the home and even in the church.  I cannot imagine God having a conversation with his son, Jesus and saying, “Son, let’s a make woman inferior.  Let’s not give them dignity or abilities or value.  Let’s tell them to know their place and never speak up or stand up for themselves.  Their role in life is to serve men only.” 

It is disturbing how women have had to fight for fair wages, the right to vote and to be heard in our society.  It is even more disturbing that women have had to suffer even in the body of Christ.  Galatians 3:28 declares, “In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ.”   

Women have value.  Abilities.  Intelligence.  Common sense.  Never treat them like a second-class citizen.  See their potential.  Throughout bible history, women have had a vital role in serving and helping God and Jesus.  The following women are inspiring and have helped change the course of our relationship with God.     

Hannah (Promise-Keeper) 1 Samuel 1&2 Hannah is one of the most inspiring stories.  Hannah wanted to have a child, but was unable to due to medical reasons.  Hannah also wanted to fulfill her husband by giving him a child.  The only resource Hannah had was God.  She set out to pray for a child.  Night and day she prayed.  She prayed that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to God’s work all the days of his life.  Hannah wasn’t intending to have a trade-off with God; rather, she wanted a son who would make a difference in society.  God heard her promise and gave her the child.  Hannah kept her promise and Samuel went on to become on of the greatest leaders of his day. 

Phoebe (Servant) Romans 16:1-2 Phoebe was a servant among servants.  She served in the church with humility and urgency.  Paul counted her among the servants of the church who the other church members needed to support her.  Women do all kinds of ministry in the family of God every day.  God has equipped each woman with gifts and abilities that will enhance the kingdom of God in a mighty way. 

Mary (Mother of Jesus) Matthew 1 Mary was chosen by God to bring Jesus into the world through natural birth.  For a young teen girl, can you imagine the responsibility placed on her?  She did it without missing a beat.  She was true to raising Jesus up in a home that exhibited all the qualities of a Jewish home. 

When God made woman, he made a partnership for man.  Women are valuable in all areas of life and their service in the church family greatly enhances the effectiveness of ministry.  Thankfully, men are seeing women’s strengths in leadership, abilities in creativity and service in kingdom works

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian