More Community Service
A couple of days ago, I published a short post called “Community Service” that linked to a post written by Andrew Hamilton’s wife describing how he had recently been given an award for his community service. I said that followers of Jesus should be known as servants in their neighborhoods and communities, but that I fell far short in this area.
A new blogging friend, Richard Hawkins from the blog “my life in bits (and bobs)“, left an excellent comment on my post, and said that he would be interested in hearing different ways of serving in a neighborhood or community.
As I said, I am not where I should be in this area, but my family is growing toward becoming servants in our community. Here are some things that we have already done, some things that are planned, and some things that are simply ideas. Some of these things simply help us get to know our neighbors and community better. Other things are directly related to service.
- We have had some of our neighbors over for dinner and to meet some of our friends who do not live in the neighborhood. We need to do this more.
- We attended a neighborhood holiday party hosted by our neighbors last summer. We met many of our neighbors at this party. We plan to attend as many of this parties as possible.
- We stayed in our neighborhood to trick-or-treat and to hand out candy at Halloween this year. Usually we go to a carnival, but we decided to stay home. I had fun walking around the neighborhood with my daughter and her friend, and my wife handed out candy. Again, this was another way to meet some of our neighbors.
- I plan to attend my first ever Homeowners Association meeting next month. I’ve lived in several neighborhoods that had Homeowners Associations, but I’ve never attended a meeting. Again, I’m hoping to get to know my neighbors and some of their concerns.
- Also, next month we are inviting some of our friends to go carolling around our neighborhood. We are baking brownies, making candy, etc. to give to our neighbors as Christmas gifts as we carol.
- We were hoping to host a backyard carnival this fall, but it did not work out. So, we are hoping that we will be able to do this in the spring.
So, these are some of the things we’ve done and some of the things that we are hoping to do in order to get to know our neighbors and to begin serving them. Perhaps you have other ideas. If so, please share with us what you’ve done to serve your neighbors, or ideas that you may have to help us serve our neighbors.
But I gave at church
This post is part of a synchroblog concerning “Money and the Church”. I recently wrote a blog series on paying a salary to elders/pastors ,which would also go along with this synchroblog (see my post “Summary – Should elders/pastors be paid a salary?” for a summary of my argument and links to the argument details). However, for this synchroblog, I decided to go in a different direction. For this post I want to think about this question: How does a church – that is a group of believers – balance the corporate and individual responsibility of being good stewards of money? Also, I want to share an idea that some in the church came up with as a way to balance corporate and individual responsibilities of stewardship.
First, stewardship is a recognition that we – as God’s people – do not actually own anything that we possess. Instead, God is the owner, and we are stewards. Thus, we are responsible for using everything that we have in a manner worthy of and pleasing to God.
Second, stewardship is primarily a personal responsibility, as are other aspects of obedience. I cannot obey God for someone else, and someone else cannot obey God on my behalf. In the same way, I cannot be a steward of something that God has given to someone else, and other people are not responsible for stewarding those things that God has given to me. Of course, if someone gives me something – money, property, time, etc. – it is then my responsibility to be a good steward of those things that have been given to me.
Finally, if a group of people agree together to certain financial commitments, then they are corporately responsible – that is, responsible together – to meet those commitments. This is where most churches find themselves. They have corporate responsibilities to pay for buildings and other capital expenses, literature, salaries, benefits, etc. These types of expenses are rarely questioned and are usually considered to be necessary for a church – that is, a group of believers. In fact, many believers are taught that giving toward these corporate commitments is the way or at least the primary way of fulfilling financial stewardship.
However, there is a danger when considering corporate commitments. All corporate commitments are not biblical responsibilities. In fact, many church organizations have attempted to take personal responsibilities away from individuals and place them under the umbrella of the organization. Thus, many church organizations now take on benevolence and hospitality and service, such that the organization feels that the individual is obedient to God when the individual gives to the church organization. The church organization becomes a service middleman, obeying God as a representative of the individual. Is this a valid function of a church? If a person gives all of her money to a church organization is she actually obeying God?
As we examine the issues of corporate and personal responsibilities, let’s recognize that Scripture rarely – if ever – deals with the corporate aspect of stewardship. We only see instances in Scripture where people pool their money or possessions together for specific purposes, such as helping those who are in need (Acts 4:34-35; 1 Cor 16:1-3; etc.) or those who are travelling away from home to spread the gospel (Phil 4:14-17). We do not see instances of churches pooling together their money for their own benefit, in order to store the money in a bank account, or in order to provide for future needs.
