Church Gifts

   What makes a church good? It is always the people. Church, “ἐκκλησία” (ekklesia) is defined as people who have been called out from the world, followers of God. John the Apostle says these people have been ransomed by God “from every tribe and language and people and nation, and … have been made a kingdom and priests by our God.” (Rev 5:9-10)
   Priests do not sit in pews. They do not hide in their communities. They make their faith known through acts of service.
   The Bible teaches God gives spiritual gifts for serving to every member of His church, (ἐκκλησία). These are for serving, do you know your Spiritual Gift?
   The Bible contains several lists of the gifts of Spiritual Service, but the best place to start on this topic is observation. Who are the people who make the most difference in your life? What is the “special thing” they do that makes that difference? That is their Spiritual Gift. Spiritual Gifts come naturally, sometimes without our even knowing they exist. But when we do know they exist and the nature of our Spiritual Gift, it is powerful! It is a blessing to others … and a blessing to ourselves because we are acting in the center of God’s will.
   As you observe believers with Spiritual Gifts, don’t just look for the obvious. Everyone knows the Pastor and the Minister of Music have Spiritual Gifts, and serve. Look for the Ushers, Greeters, the Sound people, and those who decorate the church. Who teachers your Sunday School class? Does your class have others who share their Spiritual Gifts? Those who keep records, organize parties, invite outsiders, visit the sick, bring refreshments, make the coffee? These are Spiritual Gifts, What is your’s? Are you supposed to fill a gap. You probably know it is there, because your Spiritual Gift makes you see what task is not being done?
   In your observation of Spiritual Gifts look in other places also. Who serves the children in your church? Who does the …. You know what this task is … make sure you thank them for serving. And make sure you serve yourself. God does not create pew warmers.

Do you know your Church?

   The church, the “ἐκκλησία,” God’s people, are to meet together regularly. The common idea is that we meet together to hear sermons or to lift our voices in praise to God, and neither of these is wrong. But often we miss out on the importance of “meeting together” in order to “encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:23-25) This means people “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
   The purpose of the church is accomplished as people relate to each other and talk together. The personal relationships that God desires within the body called the Church do not occur by sitting in large groups and listening to music or sermons. Friendships are not created when people rush into a sanctuary at the last minute before the service begins (or shortly afterwards because they are late), and leave before the last “amen” (or shortly afterwards). The community aspect of the church is built when people “hang around” and talk to one another. Strong churches are created through multiple conversations that occur between members of the church.
   Through conversations we discover what others believe. But even more important, we discover what people need. The Bible describes the ideal church as one where, “all the believers were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32-37) Christians in God’s Church listen to one another and caringly provide out of their strength for those in need Members know the needs because they listen. There is no one unimportant, but each person is included as part of the conversation.
   The Apostle John wrote, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18) James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:15-17) How do we know the needs of our brothers or sisters if we do not talk together.
   The culture created in many churches is to be a place where people stop in to a) receive a teaching through the sermon; b) be lifted emotionally and given strength through the music; c) receive a bit of God through the partaking of bread and wine. But this is not the meaning of “Church” or “Synagogue.” The purpose of our meeting together is to become like family. We are to assist and meet needs on Sunday and through the week.
   On a personal note: I have seen the church in action as friends and members come to care for my aged mother-in-law. We employ some as care-takers who surpass the services often provided through agencies because we know them and they know us. I watch a family member who lives across the country suffer because he has chosen to separate himself from the church. There is not a community to call on in his time of need and failing health.

Church: Why do people attend?

   On any given Sunday (except Easter and Christmas season) approximately 72 million people attend church services in the United States. The reasons people go to church according to the polls uncover something interesting about most attenders. Religion to most people in our country is very passive. Attendees see the church as a place of recharging batteries rather than sharing a life-changing message with others.
   Pew Research outlines the various reasons people attend church: 1) To become closer to God; 2) For Children to learn about the faith; 3) To become a better person; 4) For comfort in times of sorrow; 5) To hear Sermons; 6) To be part of a community of faith; 7) Continue family religious traditions; 8) Feel an obligation to go; 9) To meet people.
   Why do you go to church? Is it for personal improvement, family education, because of family tradition (or obligation), to meet friends (or make business connections), or to serve God within a community of faith?
   When you go to church, do you attend worship services only? Do you participate in a small group? In what ways do you serve God through your church? Do you invite others? (Many churches are failing because members do not share their faith and joy with others).
   The Bible teaches we should: 1) build a daily relationship with God through daily prayer and daily Bible reading. (Psalm 19; 119:147; 143:8; Isa 50:4). We do this at home, and share the things we have learned at church. 2) As Parents we are responsible for teaching our children to love the Lord our God at home (Dt 6:4-9). Our children learn to love the Lord and desire to go to church. 3) We become a better people by living the things we put into our lives daily (Dt. 4:29; 10:12; 13:3). The church is a community of people (ἐκκλησία) who live their faith in very public ways.
   Why should people attend church? The author of the book of Hebrews writes, “since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Why Church

