Summary of Matthew 25:14-30
This morning, when we met together with the church, no one specifically was scheduled to teach, but the whole church knew that we would be discussing Matthew 25:14-30. Several people spoke about different aspects of this passage often called “The Parable of the Talents.” While I cannot assume to know people’s motives, it seemed that everyone was interested in understanding the passage and helping others understand the Scriptures so that we could all live according to it. It was a great example of community interpretation.
This is how my friend Gary summarized the passage (paraphrasing):
Everything that God gives to us we should give back to him so that he can grow his kingdom through us… and don’t fear.
What do you think?
Tuesday Night Worship Service
Its about 9:00 pm Tuesday night, and we’re just returning home from a Tuesday night worship service with the church. I hear some of you asking, “A Tuesday night worship service?” Yes. A Tuesday night worship service.
This afternoon and this evening after work, twenty or so of us gathered together and worked together to help Jason and Mandie (two of our friends) move. (By the way, Jason has an awesome post on his blog called “Lessons from Marriage.” He’s learning, as I have learned, that marriage can become our most important discipling relationship.)
One friend told me that he had a bad attitude all day. His attitude seemed fine when we were talking. Serving others has a tendency to do that because we take our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances.
So, that was our Tuesday night worship service… helping Jason and Mandie move.
Church Life #11 – A member of the family
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
The last few weeks have been emotionally draining for me and my family. Margaret, my wife, has been sick for a couple of weeks, and is still trying to shake a lingering cough.
Then, as I wrote in my post “Has it really only been 24 hours,” a friend of ours took his life just over a week ago. (I’ll call him J.) We met him about a year ago as we spend time in “The Neighborhood.” In the last week, I’ve spent time with some of his family members and talked to others on the phone.
His aunt is a good friend of our from the Neighborhood. She asked if I would speak about J. during his funeral service. The funeral home chaplain was conducting the service, but the family wanted someone that knew J. to speak as well. I agreed.
I talked to J.’s aunt about what I wanted to say, and I spoke with the chaplain. He was happy to work me into the service, since he didn’t know J.
Everything was going fine until 10 minutes before I was planning to leave my office to drive to the funeral. The funeral home chaplain called me and said, “Something has come up. I can’t do J.’s funeral. Can you do it?”
I didn’t know the plans. I didn’t know what music the family wanted. I didn’t know if anyone else was speaking. But, of course, I agreed to do the service.
Why? Because I loved J. and I loved his family. I’m especially close to his aunt, and I wanted to do anything that I could for them.
I talked about J. and his aunt and spending time with them. I talked about their love for one another and their family. I talked about how J. trusted God in spite of the darkness and pain of his life. I reminded them about how King David struggled with the pain of life as well, but was still a man after God’s own heart.
I encouraged the family to love one another and to trust God during this time. I agreed with them that we didn’t understand why J. would choose to take his own life. But, I also told them that we can trust God in spite of our lack of understanding. I reminded them of the good news that we have in Jesus Christ.
After the service (which was short), several family members thanked me for speaking about J. They said that they could tell that I knew him, and they really appreciated what I said.
I was talking on the phone with J.’s aunt a couple of days later and she said, “Our family was talking about what you said at J.’s funeral. We really needed to hear what you said. We’ve decided that you’re now a member of the family.”
I can’t think of a better compliment. I’m praying that God allows me to spend more time with my new family, helping them (and being helped by them) trust God and follow Jesus. For me, this is part of church life.
(Some of my regular readers know that our family has been frustrated in our desires to get to know our neighbors better. It turns out that two of J.’s family members live in our neighborhood. Please pray for continued interaction with them.)
Church Life #10 – Not Just Me
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
Reading through this series and my blog, it may appear that “church life” depends on me. But, that’s not true at all. So, in this post, I want to highlight a few ways that many of our brothers and sisters share life together that my family may not be directly involved with.
When we first starting meeting together as a church, we started a few Bible studies, because that’s what churches do. While the formats and times and locations and people involved have changed from time to time, two of those Bible studies continue today. The people involved with the Bible studies decide what they are going to study and how they are going to study. One Bible study is now hosted by a family who is not a part of our church apart from the study.
One family has four young boys. A few years ago, while they were studying Scripture together, the boys were convicted about caring for widows. So, the family started spending time in a local nursing home. They invite others from the church to join them and begin forming relationships with the residents.
Three of our brothers recently started playing soccer in an adult league. While they’re playing, two of the wives get together. Recently, one of the single guys (thanks Jon!) volunteered to keep their children so they could watch the soccer match.
I couldn’t begin to count the number of times that someone has made dinner for someone else due to sickness. This is not something that’s planned or announced, although someone will occasionally send out a notice to let people know that they are organizing meals for someone who is going to need them for a long time (like for a new mother).