However, we do see several instances where individuals are given the responsibility to personally provide for the needs of others. Here are a couple of passages in particular:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17 ESV)
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18 ESV)
There are other passages which deal with giving, doing charitable deeds, showing mercy, offering hospitality, providing food and drink – all of these are the personal responsibility of each follower of Jesus Christ. No one can obey for someone else. No group or church can obey on behalf of the individual Christian.
In many churches and in the minds of many Christians, the biblical concept of “use your money to provide for the needs of those around you” has been replaced with the concept of “put all of your money in the offering plate and let us decide how best to use it”. However, we should understand that putting all of our money into an offering plate is not a biblical teaching, and neither does it remove the responsibility from the individual for taking care of the needs of people that God brings into their lives.
I think that James might deal with this concept as follows: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘I put all of my money in the offering plate. Go talk to the benevolence committee and see if you are worthy of help,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” Perhaps, John would respond to this concept as follow: “But if anyone has the world’s goods and puts it all in an offering plate without considering his brother in need, and so closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
Recently, our church struggled with the balance between the corporate responsibilities and individual responsibilities of stewardship. The church had selected a few people to discuss these ideas and suggest a budget to help us meet corporate responsibilities as well as provide individuals with the means of meeting their personal stewardship responsibilities.
The group came up with a budget that was very different from anything that I have seen before – although, perhaps others have done something similar. I don’t think any of the people came into their meetings with this budget in mind. In fact, I know there were some differences of opinion in how to handle the money and the budget. I was not part of this group, but I was excited to see these people work together to come up with this concept.
According to this new budget – which was just approved by the church – we will take care of corporate responsibilities through our corporate offering. They removed everything from the budget that should be considered a personal responsibility. Since we have very little overhead and very few corporate expenses, the budget came to under $40 per person per month. This is the extent of our budget. Everyone knows that this amount is all that they are responsible for giving toward the “corporate budget”.
However, we all also understand that this is not the extent of our stewardship. We are individually responsible for giving to people and ministries as God leads us. Some of us are involved in ministries to children, and it makes sense that God would want them to use their money in those ministries. Others are involved in ministries overseas, and again it would make sense that God would want them to use their money in those endeavors. Some are involved in evangelistic or community service projects, and again it makes sense that God would want these people to use the money that he gives them to support these endeavors.
We also know that there will be times when there are special needs that we will want to contribute to together – much like the offering for the Jerusalem church during the famine, and the offering for Paul during his travels. When we know of these needs, we will take up contributions specifically to meet these needs, much like we see the church doing in Scripture.
I’m not putting this forward as the only possible option for how the church should deal with money. I’m not even saying that this is a good example. However, this is the way that we have decided to deal with these stewardship issues. I am excited that we are recognizing that we have both corporate and individual responsibilities when it comes to stewardship, and that according to Scripture, the individual responsibilities outweigh the corporate. We are moving away from a model where people feel they are being obedient stewards by simply placing a check in an offering plate. Now, we must consider the needs of people that God brings into our lives and how he would want us to meet those needs both individually and corporately.
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The November Synchroblog is on the topic “Money and the Church”. Take the time to check out the contributions of the other bloggers who are taking part in this synchroblog:
The Check That Controls at Igneous Quill
Pushing The Camel: Why there might be more rich people in Heaven than in your local Church at Fernando’s desk
Sally Coleman at Eternal Echoes
Lord, Won’t You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz at Hello Said Jenelle
Zaque at Johnny Beloved
Walking with the Camels at Calacirian
Greed and Bitterness: Why Nobody’s Got it Right About Money and The Church at Phil Wyman’s Square No More
Wealth Amidst Powers at Theocity
Money and the Church: A Fulltime Story at The Pursuit
But I Gave at Church at The Assembling of the Church
Moving Out of Jesus Neighborhood at Be the Revolution
Money and the Church: why the big fuss? at Mike’s Musings
Coffee Hour Morality at One Hand Clapping
Bling Bling in the Holy of Holies at In Reba’s World
Magazinial Outreach at Decompressing Faith
Money’s too tight to mention at Out of the Cocoon
Bullshit at The Agent B Files
The Bourgeois Elephant in the Missional/Emergent Living Room at Headspace
When the Church Gives at Payneful Memories
Who, or What, Do You Worship at Charis Shalom
Greed at Hollow Again
Silver and Gold Have We – Oops! at Subversive Influence
Tithe Schmithe at Discombobula
Community Service…
What if followers of Jesus were so active and involved in their community – not just their church – that the community recognized their service? Hamo’s wife – posting a guest post at “Backyard Missionary” – says that this very thing has happened to her husband in a post called “The Wife’s First Post“. She says that their community recently recognized her husband for his service to the community.