Have you ever examined why you attend church?
On a piece of paper (write it down), write briefly why you attend church.
What do you enjoy? What do you not enjoy?
How does going to church help you? When does attendance harm you?
On a scale of 1-5: Rate the music, rate the prayers, rate the liturgy, rate the message.
On a scale of 1-5: Rate your small group, rate your teacher, rate the quality of friendships.
What kind of spiritual or emotional care do you receive from your church?
How often do you pray for friends at church? How often do they pray for you?
How often do you eat a meal with others who attend your church?
If you were in need, could you depend on friends at church to help you?
What is something you learned from church in the last two weeks?
How often do you think of something from church during the rest of the week?
How often do you invite others to your church? Why?
What is your place of service at the church? How is this fulfilling?
How did you come to serve in each position at church?
What is your spiritual gift?
How often do you pray during the week? How often do you read your Bible?
Why is the world better because of your church?
Why are you better because of your church?
How is the world better because you attend church?

Defining “Church”

   I recently looked up the definition of the word ‘church.”
   Dictionary.com, Macmillian and Merriam Webster said, “a building used for public Christian worship.” The Cambridge Dictionary added, “a Christian religious organization.” The Free Dictionary added, “Ecclesiastical power as distinguished from the secular”. The Urban Dictionary said, “expression to show approval of a situation.” Vocabulary.com said, “A church is where you go for a public religious service. On Easter, some people go to church to pray.”
   The New Testament translates the Greek word “ἐκκλησία” (ekklesia) as ‘Church.’ This word, derived from the compound “ἐκ” (A primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative) and “καλέω” (to call or be called by name) means “an assembly of the people convened at the public place.” Similarly, the Greek word for Synagogue, derived from the compounding of σύν (a primary preposition denoting union) and ἄγω (to lead by laying hold of, and this way to bring to the point of destination) means “to gather together, assemble, collect, gather, or meet.”
   The “church” is not a building at all. It is people who gather together in a public place for a specific purpose.
   The apostle Peter wrote the church is “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9). He is quoting from Exodus 19:6, where God calls Israel, “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Moses also wrote, “you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” (Deut 7:6)
   During the months of August & September 2019, I will write several short blogs about the church. I will look at what it is, what it is not, and hopefully raise awareness so people of the church, or synagogue, or mosque or temple can understand there is a perception problem and better explain who they are and what they do within their local communities.

What is a Church?

   Perhaps you think “everybody knows that!” or would tell me that the answer to this question is common knowledge in the United States … but you are wrong! In recent years there are many (and that number is growing) people who have no idea what a church is or what a church stands for.
   A recent survey (2018) asked the question, “Aside from weddings and funerals, how often do you attend religious services?” 46% (almost half) answered seldom or never. About ten years a group went door to door in a small southern town and asked the question, “do you belong to a church or religious organization in this community?” An amazing 80% answered “no.” Christians who encourage each other by saying, ‘people will come to church if we just invite them,’ fool themselves. Most people who do not regularly attend religious services have no idea what happens in a church, synagogue, mosque or temple.
    And how would people know what goes on in a place they seldom attend? Think about it … do you know what goes on inside the building of another religion? Do you know what their services are like? What holy book they use? What they teach, or how they interact with the community? Do you know what they think about your religion? Do you even know how to approach them?
   During the months of August & September 2019, I will write several short blogs about the church. I will look at what it is, what it is not, and hopefully raise awareness so people of the church, or synagogue, or mosque or temple can understand there is a perception problem and better explain who they are and what they do within their local communities.