People who are part of the church are constantly having dinner together, and inviting others who are not part of the church together. Just in the last year, at least three families have hosted missionaries and have then invited others to their house to hear from and encourage those missionaries.
These may sound like small things, and they are, in one sense. These are simply examples of how our brothers and sisters have chosen to share life together. Church life happens in the small things, the everyday, ordinary things.
Church Life #9 – Money
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
The way that a person handles money says alot about their priorities. This is true for a group of people as well, including a church.
When we started meeting together several years ago, we handled money the way that most church organizations handle money. Everyone that was part of the church was asked to “give” through the church. The church created a budget that covered administrative costs, meeting locations costs, and ministry opportunities.
Over time, we found that our budget was directing our ability to serve more than the Spirit or the opportunities that God gave us was directing our service. So, a few years ago, we completely changed how we handle money.
To begin with, we still have a budget. Why? Because we have made certain corporate decisions as a group. For example, we’ve decided as a group to rent a place to meet. If we made the decision not to rent a place to meet and to forgo a few other administrative responsibilities, then I could see the possibility of having no corporate budget. But, at this time, we do have a budget.
So, since we have a budget, we still ask people to give to cover that budget. How much is that budget? Well, if you divide the budget between the people who meet together weekly, it amounts to less that $20 per person per month. That’s what we ask people to give “to the church” in order to cover corporate responsibilities.
Beyond this, we do not ask people to give money “to the church” – that is, to the church organization. However, we often ask people to give “to the church” – that is, to the people.
What do I mean? I mean that there are often needs or emergencies that come up among the believers that make up the church. The people involved have opportunities to let others know about their needs, and their brothers and sisters can then give to those needs, usually giving directly to the person or family in need.
Similarly, we often have service related needs. Again, when the church (that is, the people) are aware of those needs, they have the opportunity to give money, time, or other resources in order to help with those service needs.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we are individualistic about the way we handle money. In fact, we often work together to take care of financial needs.
A couple that is part of our church is planning to move to Africa to work in Bible translation. Last Summer, they traveled to Africa for several weeks to work with the group that’s there and to learn more about what they will be doing in the future. They told the church about their financial needs for this trip, and the church helped them. How did this help come to them? It usually came from different families giving directly to this couple, as each family was able to give. Some gave more; some gave less. But, together, we helped this couple travel to Africa.
Several of us are praying about traveling to Ethiopia next Summer to work with the churches there. None of us can afford this trip on our own. But, when the church decides to send one or more of us on this trip, then the church will again take the responsibility of providing for their needs. How? Again, by each family giving as they are able.
We’ve found that by freeing people’s money from the constraints of an organizational budget, we are actually able to provide for more immediate needs as well as for larger and more long-term needs.
All in all, handling money in this way has helped us as we attempt to live life together as the church of Jesus Christ.
Church Life #8 – Vacation
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
Last week, our family went to Florida on vacation. But, we didn’t go alone. We went with another family from the church. We spent 9 days together. We traveled together in one vehicle. We spend a night with some friends of both families on the road. We stayed in rooms that were next door to one another.
While on vacation, we did almost everything together. We traveled on shuttle buses together. We went to amusement parks together. We ate together. We were together from early in the morning until late at night.
Why? Well, for one thing, we enjoy being with one another. We enjoy doing things together. We’re family. But, there’s another reason as well. We got to know one another even better by spending so much time with one another.
This last reason is also the reason that our church often spends Sundays at the beach together, or at the park together. This is the reason that we often spend weekend camping together. This is the reason that we spend time in one another’s homes.
The “fellowship” that we read about in Scripture cannot be lived in one or two hours on Sunday. It can’t be lived on through planned or scripted meetings. In fact, we define “fellowship” as “sharing life together” – and we try, as much as possible, to share all of life together. And, that includes vacations.
This is not the only time that we’ve vacationed with other people from the church. And, we’re not the only families from the church to vacation together. These occasions of sharing life – from everyday events to big events – is very important to the life of the church. These are discipling opportunities, service opportunities, teaching opportunities, caring opportunities, comforting opportunities. These are opportunities to learn more about one another (i.e. “consider one another”) so that we can then help one another grow in our individual and mutual relationships with Christ (i.e. “to stir up love and good works”).
So, our two families had a good time together in Florida. We visited Walt Disney World. But, this time together was much more important than riding roller coasters and watching shows. This time together was another opportunity to share life… the abundant life that Jesus Christ has given each of us… church life.
Church Life #7 – Sunday
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
In this post of my Church Life series, I want to talk about the Sunday (or weekly) church meeting. There are ways to modify the traditional method of meeting in order to foster community and fellowship. These are some of the things that we’ve done, but certainly not all of the changes that could be made. Similarly, some of these changes may not be helpful in your situation.