Shouldn’t it be the case in each of our communities and neighborhoods that followers of Jesus – that would be us – would be considered the servants in our area? While we should not work with and for our neighbors in order to be recognized, they should see our good works, right? I have to admit that I would not be recognized for my community service.
Thankful
I couldn’t think of a better title for this post. Our family is thankful. Yes, I realize that this is Thanksgiving season, but turkeys, pilgrims, and cranberry sauce are not the source of our thankfulness. It is getting colder, especially in the mornings. When we bought our house last year, it had a gas fireplace, but we are currently out of gas. So, Monday, I was planning to call our local propane company to order a refill for our propane tank. (In case you were not a reader last winter, some friends – who are still unknown to us – paid to have a propane tank installed and filled for us. See my post called “On being honored…“) However, before I could call the propane company, they called us. It seems that some friends have once again paid for our propane gas! So, to that friend or friends, our family wants to say, “Thank you!” Thank you for honoring us, and most of all, thank you for allowing God to work through you to bless our family. You have spurred us on to love and good works…
[UPDATE: This afternoon, a friend came by my office and handed me $100, a gift from another friend. Again, I do not know who gave us this money, but we are extremely grateful, both to you and to God.]
Servantesses
This post is about four young ladies who greatly encouraged me last night with their servant leadership.
The first young lady is my ten year old daughter, Miranda. Miranda loves to take care of children – yes, I know that she is only ten years old. She can’t wait until she is a little older so that she can baby sit. A few weeks ago, we were talking to Miranda about ways that she could serve people. She said that she would love to baby sit for some parents so that the parents could have a night out. But, she said that she knew that she was not old enough yet to baby sit on her own. She said that maybe one of the single ladies that we knew would be interested in helping her keep the children so the parents could have a date night.
The second young lady is my wife Margaret. When Miranda said that she wanted to baby sit several children, Margaret volunteered our home and agreed to host whatever Miranda and others could come up with. She knew that it would mean more work for her – cleaning the house, buying and preparing snacks, coordinating everything with the parents – but she wanted to help Miranda serve, so she gave of herself and her time. This is the kind of example that Miranda needs as she grows into a young lady. Margaret is one of the most giving and caring people that I know, and I’m so grateful to God that she is my wife.
Another young lady is a new friend of ours named Katie. We spoke to Katie just a few days after we talked to Miranda about serving others. Katie told us that she wanted to serve others by keeping some children so that their parents could have a break – a “Parents Night Out”, if you will. Yes, our jaws dropped to the floor, since this was exactly what Miranda had wanted to do. We mentioned this to Katie, and she said she would love to work with Miranda. This was very exciting for us, because Katie would not only be helping Miranda serve others, she would also be discipling Miranda in the process. We agreed to host the children at our house, Katie picked a date, and we emailed the church to let them know.
The final young lady is a friend that we have known for a few years named Patti. While parents were contacting us to let us know that they would bring their children for Parents Night Out, and that they were appreciative of this opportunity, Patti called to volunteer to help take care of the children. Again, our jaws dropped to the floor! We love spending time with Patti, and here was another chance to spend time with her, and for Miranda and the other children to see her servant’s heart as she volunteered to help. (By the way, we had not asked for volunteers, so we were so grateful to God for giving Patti this idea, and for her willingness to act on it.)
So, here are four young ladies – all servants – volunteering to give up their time to help parents and children at the same time. These are the kind of examples that I need in my life, and I thank God for all four of them. (If you would like to see these servantesses in action, we’ve posted some pictures on our family blog is a post called “Parents Night Out“.)
What if we met to edify one another?
Occasionally, I’m asked if I think churches today should meet in the same way that churches met in the first century, as described in the New Testament. This questions is usually followed by a statement such as, “Should we also wear robes and sandals when we meet together?”
Certainly there are major differences between the twenty-first century and the first century. While I do not believe that we should do everything exactly like the church did in the New Testament, I do believe that we who live in the twenty-first century can learn something from those who lived in the first century – even when it comes to the church meeting.
First of all, consider the standard church meeting of today. These meetings usually center on locations, leaders, music, preaching, and money. Are these bad things? No. People need a place to meet. It is good to recognize leaders. Singing praise to God is a good thing. Preaching and teaching are important. Money is necessary for some of the things that we do. But, do we find these things the focus of the church meeting in the New Testament.
I suggest that if we study the meeting of the church in the New Testament, we will not find a focus on location, leaders, music, preaching, or money. Are they important. Yes, but they are not most important. I suggest that instead of changing the way the church meets today, we would learn more by changing our focus during the meeting to the focus of the gathered church in the New Testament.
