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Past Articles – Messages of encouragement and information |
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1/2/00 – More than Sunday Morning (1) “Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order please?” We’ve all heard those familiar words. If we are standing in line and don’t hear them soon enough, some of us get upset. We know they ares there to serve us. We expect them to serve us, and to serve us promptly! We know what it means to be a servant – most of the time. Since we know what it means to be a servant, and as Christians we know we are servants of God, why are there are so many who routinely behave as if they are serving God faithfully by simply “going to church” on Sunday morning? There is so much more to being a servant of God than Sunday-morning-go-to-meeting. We’ll look at some of those over the next few weeks. We’re starting a new year, a new century, a new millennium, wouldn’t it be great if everyone in the church chose to be a better servant of God beginning today? Being a servant of God ought to include active involvement in the activities of our church family. We meet for Bible class twice each week. Why is our attendance at these activities half of what we have at the Sunday morning worship hour? Is 9:30 too early in the morning for half the congregation? If it is, our shepherds should consider beginning the activities later – so more can participate. But if it is too early in the morning, why don’t these same people have trouble getting to work on time? Often it is not a matter of the time. Perhaps the Bible classes being offered are of no interest to half of the congregation. If it is, our shepherds should consider different kinds of classes. Some places have great success in increasing their Bible class attendance by offering classes not directly related to matters of faith. Should we survey the congregation and find out what people want and then offer them? If we did, what would happen to the level of our Biblical literacy? What has happened to our Biblical literacy as it is? Until next time… 1/9/00 – More than Sunday Morning (2) Through love, serve one another. (Gal 5:13) And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two. (Mt 5:41) For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Cor 6:20) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men. (Col 3:23) There should be no question about it – Christians are servants, servants of God and servants of one another. Being a Christian is so much more than “going to church” on Sunday morning. It is a life dedicated to serving others. I read something in a paper this past week about how people in religious groups really don’t want to be involved today. They want to be spectators, not participants. This comment was made concerning religious groups in general. I trust that it does not characterize God’s people, and especially not here at Columbus Avenue. There are a number of people the church here can count on when things need to be done, like setting up for and cleaning up after a pitch-in, or teaching a Bible class at the last minute, or getting things together for a funeral meal, or working with the clothing give away. But when we add all those saints together, there are still a number of saints who are not included in the count. Each month we have a pitch-in. Ordinarily, we all have a great time. We enjoy the fellowship, and we certainly enjoy the food. So, why is it that when we set up, it’s usually one or two people? And why is it that when it is time for clean up, almost everyone has gone? We don’t have elves that come in a clean up after us. (They may do that in nursery rhymes and fairy tales, but this is the real world.) It seems like it is always the same family who sets up the tables and then another two or three families are involved in clean up afterwards. Where are the rest of us? Are we all in such a hurry that we have no time to help? Do we just not like to set up, or clean up? Remember the story of the “Little Red Hen?” Do we want the cake, but not the work? Remember the words of God: Through love, serve one another. Until next time… 1/16/00 – Deacons: Involvement I’m told that dreaming is good for the spirit. It helps a person to look forward to what can be as opposed to resting on what already is. Without dreamers, you and I would be walking to the grocery store – if there were a grocer. Without dreamers, we would be singing the same song all the time in worship. Dreaming is good for us. We need to dream a little while we are wide-awake. Here’s a dream I’ve had for a long time: every member of the family of God working diligently. Putting it another way, it is “A task for everyone and everyone with a task.” It is not so important what the task is, but that everyone has a meaningful responsibility within the church family. Most people don’t like busy work. They want to be contributing to the church’s work. Meaningful tasks cannot simply be “busy work.” A dream remains only a dream until it is acted out. Do you share this dream with me? Some of you do – you’ve expressed it to me already. Some of you would like to be involved, or more involved, but don’t know how to go about it. One of our new deacons may be able to help you in that respect. One of the responsibilities of our Involvement and Visitation deacon, Norm Alexander, is to “identify the interests and talents of our members and determine ministry needs.” He has been charged with finding out