One of the first changes that we made to the traditional method of meeting (at least the tradition that we were all accustomed to) was in the area of teaching (preaching). In Scripture, it seems that multiple people had opportunity to speak, teach, exhort, etc. when the church met. So, we wanted more than one person to have the opportunity to teach.
To begin with, we maintain a teaching schedule. Any of the men can sign up to teach a passage (we teach through books of the Bible, and we currently do not allow women to sign up to teach). This means that from week to week, different people will be speaking as the main teacher (preacher).
Each person that teaches has the option of teaching in whatever method they choose, since people both teach differently and learn differently. More and more have recognized the value of discussion and have included discussion in their teaching method.
Also, besides the main teaching (through a book of the Bible), we also leave time in our meeting for anyone to speak, exhort, give a testimony, ask for prayer, etc. So, not only is the main teacher (preacher) changing from week to week, but there are also several people speaking during each meeting. Although several people speak, they always take turns so as not to be disorderly.
We’ve also changed the way we sing together. Each week, instead of having the same person or people choose songs for everyone to sing, there is a different person from week to week. Sometimes, this person chooses a few songs. Usually, there is also opportunity for anyone to choose a song for the church to sing. Also, anyone is allowed to take part by playing an instrument if they want to.
Another change that we’ve made is in the way we arrange our chairs. (Yes, this would be difficult for those with pews.) We typically arrange our chairs in consecutive circles. (If there is a presentation – slideshow, etc. – then we set the chairs up in a horseshoe pattern.) This arrangement allows much more interaction than is possible in rows of chairs. We’ve also found that we no longer need our sound system, since people are facing one another.
Finally, we eat together almost every Sunday. Usually, this is an informal meal. People bring food (or go to fast food restaurants to pick up food) for themselves. Occasionally, a few families will get together and decide to fix food together. For example, a few weeks ago, three families decided to fix soup. They emailed everyone and invited the church to join them.
All of these changes were not made for the sake of changing. Also, the changes were not forced on the church from the elders. Instead, the changes were made as the church recognized that something was hindering their meeting together.
Church Life #6 – The Workplace
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
In this post of my Church Life series, I want to talk about the workplace, and primarily, the coworkers that God has brought into my life and the relationships that we’ve developed.
Too often, when we think about sharing life with the church, we limit that “shared life” to specific people, specific days, specific times, etc. However, anytime that God brings people into our lives we should love them as our neighbors (i.e. the parable of the Good Samaritan). This becomes especially true when those people are also brothers and sisters in Christ. Our responsibilities toward one another are not limited to people who share an organizational membership (i.e. church members).
I work in an office with three or four other people (the number changes from time to time). In the seven years that I’ve worked in this office, I’ve met some great people, and we’ve formed very close friendships. In fact, I’m still in contact with several people who have now moved to other states.
We’ve had different beliefs when it comes to the church, or end times, or salvation, etc. However, we found unity and community in Jesus Christ.
Yes, we’ve made each other angry at times. We’ve gotten on each other’s nerves. We’ve let each other down from time to time. That is, we’re human.
However, these were not relationships that we could just drop and move on to someone else. We had to work together. So, we worked through the problems, and we found our relationships becoming even stronger, not because of our agreements but in spite of our disagreements. Why? Because, we discovered that we still have fellowship with one another in Jesus Christ, if we do not hinder that fellowship by some man-made distinctive.
So, even though we were part of different church organizations, and even though we had differing beliefs in some areas of doctrine or theology, and even though there was friction occasionally, we found community together in Jesus Christ. Of course, given that we spent more time with one another than with most other believers (we worked together 40 hours per week), we found these relationships to be much stronger than others, and often more important in our developing maturity in Jesus Christ.
We talked and discussed issues together. We prayed together. We listened to one another. We helped one another (even outside the work environment). In other words, we carried out our family responsibilities toward one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, when you are thinking about Christian community and sharing life with other believers, don’t forget about relationships outside of the church organization (i.e. church members). God may bring coworkers or neighbors or fellow volunteers into your lives. Don’t neglect those people but foster your relationship with anyone that God brings into your life, especially fellow believers.
Church Life #5
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
Monday: I had lunch on Monday with Adam, Danny, and Jonathan. Jonathan had written a paper for one of his classes, and he wanted our input. Concerning his paper, we primarily offered advice about presentation and structure. But, his content led to a great conversation about who we are as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wednesday: Dave Black invited me to lecture on the topic of the church gathering in Corinth. I knew a few of the students, and I was able to meet more of them before, during, and after class. I appreciated both their questions and their encouragement. It is awesome to see people comparing the modern church to the church in Scripture!