What was the focus of the gathered church in the New Testament? The purpose of the church meeting was to allow each believer an opportunity to exercise his or her spiritual gifts in a manner that built up other believers, that is, that encouraged them toward maturity in Jesus Christ. If the church changed its focus today, would it change the way that we meet? I think that it would. However, if we start with changing the way that we meet, then we are starting with the wrong thing. Let’s start with our purpose. If we start with the purpose of building up one another in Christ, then the format of the meeting will fall into place.
If we start by recognizing that we should meet together so that we can build up one another, then the reason for locations, leaders, music, preaching, and money also falls into place. Similarly, we can make decisions based on the reason that we meet together as a church.
Think about the way your church meets. Does the meeting of your church reflect the purpose of allowing each believer to exercise his or her spiritual gifts in order to build up others toward maturity in Christ?
The Churches of Revelation – Philadelphia
The sixth letter in Revelation 2-3 is written to the church in Philadelphia:
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie- behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 3:7-13 ESV)
Once again, Jesus says nothing “against” the church in Philadelphia. What can we learn from the church in the city of brotherly love?
What does Jesus say about the church in Philadelphia? 1) He knows their works. 2) He knows they only have a little power. 3) He knows that they have kept his word. 4) He knows that they have not denied him.
Again, Jesus begins the letter with a focus on the works of the people. In this case, the works, keeping Jesus works, and refusing to deny Christ are all accomplished with only a little power. More than likely, this refers to influence within the city of Philadelphia, since Christ himself has unlimited power (“who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens”). Perhaps this refers to political or financial influence. Whatever kind of power these people lack, they are able to please Jesus without much power – remember, he has speaks nothing against them. Combined with works, Jesus also mentions their obedience and their faith. These are continuing themes throughout these letters.
What does Jesus want the church in Philadelphia to do? He wants them to hold fast. Once again, Jesus does not add to his requirements for his followers in Smyrna. He only wants them to live according to the faith that they have – in fact, he wants them to continue living as they are.
What does Jesus promise the church in Philadelphia? Like the church in Smyrna, Jesus makes a promise to the church in Philadelphia. But, this time, he promises that they will avoid persecution. But, the avoidance will not be by their own hands. Jesus himself will keep them from persecution.
Again we see Jesus focusing on works, faith, obedience, and persecution. And again, we see that for those who are living their life in the righteousness of Christ, he only asks that they continue to hold fast to him in faith. Jesus requires his followers to trust him if they are living in persecution or if they are not living in persecution. He expects his followers to live a life of faith if they have much influence in their community, or if they have little influence in their community. Whatever the situation or circumstance, Jesus asks his followers to hold fast to him in faith.
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The Churches of Revelation Series
1) Introduction
2) Ephesus
3) Smyrna
4) Pergamum
5) Thyatira
6) Sardis
7) Philadelphia
8) Laodicea
9) Summary
The Churches of Revelation – Thyatira
The fourth letter in Revelation 2-3 was written to the church in Thyatira:
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 2:18-29 ESV)
This is another interesting letter. It is very long, and it addresses two different groups within the church in Thyatira.
What does Jesus say about the church in Thyatira? 1) He knows their works, love, faith, service, and patient endurance. 2) He knows that their latest works exceed their first works.
This seems to be a reference back to the church in Ephesus. Not only does Jesus mention works and love together, along with faith, service, and endurance, he also compares their latest works with their earlier works. When addressing the church in Ephesus, Jesus found their later works lacking. But, for the church in Thyatira, he finds their later works to surpass their first works. Again, this indicates that Jesus was talking about love in relation to works when addressing the church in Ephesus; he was not talking about loving Jesus per se.
What does Jesus have against the church in Thyatira? 1) They tolerate the teaching of “Jezebel”.
Again, we are not told the identity of “Jezebel”, but we are told the results of this teaching: sexual immorality and idolatry. As with the church in Pergamum, false teaching is that teaching which leads people toward unrighteousness instead of toward righteousness and maturity in Christ. Apparently it is too late for “Jezebel” or those who teach in this manner in Thyatira.
What is Jesus’ remedy? 1) For those who are following this false teaching: Repent. 2) For those who do not follow this teaching: hold fast.
Again, this is similar to previous letters. Those who are following teachings that lead to unrighteousness should repent, turning back toward righteousness found in Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, those who are not following false teachings are encouraged to hold fast, trusting in Jesus to take care of them and the false teachers. Interestingly, they are not told to fight against the false teachers. Apparently, by standing fast in their faith and living in works, love, faith, service, and endurance, they are demonstrating the truth of their teaching. When their lives are compared with the idolatry and immorality of those who follow “Jezebel”, they also demonstrate the lack of truth in the false teaching.