what kinds of things we like to be involved with, and more importantly, what kinds of ministries we can be involved with that will use these interests and talents. Another quote from his job description: “dedicated to the principle of helping everyone find their place.” Norm will not be able to do this all by his little lonesome. He will need help. Hmmm. Sounds like there is already some meaningful work for some of us in the congregation. Are you a people kind of person? Can you see potential in others? Or do you see things needing done but don’t have the time to do them all? If that describes you, then you may be the very person that Norm needs to be helping him with Involvement. Who knows? Together, we can make that dream become a reality. Perhaps in Y2K we’ll see the church become more actively involved as a whole. Until next time… The apostle Paul commended the church at Philippi for their fellowship in the gospel. (Phil 1:5) That fellowship was comprised of the support they gave him in preaching the gospel. When Paul left Philippi, they were with him in spirit as they helped support him financially in his travels. While he was a prisoner at Rome, Epaphroditus carried a bountiful gift to him. Paul said he was amply supplied. He referred to their support as a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. (Phil 4:18) The Philippian church was actively engaged in mission work, co-laboring with Paul in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We also are actively engaged in mission work, co-laboring with a number of people around the world in the gospel of Jesus Christ. But there is a down side to our mission work. Sometimes we don’t mention those we are laboring with enough publicly to keep the congregation informed of whom we are supporting, where they are laboring, and what kinds of progress in the gospel they are making. Sure, we have a bulletin board with that kind of information on it, but when was the last time you intentionally went over to it to read their newsletters? When was the last time you mentioned them in your prayers? When was the last time you heard them mentioned publicly in the assembly of the saints? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were move involved with our mission works? Our missions’ deacon, Jay Allison, would like for us as a congregation, and as individuals within the congregation, to be more involved with our mission works. I don’t know how Jay is going to organize the mission’s area, but I do know that he will need several people who are committed to the spread of the gospel to step forward and work with him. It might be corresponding regularly with the various missionaries. It might be helping him give consideration to the numerous requests we receive to help. It might be… Well, I just don’t know all it could be. Are you interested in fellowship with others involved in mission work, even as the Philippians were with Paul? Let Jay know. Together, Columbus Avenue can help the good news of salvation through Jesus be known around the globe, as well as right here in our own back yard. Until next time… 1/30/00 – Deacons: Benevolence When Mary anointed Jesus with that expensive ointment, the disciples became indignant. In their minds, she was wasting what could have been used to help the poor–even though they weren’t all that concerned about the poor. Jesus reproached them for their attitude. Mary was doing a good thing, but, He added, the poor you have with you always. (Mt 26:11) What Jesus said then is still true. There will always be the poor, those who cannot provide adequately for themselves. (This is in contrast to those who will not provide for themselves. See 2 Thes 3:10-12 and 1 Tim 5:8.) But there should be help available for these who cannot provide adequately for themselves. The church in Jerusalem cared for some widows. (Acts 6) In fact, it seems to be a pattern that the church would provide for those widows who had no one to help them. (1 Tim 5) It was not just certain widows who were to be helped by the church. James mentions visiting the orphans in their distress. (Jms 1:27) The idea inherent in visiting them carries the idea of assisting them. Paul calls upon Christians to not lose heart in doing good. (Gal 6:9) He then instructs them (and us) to do good to all men, and especially those of the household of the faith. (Gal 6:10) Helping those who need assistance is benevolence. It is extending “good will” to those who are not able to provide for themselves at this time. We have a deacon who is over the benevolent works of the Columbus Avenue church, Dale Wiles. He has a very big job and a grave responsibility. The church regularly receives calls from people seeking assistance. Should they be helped or not? Someone has to make the determination because not every call for help is a legitimate request. There are those who find it easier to prey on churches than to work for a living. We maintain both a pantry and clothing room with items for ready assistance when needed. But these require nearly constant attention. If the supplies are kept not in an organized fashion, we may not be able to help as readily as we should. These take work. Some work with them already. Could you help? Are you willing to help screen calls for other assistance? Let Dale know if you are concerned about helping those who need assistance and are willing to help him. He will be glad to hear from you. Until next time… |
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