Community
In studying the church recently, I have often found that I am truly studying community, albeit a whole new sort of community.Wherever Jesus went, new communities sprung up. Communities different from any that existed or had ever existed. These were groups of people who were joined by their faith in God, their belief in His Son, and their common indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These were people bound not by class or ethnicity, but by love.
After Jesus' ascension, the care of these communities was left to men and women. They were specially gifted by God, they had the example of Christ, and they were led by the Spirit...still the awesome responsibility they shared amazes me. Imagine sharing the seed of the gospel, seeing it flower and grow, and then finding a group of Christ-followers who looked to you for constant guidance. It's no wonder that Paul had so much to say about pastoring. He needed good leaders and lots of them! Finding Timothy must have been a dream come true.
2000 years later, everyone who finds him or herself in charge of a community of believers has a duty no less overwhelming. In some ways the care of the church today is more difficult than ever. Our caretakers have the mistakes, the misinterpretations, the mistranslations, the man-made traditions, the cultural differences, and the sheer distance of two millenia to overcome. This is one reason I strive to remind people that God has no interest in us recreating the 1st century church. His desire for us is to be the 21st century church.
So the next time you see a pastor or an overseer or an elder of your church, give 'em a hug, huh?
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:58 AM
7 Comments:
Good stuff bro and I'll take the hug. God is so much bigger than some in our denomination give him credit for.
Steve, you don't know how much you do for us. Thank you. I appreciated your words on Sunday and only hope that we continue to grow and accept Christ's people.
In my class at school, we have been talking about grouping people. Race, religion, nationality, age, language, etc. As we group, we become different. We don't like different. We see different as wrong. Your Google search of Christian denominations reminds me of this. How do we bridge the gap? Can we blend groups?
I guess it comes back to, "What about Jesus"....Good Job
Shane
As a former church leader, there never were quite enough hugs! Thanks for your heart and encouragement. Flawed as we can be at times, it's still the greatest community on earth.
Good thoughts. We need to be reminded to spread appreciation around!
I like hugs.
I also need a sermon topic for sunday.
Thanks Steve for getting your notes out and on the church website. For those who missed Steve speak last Sunday and want the notes can go to:
http://www.collegecofc.com/sermons/index.htm
Steve, if you wanted a hug after your sermon...all you had to do was ask, you did not have to write this long blog about the church. :o)
Thanks, Blake. That delay in getting the notes up was my fault...not Robin's. I sent them Sunday night to an old address of hers. She followed up yesterday. She totally rocks.
Post a Comment
<< Home