Bravely Onward!

It is much easier just to go to church. You can slip in and out as you please, few people know your name, and it only costs you a little gasoline and time. For a small investment of your resources, you can have a short-lived uplifting experience that might help you feel like a better person. Small cost, small reward.  However, it's much more to belong to a church family. Belonging means to be committed to a community of Christ-followers. It is a covenantal relationship between yourself, other believers, and the Lord. In this relationship, there are great blessings to receive. It is very rewarding to learn and love with a church family. Yet, as with all healthy relationships, membership requires that we give greatly to the church family. With great reward comes great cost.  For several weeks we've discussed what we must give to our church family for membership to be meaningful and rewarding. It takes our time and presence. It takes our energy and service. Now let's realize t...

This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This anniversary reminds us of many things- like where we were when the first plane struck the north tower and the emotions we felt as our country was attacked. As our nation remembers, I hope we experience healing and keep motivated to keep our nation safe. However, I also hope that remembering 9/11 will remind us about our mission as a church.  Our mission is to lead people to become whole-hearted followers of Jesus Christ. This means that we work to give people around the world the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel and we teach them to live for Jesus. The Bible teaches that the gospel is the only way to remove sin and evil from the hearts of people. When we witness atrocities like 9/11, the OKC bombing, and the Columbine High School shooting, we see the evil of humanity at its worst. It can steal, kill, and destroy in terrifying ways. These events confront us with the uncomfortable fact that the h...

In light of this being Labor Day weekend, think about this story: Grandpa Smith hosts his grandsons, Willy and Frankie, for a Labor Day cookout. He makes an incredible meal including burgers, hot dogs, and eight different sides. Everyone enjoys the meal and eats until they can eat no more. At the end of the meal, everyone is excused. Willy asks if he can help Grandpa clear the table, put the leftovers away, and do the dishes. Frankie decides he is just going to play cornhole instead of helping. Which grandson acted like a better family member?   If you said Willy, then you deserve an extra piece of apple pie. Willy saw what needed to be done and helped out. Frankie received a lot, but he didn't give anything back. Most of us have learned that being a good family member means helping with what needs to be done, even if it's something we do not like doing.  Jesus taught us that this is the meaning of service. In John 13, Jesus got on His knees and washed His disciples' filthy...

When I was only 13 years-old, I damaged my knee in a sledding accident and I had to have surgery to repair it. I don't remember much about that day in the hospital, but I do remember learning that my youth pastor came to the hospital during the surgery to see how I was doing and to sit with my parents. I remember thinking, "Wow! He must really care about me because he came to the hospital to see me!" A phone call or get-well card would have been nice, but his willingness to take the time to come to the hospital in person made me feel very special and loved. Being present is of central importance in relationships. It's how we show people that they matter to us. Think of the reasons why you go to your friend's party for her one-year-old. You go in order to show your friend that she is important to you. You show up because you know that you are important to your friend. It's the relationship that gets you there (although the birthday cake might have had something...

What does it mean to belong to a church? What is the difference between being a church member and just going to church. The difference is a matter of commitment and community.    Last week we saw this difference expressed in the example of the early church. When we look at the picture painted in Acts 2, we see believers who are spiritually transformed people and who give themselves to Christ and to one another. The result was a church family that 1) pursued the scriptures, 2) sacrificed greatly in order to care for one another, and 3) saw God add to their numbers daily. These people did not just go to church, rather they gathered as a community of believers, loved one another deeply, and fulfilled commitments to one another.  What kind of commitments? First and foremost, we know that they were committed to a common faith. As a community of believers, they shared the belief that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord (Acts 2:36). We know they held together the conviction that peo...

Church Family, There are many people who go to church , but there are far fewer who belong to a church . The difference is a matter of community and commitment.  People who just go to church  do so because they are trying to do a good thing. They want to live a good life and so they figure that church should be a part of it. However, the problem for them is that there are a lot of good things to do, but not a lot of time. So, they attend church only once or twice a month...or year. They fall away because those other good things compete for their time and interest. They are drawn away. Later, these same people may try going to church again. Maybe they fell away because the church they attended was not interesting enough. Maybe it just wasn't helpful enough as they are trying to become better people. So, they try going to a different church with a more attractive building, music like what they hear on the radio, bigger and better activities for the kids, positive and encouragin...