stirred

Let us think hard about how to stir one another up to love and good deeds. Let's make sure we continue to meet together and encourage one another, even though some have stopped doing so. Let's redouble our efforts at this as the Day of the Lord draws near.--Hebrews 10:24-25 (paraphrased)

What is the purpose of the gathered church? Certainly, communal worship is a significant part. We join together to raise our voice in prayer and praise to our King. It is also a place where we commune together around the Lord's table, reminded of our bonds to one another and to Christ, established and maintained by the blood of Jesus.

The author of Hebrews shows us another purpose: to stir one another up. Gathered saints are community in action, a place where we learn love and other-centeredness. We are encouraged to give thought to how to provoke and challenge each another to love and serve one another more deeply. It seems to me that we wouldn't have to think too hard about how to love those who seemingly never fail us. (In truth, the only ones who will never fail us are Christ and those with whom we never get beneath the surface). So we have to wrestle with how to do this in true community. We have to consider how to love those who are at times unlovable. We have to think about how to serve, with other-centeredness, the most self-centered among us. In truth, our sin-nature is defined by self-centeredness, so this describes us all at times, yet because Christ is in us, we are capable of true love and service.

Yet absent community,we will not be able to plumb the depths of Christ's love reflected in relationship. God's plan for His people is not isolation nor abandonment, but true community, not made up of perfect people, but led by a perfect Christ.

Ministers equip the saints for ministry

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.-Ephesians 4:11-12

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about these two verses in Ephesians.  Paul tells the Ephesian church that God gave the people who teach the word--apostles, prophets, teachers, etc.--to do what? Equip the saints for ministry.  Two things stand out immediately.  First, we must get rid of the mindset that says that ministers, pastors, teachers are the ones doing ministry.  Paul clearly implies here that it is the saints who are doing ministry, not just those public teachers.  Who are the saints?  The people in the church.  In other words, anyone who is called a believer is to be involved in the work of ministry.  The New Testament knows of no passive church attendance.  You are not there to be entertained; you are there to be equipped. 

The second thing that stands out is that saints are equipped by teachers.  Paul assumes here that there are no lone-gun Christians.  In the same way that the New Testament knows nothing of passive church attenders, it also knows of no Christians who are not connected with a church.  There is no evidence of "its just me and Jesus" Christians.  The bottom line is that Christians are to be connected with a body of believers.  You cannot do it alone.  You must be fed by a teacher who can equip you for the work of ministry.

So, if you are not currently in a church, get to a church. If you are in a church, but you are just a pew warmer, get moving!  Saint, you are called to ministry.  

Thinking of leaving your church?

Tim Challies shares these thoughts from Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

Here is some wisdom from Mark Dever, drawn from What Is a Healthy Church?. He offers up six considerations for before you decide to leave a church and four to apply if you decide that you must leave.

Before You Decide to Leave

1. Pray.
2. Let your current pastor know about your thinking before you move to another church or make your decision to relocate to another city. Ask for his counsel.
3. Weigh your motives. Is your desire to leave because of sinful, personal conflict or disappointment? If it’s because of doctrinal reasons, are these doctrinal issues significant?
4. Do everything within your power to reconcile any broken relationships.
5. Be sure to consider all the “evidences of grace” you’ve seen in the church’s life—places where God’s work is evident. If you cannot see any evidences of God’s grace, you might want to examine your own heart once more (Matt. 7:3-5).
6. Be humble. Recognize you don’t have all the facts and assess people and circumstances charitably (give them the benefit of the doubt).

If You Go

1. Don’t divide the body.
2. Take the utmost care not to sow discontent even among your closest friends. Remember, you don’t want anything to hinder their growth in grace in this church. Deny any desire to gossip (sometimes referred to as “venting” or “saying how you feel”).
3. Pray for and bless the congregation and its leadership. Look for ways of doing this practically.
4. If there has been hurt, then forgive—even as you have been forgiven.

Church shopping is weakening Christianity

Carl Trueman writes of the negative effect upon Christianity by the automobile, of all things. He draws this point out from a statement made in the National Review that church shopping is weakening Christianity.  I think he is certainly on to something.  Rather than living and serving in community together, when people are offended or facing church discipline, they can just drive on down the road to a church that suits their liking.  He writes, "And if they drive far enough, they always find such a place.  Trust me.  They always do.  There is always some place that either does not know them or simply does not care what they have done." Unfortunately, that does not seem to represent biblical Christianity.  I would commend the whole article to you. 

Which kills more--muggers or disease?

Carl Trueman, with his classic British sense and straightforward Christian sensibility writes a brief, albeit important essay on the church. Importantly, he asks what does the most damage to the church, vocal atheists like Richard Dawkins or irreverence within.  Though Trueman makes no clear conclusion, I know what his would be, and I agree with him. 

Read it here.  Also, if you have gone so far as to read his essay, click through to the two links he provides to add context.