Amenities. Surprisingly, I heard someone use that word in describing a church they had chosen to attend. I understood that the individual was referring to the different ministries the church had to offer, but I was also reminded of the big difference between a fishing boat and a cruise liner.
In His last words to His followers, Jesus commanded them to “go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). In short, He has called us all to be fishers of men. Without question, the life of a believer is fulfilling. But we miss the heart of the gospel when we make our commitments based on how much something has to offer us or whether it fits our needs.
The church is God’s chosen instrument to be the visible presence of His kingdom. Certainly, it’s appropriate for churches to reach out to the community around them through events, programs, and ideas that speak the gospel in practical, livable ways. Likewise, the church needs to be a place where individuals feel a sense of connection to others in their local body of believers.
But in all things, we must be authentic. At its core, the Christian walk is one of faith, and if we believe Hebrews 11 to be true, then there are those believers who never saw the complete fulfillment of their hopes this side of heaven (Hebrews 11:35-40). In reaching the lost or in discipling believers, we must not present Jesus as if He functions like a bank—put something in, get something out. We have the riches of heaven in our possession because He suffered for us (Hebrews 2:10; 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Peter 4:1).
Our faith in Christ must go deep enough that we too are willing to suffer for Him because we know He loved us first (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Timothy 3:12).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Psalm 139:1-24
More:
Read Acts 14:19-23 and consider what motivated Paul in his life. How does today’s church compare?
Next:
What do you see as the role of your local church in your life? What kind of investment have you made in reaching those who are lost?
alli on May 17, 2013 at 1:18 pm
In other words dont do this bc of what you will get (you may get more trouble) but bc of what He already gave. I think anything else is a false Gospel somethings are conditional and sometimes God promises over yonder not here and now
regina franklin on May 17, 2013 at 2:53 pm
And because of what He gave, we can not only survive but gain strength even in the most trying of circumstances. Thanks for sharing, Alli.
regina franklin on May 17, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Dear Joyce,
Thank you so much for your encouragement. The service of self never satisfies, but it is so easy to get distracted by the external offerings of this world and assess everything based on how well it suits us.
Blessings as you serve Him!