Thursday:I had lunch Thursday with someone that I met through my blog. We’ve had lunch a few times, and he’s always been an encouragement to me. When we first had lunch together, he had a desire to live in community with his brothers and sisters. It is exciting to hear what God is doing in his life!
I haven’t said anything in this series about my Latin class. I teach a Latin class on Thursday afternoon to several homeschool students (primarily high school aged). I really enjoy interacting with the boys and girls in my class.
Friday: Our friends (the Barbours) had planned another Game Night for Friday night. We took Jeremy and Miranda and hung out for about an hour or so. But, Margaret and I didn’t stay at Game Night this time. Instead, we went out to dinner (to a great Thai restaurant) with some friends. We had a great dinner and even better conversation. These times of fellowship are so important!
After we returned to the Barbour’s house, we hung out with the teenagers for another hour or so before returning home.
Saturday: Margaret and Miranda helped the Franklin County Humane Society with their bi-weekly adopt-a-thon Saturday afternoon. Not only does volunteering with the humane society give us the opportunity to take care of homeless dogs, we also get to interact with some of the other people who volunteer. I could probably fill several posts with those stories!
Sunday: We gathered with the church again on Sunday morning. We had seen many of the people throughout the week. There is still some excitement running through our little group concerning the Black’s presentation last week. They invited us to help them serve the people of Ethiopia, and we are praying individually and as a church to determine how God wants us to help.
After singing, Mark taught from Matthew 22:23-33 – the passage where the Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with a question about the resurrection. The resurrection is so important to who we are as the church. His teaching led to a great discussion about the resurrection and also about being led by God.
I shared with the church that I had been struggling over the last few days. There was not one big issue that I could point to, but I simply shared that I was more easily frustrated and less patient and loving. I didn’t like, and I asked the church to pray for me. The church was very encouraging!
That night, we helped some friends who are out of town for the week. They have goats, and they needed someone to milk their goats. Our family and another family is going to take turns milking their goats for them, so we met together to make sure we all knew what we were doing.
After milking the goats, and before we all headed back to our homes, one of my friends stopped me and prayed for me again. What a great family!
Church Life #4 – e-fellowship
This series is about our life with the church as we attempt to live together as brothers and sisters. (For a more detailed description of this series, see my post “Church Life – A New Series.”)
In order to keep this series interesting, and not always a recitation of my interaction with other people, I will occasionally change things up. For example, in this post, I want to discuss how we use various forms of non-face-to-face communication to supplement our more personal interactions.
Now, I think it is important for me to point out that I’m talking about various forms of communication as supplements to face-to-face meetings. I do not think these forms of communication should ever replace face-to-face interaction among believers. We need that close connection that we can only get by sitting down with someone face-to-face. By the way, this also applies to larger meetings where we only see one another, but we don’t actually interact with one another. These meetings should also only be seen as supplements to our times of close, intimate fellowship.
The close, intimate fellowship that I’m talking about does not necessarily have to happen one-on-one. It could happen in a smaller group as well. But, it has to be a group where everyone is comfortable sharing their struggles and concerns and even victories with one another. Even our church meeting on Sunday morning (usually around 50 or so) is too big for this kind of interaction, although it can supplement the kind of fellowship that we need.
But, other forms of communication can be useful as an aid to fellowship. Here are some examples of how we use various forms of communication.
Telephone: This may seem obvious, but don’t forget about the telephone. When you are driving or taking public transportation from place to place, why not call someone you know is struggling to check on them. Plus, talking on the phone gives you an opportunity to plan to meet together face-to-face.
Email: We use a group email account for our church. Anyone can send an email to the group. Anyone can reply to an email to the group. Sure, sometimes its messy. But, messiness is part of life. The group email gives us an opportunity to communicate with the larger group without gathering together. We also use personal email account for communication as well. Probably the majority of my lunch or coffee meetings are planned through email.
Facebook: A large majority of our brothers and sisters use facebook. Facebook is a great way to know what is going on in someone’s life from day to day (as a supplement!). We also have a group facebook page. We can communicate with the members of that group, plan events, and send out notices. We also include photos of various meetings, outings, and service projects. The last time I checked, there were almost 500 photos on that page.
Twitter: While a few of us are on twitter, we don’t use twitter very much. But, depending on your demongraphic, this is another way to stay in touch with one another.
Blogs: Several of us have blogs. The blogs are a good way to begin conversations or continue conversations from face-to-face meetings. Often the posts on my blog are triggered by a discussion that I’ve had with someone.
Obviously, there are many other ways to supplement our face-to-face fellowship. We’ve occasionally gotten letters or cards from people as well. But, these are the primary methods that we use to communicate with one another when we’re not meeting together.
What other means have you used to communicate with one another and supplement your face-to-face fellowship?