A continuing journey towards more mutual edification
Eric at “A Pilgrim’s Progress“Â describes what happened on a recent Sunday evening when he asked for questions after his sermon (see his post “Do you have any questions?“). He says:
After the sermon, I simply asked, “Do you have any questions or comments?” Everyone was quiet at first. After about 15 seconds, one man made a positive comment about the passage we had just studied. After that, no one said anything. We then concluded the gathering with a song and prayer.
Why would Eric (and I) be excited by one comment? Because it is a movement toward more mutual edification.
You see, Scripture calls us to build up one another in the context of the church gathering together (1 Corinthians 14:26 and Hebrews 10:24-25 are two examples). Scripture never tells the elders that it is their responsibility to instruct people when the church gathers together, then everyone else’s responsibility at other times. These are distinctions that we’ve placed on our meetings.
So, if it our right and responsibility as followers of Jesus to exhort, edify, teach, admonish, etc. one another, then we need to give one another opportunities to do this when the church gathers.
Now, I’m not in favor of speaking just for the purpose of speaking. Simply having a discussion or a question and answer session is not necessarily a good thing nor is it necessarily a scriptural thing. Instead, we should allow one another to speak for the purpose of building up one another toward maturity in Christ.
Lionel “likes this” 8)
I am concerned about the Church. I have been going to Church on and off for years not really seeking God’s friendship untill I went through a really rough time in my marriage and realized my life was so empty. I started seeking the Lord again, but when I went back to Church this last Sunday it seemed like there was something missing. How many people are there out there like me that go to Church off and on or even all the time that aren’t seeking Jesus. I think repentance is something that we must come to everyday in order to experience God’s fullness. I just feel we need a wake up call. I am not one to judge church work but how do we get everyone wake up. I don’t know what to do but I feel that there are a lot of hurt and lost people that need to know Christs Love out there and how are they to know that Love if the body of Christ is silent?