What is Church?
What Church looks like to me is a place I can go, listen to some cool music, hear a guy talk about God and have my personal time with God. What is wrong with that?
The thing that is wrong with that is that is not biblical. We seem to strive so much for big numbers, flashy lights and sound systems and a big building. None of that is biblical though. What we see in the bible is that Church is meant to be a place to gather and love one another and be in fellowship with one another. The numbers do not matter, the sound system doesn't matter and the building doesn't matter.
Where did this idea come from? To me this comes from western society, the American(Canadian) dream. As I stated in my previous post its the search for more money, items and worldly possessions. The Church seems to be just like that. It looks like it is striving to obtain all these "things" to make it look better, and to make people more comfortable and to attract more people. But again, none of this is biblical. You can not build a church on these things. What we need to be doing is building the church on GOD. In all things we should be doing in a church the first thing should be to serve God most high. He does not ask of us to have big TV's or a cool looking stage or any of that. The needs of the Church should be God's needs. I am not seeing this happen. I am seeing a Church basing itself on looks rather then God. In my opinion this will only last so long until failure. God is watching an he knows we are not building a Church on Him. Dont get me wrong, I am guilty of this as well. As the youth coordinator I want nothing more then to have lots of students show up, I want the youth room to look cool and attractive, I want a cool looking website and I want people to come to me. Again none of that is biblical, sure it might work, but once I get all these youth at my door step what do I do next? I fail because I have not based my life and my ministry on Gods word and Gods needs. I have slowly started to learn that what I should be doing is praising God for the youth He has given me and really pour into them. This is what we all need to do.
I remember being a kid and spending my weekends at my dads building giant awesome castles with cardboard boxes and just being so happy. We are taught in the bible to live as Children. It didn't matter what toys I had or how dirty I got or what other thought. I was happy in my box. This is what I believe we need to be doing more. We need to be worrying less about the appearance of the Church and more about the heart of the church. We need to be worrying less about what "toys" we have in the Church and more about how to reach and serves others. We need the Bible and we need God. It doesn't matter if we are meeting in a dumpster or a street corner. It doesn't matter if we have the cool lights or the big numbers. The thing that should be attractive to us is a group of believers that fully loves and cares for one another, loves Christ and strives to serve the One who brought us there. And through that those believers would equip and build each other up to spread the good news. That is what I see biblically.
John 13:34-35 -"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Matthew 28:16 - Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Comfort
Welcome to this thing called a blog. I am brand new to this thing so dont be mean.
I am not really sure what I am going to be posting on here, so I thought I would start by sharing something that has really effected me today.
I have been checking out a Pastor from southern Cali the past couple days. His name is Francis Chan and I encourage you all to check him out and listen to what he has to say.
He mentions a verse in one of his vlogs that is just so challenging to me and my entire lifestyle. The verse is Proverbs 30:7-9;
"Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
So many people in this world, me included, grew up being taught to always strive for wealth, happiness, safety and comfort. I think back to my life and can now see all the times throughout life where this idea of obtaining all these "things" will make you happy and life will be great has been pushed on me. Unfortunately the bible tells of a different life to live. One of suffering and pain and giving up possessions and living on just what we need and nothing more. The verse above opens our eyes to the kind of thoughts that are so opposite to what we as a society want to believe.
The problem is this verse is so in line with God.
"give me neither poverty nor riches". Who prays this? How many times during a time of prayer with family or your church do you hear people ask God "Hey Lord, I made a lot of money at work this week and all my bills are paid so I gave the rest of it away. Maybe next pay you could give me less because I dont want anymore. Thanks"
I can honestly say I have never heard this prayer but I honestly wish I would pray this prayer. I have known a few people that once they started earning enough money they get comfortable in life and think that they have met all there goals and that they actually earned this money. When in reality none of us have earned anything we have. The truth is, once we obtain everything we WANT we start denying everything we NEED. Once we loose everything we have we start comminting crimes to life and loose touch with God. If we just rely on our daily bread this verse tells us that we will not forget our God.
The awesome part about all this is we know from the scriptures that no matter what ups and downs come to us. If we fully rely on a life devoted to God and nothing more, he will guide us through.
Your servant in Christ, Geoff.
I am not really sure what I am going to be posting on here, so I thought I would start by sharing something that has really effected me today.
I have been checking out a Pastor from southern Cali the past couple days. His name is Francis Chan and I encourage you all to check him out and listen to what he has to say.
He mentions a verse in one of his vlogs that is just so challenging to me and my entire lifestyle. The verse is Proverbs 30:7-9;
"Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
So many people in this world, me included, grew up being taught to always strive for wealth, happiness, safety and comfort. I think back to my life and can now see all the times throughout life where this idea of obtaining all these "things" will make you happy and life will be great has been pushed on me. Unfortunately the bible tells of a different life to live. One of suffering and pain and giving up possessions and living on just what we need and nothing more. The verse above opens our eyes to the kind of thoughts that are so opposite to what we as a society want to believe.
The problem is this verse is so in line with God.
"give me neither poverty nor riches". Who prays this? How many times during a time of prayer with family or your church do you hear people ask God "Hey Lord, I made a lot of money at work this week and all my bills are paid so I gave the rest of it away. Maybe next pay you could give me less because I dont want anymore. Thanks"
I can honestly say I have never heard this prayer but I honestly wish I would pray this prayer. I have known a few people that once they started earning enough money they get comfortable in life and think that they have met all there goals and that they actually earned this money. When in reality none of us have earned anything we have. The truth is, once we obtain everything we WANT we start denying everything we NEED. Once we loose everything we have we start comminting crimes to life and loose touch with God. If we just rely on our daily bread this verse tells us that we will not forget our God.
The awesome part about all this is we know from the scriptures that no matter what ups and downs come to us. If we fully rely on a life devoted to God and nothing more, he will guide us through.
My prayer this day is that we all strive for a constant state of faith in the Lord. I pray that I dont just become satisfies with my faith. I want to learn to lean on Christ and give all things to him and continue to grow and strengthen my faith in Him. I want to be able to give things away, I want to be able to live life without all the earthly 'things' that I cannot take with me and that dont mean a single thing to the Lord all mighty.
Your servant in Christ, Geoff.
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