Life in the meeting
Almost three weeks ago, Jeff from “Until All Have Heard” published a blog post called “More Than a Meeting“. The post is very good, but one line in particular continues to bounce around in my brain. Why? Because in just a few words Jeff has managed to capture what I have been trying to say in this blog. Here’s the line:
To have life within the meeting, you must have life outside the meeting.
That’s it. It is very simple, yet very profound. If you catch what Jeff is talking about, you’ll understand why my interest in the meeting of the church has led me to study many other aspects of living as a follower of Christ, including discipleship, community, unity, fellowship, elders, etc.
You can replace the two instances of the word “life” in Jeff’s statement with many aspects of the Christian’s life and it would still be true and life-changing. Try these terms: teaching, fellowship, discipleship, relationship, faith, worship, leadership, servanthood… There are so many.
The church meeting is not everything. Instead, the life of the church within the meeting is a reflection of the life (or lack of life) of the church outside the meeting. I’ll end with Jeff’s statement one more time:
To have life within the meeting, you must have life outside the meeting.
Absolutely fabulous to find such a succinct statement with so much meaning. Thanks for sharing that. I had not heard of his blog. I will be visiting.
Alan,
I can’t tell you how much this statement resonates in my spirit. Most of the churches that my wife and I have attended have had this thing about life being found inside the church walls. Church people really need to get a clue concerning what Jesus was really talking about when He said that He came to give us life and to give it more abundantly.
This statement is so right on. Life only occurs in the meeting when you have experienced life outside of the meeting. Because church is not a building or a meeting. The church is us.
Alan,
I appreciate your comments on a great statement! Both are very discerning, precise and, to the point!
Which causes me to think that the broad path and wide gate, through which most enter, is the reason LIFE eludes them, both inside and outside. (Matt.7:14)
We need to ask questions such as: “Why do people think that attendance at religious observance within a meeting is evidence that they have LIFE according to Matt.7:14?”
According to Jesus in John 10:10, He came that those who entered through Him might have LIFE, living that LIFE in an unlimited sense,experiencing all of the highest and best which is the possession of true children of God in Jesus Christ.
Thanks for the comments everyone. Like I said, I’m still thinking about the implications of Jeff’s statement.
-Alan