"I'm growin up! In the Lord. Oh I'm gettin stronger, turning back no longer. I'm growin up! In the Lord! I'm growing up in the LORD!"
"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And the continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." -Acts 2:40-47 (NKJV)
"All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." -Acts 2:44-47 (TNIV)
"All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." -Acts 2:44-47 (NRSV)
And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. -Acts 2:44-47 (The Message)
No matter how it's said, I can't seem to match this description of the early church up with what it looks like today. I grew up in, attend, and work in the churches of Christ. We claim a model of following the New Testament church. So, why is it difficult for me to find how we are living out the very verses that describe what the church looked like at it's very beginning. I'm not saying we are necessarily doing it wrong. I'm not trying to criticize or attack. I simply seek to understand. I already have found some answers to the question, "Why doesn't today's church look like this?" I'm going to share those with you in my next post. But I want to hear from you. Where do you see the church today (any denomination will do) succeeding in it's quest to fullfill these verses? Where do you see the church today failing in it's quest to fullfill these verses? Or perhaps you'd like to share why it shouldn't be our quest to fullfill these verses? I'm listening, not loading my gun. I'm seeking, not judging. I'm want to understand, not oppose. Teach me.
Invictus...
14 years ago
6 comments:
People today are so goal-oriented. We often move from church to church and fish around without ever settling ourselves in and integrating into a family. We're supposed to be a family that gets together often -- not just in a worship context.
Twig, I don't know if you've heard, but Mark Henderson resigned, and three or four elders of the same church have resigned in the past few months. I don't know what the issues involved were (though I can guess an obvious one), I think it's fair to say we subtracted from the Lord's number somewhere in all of that. And subtracting from the church that the LORD adds to... well, that is definitely NOT biblical.
I'd like to introduce you someday to two wonderful young ladies that attend Bridgeway with me: Jessica and Miceala (feminine form of "Michael"). Bridgeway does small groups throughout the week in addition to regular services. Now, since these girls live next to UCO and attend school there, they've opened their home as a college ministry-oriented house church. Counting yours truly, this still-in-the-womb house church has seven members. We are a ring of friends. We are truly family.
We worship, pray, sing, and eat together. We go to ministry together -- all of us. God will certainly add to a fellowshiping house church. I have even been able to open up to religious conversations with my non-Christian boss because of this opportunity! My work ministry is transformed because of this opportunity.
What Jessica and Miceala aim for is to have their house pretty much always open. That's just... wonderful.
I am excited to see what the Lord will do in this endeavor for His name. In contrast, I spend less peaceful and confident (in man's ability) prayer time over Quail.
Just some thoughts on how your wonderful blog relates to my life.
P.S. Ephesians and Philippians are very big on emphasizing the need for harmony among God's people as a necessity for growth in the Lord. I'll spend a post or two of my own on that later. In house church, I told Jess I would love to teach, and the two books I threw out there -- Ephesians and Philippians -- happened to be just the ones she and Miceala were deciding between. They had been spending time in prayer about that very matter, and here comes a guy who yearns to teach just that. Unfortunately, I didn't narrow it down, but it was a sign, I think.
We chose Philippians.
In any case, I wish you peace, friend, and much insight in your thoughts on this. Take care!
okay twig you know how i grew up and what i believe now
first no one form of christianity has it right and thats because were humans and we are dumb on some level
secondly we are not supposed to be secperate churches but i have found people are time and goal orainted and flip out if church runs over or things are not plained for a head of time where as back than they meet in people homes and met for the whole day just not a few hours they also eat and communed with one another and didnt work and today people work and worry if church runs 15 mins over and i have seen/herd people be upset b/c someone got baptized and it wasnt in the program than you have the attuitudes such as our church is the only right way ( which we have no room to say that) and that being said one biggest things i have noticed is that no two people see God in the same way nor do they see how running the church in same way and inturputing the bible in many different ways
i hope this helps
People get stuck in rituals, and they are people, too. Despite their inflexibility, we have to bear with them. If, say, we leave church and use them as an excuse to never go to church, then we are letting Satan keep us out of church and it's our own fault -- we just look to the bad things others do as excuses. If Satan is using such people in church, then we need to be there to drown out his voice and let our light shine.
It's true, though: most people are way too goal-oriented today to focus on being God's people. Christians are just too "busy" (sometimes too busy even with ministry) to be God's people and cultivate that relationship with one another that truly can be called koinonia -- fellowship.
Having an independent, individual identity that is under our own control is just so important that we don't care compromise it. Why else do you think some people are afraid of commitment? It's the golden calf of independence.
Personally, I belong to a psychological philosophy that there is no self except in relation to others. There is no concept of the ego, superego, or id except in a web of relationships to others. This is consistent with Christianity.
And what major life decision have I unwittingly influenced?
I hope it's a good one :)
Miss ya buddy!
I think everyone would agree that we would love to read an update. :)
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