Perhaps this can help us learn how to respond to false teaching. Of course, it also shows how important living a life of righteousness in this regard. If we live in a manner that demonstrates the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are proclaiming the truth of our message far louder than any words could proclaim it.
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The Churches of Revelation Series
1) Introduction
2) Ephesus
3) Smyrna
4) Pergamum
5) Thyatira
6) Sardis
7) Philadelphia
8) Laodicea
9) Summary
The Churches of Revelation – Ephesus
The first church addressed in Revelation is the church in Ephesus:
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ (Revelation 2:1-7 ESV)
The church in Ephesus is mentioned more in Scripture than any other church except the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch. What can we learn from this short passage written to the church of Ephesus, but also said to all churches by the Spirit.
What does Jesus say about the church in Ephesus? 1) He knows about their works, difficulty/labor, and patience. 2) He knows that they could not bear patiently with evil people (or deeds). 3) He knows that they tested those who falsely claimed to be apostles, and found them to be liars. 4) He knows that they had patience and had patiently endured because of Jesus’ name without growing weary.
Patience seems to be a continuing theme in verses 2-3 as Jesus describes the church in Ephesus. The noun “patience” is used twice and the verb “bear patiently” is used twice. Similarly, the idea of testing those who falsely claim to be apostles also demonstrate the patience of the church in Ephesus. We also see that this church works and labors tirelessly, and that they stand against evil people (or deeds) and liars.
What does Jesus have against the church in Ephesus? According to Jesus the church in Ephesus has left their “first love”. This is variously translated “first love” or “love you had at first”. The object of their love is not stated. It sometimes assumed to be Jesus himself, but that seems incomplete given the remedy in the next verse. Perhaps it is best to understand this as saying that the Ephesians were working and being patient, but they were not motivated by love – both the love of God and the love of others. It is not necessary to separate the two types of love, since according to Scripture they operate together.
Despite the Ephesians’ works and patience and standing against evil and testing false apostles, Jesus considered everything void without love. Even though the Ephesians persevered and labored and did not grow weary, Jesus was ready to remove their lampstand because they were not doing these things from love. Apparently, love is more than a good idea. Love is absolutely necessary for those who are following Jesus.
What is Jesus’ remedy? 1) They are to remember from where they have fallen. 2) They are to repent. 3) They are to do the first works, or the works they did at first.
It seems that works – even good works – do not please God if those works are not motivated by love. Also, I think the order here is very important. First, they need to recognize their problem and recognize what has changed. Only then can they repent. Then, only after repentance – having a changed heart and life – will they be able to do works as they did at first, that is, they will be able to work from a motivation of love.
Can we hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches? It seems that works are good, but that Jesus’ expects works that are motivated by love. If our works are not motivated by love – if they are motivated by a sense of duty, or fear, or pride, or money, or fame, or respect – then we must recognize our sin, repent, and allow the Spirit to create his love within us to motivate our works.
To put this into perspective: We can build our buildings, but without love they are meaningless. We can schedule our programs, but without love we have done nothing. We can teach our classes, but apart from love the teaching is nothing. We can hold weekly meetings, but if they are not motivated by love, then we have not done anything. We give money and time to the poor, but if we are not motivated by love, then we deserve to have our lampstand (church) removed. Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 13, and it is reinforced in this message to the church in Ephesus.
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The Churches of Revelation Series
1) Introduction
2) Ephesus
3) Smyrna
4) Pergamum
5) Thyatira
6) Sardis
7) Philadelphia
8) Laodicea
9) Summary
Reaching Beyond the Bubble
Yesterday, I published a post (called “Bursting the Christian bubble“) about Jesus bursting my family’s comfortable Christian bubble. This post was part of a synchroblog in which several bloggers discussed moving beyond their comfortable existence in order to relate to other people.
Then, later yesterday, I read a post by Bill Lollar of “The Thin Edge of the Wedge” called “I am homeless” which God is using to further draw me out of this Christian bubble. Bill’s post featured a poem by Jamey Mills Wysocki. The poem begins like this:
I came here because my house burned down last night.
We lost everything.
We had no where else to go.
I am so scared and don’t know where to go from here.
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
And ends like this:
I need to see God’s love right now.
I feel so alone and scared.
Would you please pray for me.
I am homeless.
I needed this poem right now. God reminded me that he has given me and my family much, but he has not always given to us for our own benefit. Instead, He gives to us that we may give to other who are in need – others who need to know the love of God.
The question is – as the person in the poem asks – “Will I reach out to them?”