Viewing entries tagged
community
The church building can be a safety blanket for Christians. It’s our home turf, but it can be an obstacle to many. Taking part in a community event helped us get to know organizers and others who care about our city. We didn’t change the world, but we showed up and were able to bless our city and be blessed by the people we met and the discussions God opened up.
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to visit one of the earliest churches? If you stopped in on a service, I think you’d likely be disappointed. In fact, I doubt you’d ever go back. By our modern standards, everything would feel a little disorganized. It might not start on time and, if the apostle Paul was the preacher, there’s no telling when it might end. The worship music would probably strike you as a little amateur. Besides that, there would be no Sunday School, no youth group, no dedicated building, no bulletins, no PowerPoint, no sound system, and no sermon outline. You’d probably return from your visit, wondering how the early church grew at all. And yet, grow it did! The reason for the disconnect is that we often evaluate churches by their programs and externals, whereas the power of the early church wasn’t as easy to advertise. To experience the impact of the early church, you’d have to hang around longer than most people today are eager to. But if you did, you’d see that the heart of the church was in their community life and the quality of relationships they built together. One of the windows into early church life comes through the “one another” commands of the New Testament. By seeing what everyday believers were called to do to one another, we get a better picture of what we’re called to be as a church.
It’s an unusual week for me when I write letters to our mayor, city councillor and member of parliament. But last week was one of those weeks. I wanted to share with them a recent study on the economic impact of churches on their communities. It’s an important issue because more and more secular people are of the mind that it’s a drain on the economy for the government to provide tax exemptions to religious institutions. The research shows that the opposite is, in fact, true. Even if you never intend to attend a church, you benefit from the economic impact that the church has in your city. Let me explain.
Culturally, it’s become more and more uncomfortable for people who follow Jesus. Christianity is called exclusive. Christians are called intolerant. Christian ethics are considered outdated. And, so, before we open our mouths to share the good news about Jesus many people have already made up their minds. Some Christians respond by retreating. We take a defensive posture toward society and assume that we should just focus on protecting ourselves and consoling one another. When we do, our faith becomes a shell of what the New Testament describes. Remember that Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The true church is on the offensive, seeking to rescue those held in darkness, and nothing can prevail against it.
I’ve heard stories about evangelistic tent meetings. And while I’m sure there were obstacles and challenges, I’m always amazed at the simplicity that seems to describe them. Hold a meeting in the biggest room you can find and with the right speaker and almost everyone would come – and many would find new life in Jesus. Times have changed. And while I’m still envious of the simplicity of former days, I’m also amazed at the new ways that the gospel is bearing fruit in our day. There are four characteristics of effective evangelism that I’ve seen recently.
I have made Biblical fellowship something of a theme over the last several months. I’m convinced that we need one another to grow. But it’s something that I need to model also. And so I’m trying to get to know other pastors and churches. This morning I attended a clergy breakfast in preparation for the upcoming Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. I was eager for the opportunity to get to know other pastors in the area and learn about the churches that make up our city.
I believe in the power of the Gospel and I’m excited to see Jesus change people’s lives in Richmond Hill as we passionately represent Him here. But it’s easy to get discouraged. I think there are more opportunities to testify to Christ to our family, co-workers and neighbours, if there’s a humble integrity to our lives and we look for the opportunities that God gives.
