Shifting My View of Church

I have heard the General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada refer to two different types of churches. The "come and gather" church, which for many of us is our typical understanding and experience of church. We come together at a local church building, at a certain time, where we typically see familiar faces from week to week. The other type of church is the "go and be among" church which travels (whatever the distance) to spend their "church-time" among other people while "being" the church. Now I will not be able to do justice to David Wells thoughts, but I can say it was rolled around in my heart and caused me to think repeatedly about the difference between the church building I attend and "being" the church.

What if we shifted our thinking from Sunday to Saturday in order to "be" the church among others, whether we attend a "come and gather" church or a "go and be among" church?

Take a look at Matt. 22:37-38, "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’" Then Matt. 28:19-20 says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

I wonder what my church experience would be like if the reason I got up on Sunday morning and attended a "come and gather" church was for the soul purpose to be a "go and be among" church with those I see through the week. What if my reason at church was to learn to live and be like Jesus, so I could go and offer the same to others? What if attending the church building was about striving forward to "be" the church to others?

I live in a culture and part of the world where "coming and gathering" at a certain time in a certain building for church is a very normal part of my weekly life. However, I have been challenged to shift my thinking that church doesn't start at 11:00 am on Sunday morning and end at 12:15 pm. The church is the body of Christ which comes together, so we can go and be among.

Many years ago I was challenged about whether I squeezed Sunday into the rest of my week or whether my week revolved around Sunday. I believe the church, the body of Christ, needs to intentionally "be" the church and God's representative 24/7. Let me ask you the same question I ask myself, "Are you representing the Lord well in what you say and do as you interact with others?

I hope and pray this challenges you to take a look at your week and begin the process of shifting the reason you attend church. What would your daily encounters look like if you shifted the reason you "come and gather", so you could "go and be among"?

Jo-Ann

Build Wisely

Today I’d like to share a story I heard years ago...it’s lesson can ring all too true. I pray it encourages you today:

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheque, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we’d do it much differently. But, we cannot go back. You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, erect a wall...

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive the reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but will yet be saved

– even though only as one escaping through the flames.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Life is a do it yourself project. The attitudes and choices you make today, build the house you live in tomorrow. Build wisely.

Press in and press on,

Giselle

Turning Around is an Option

When hubby and I do a road trip we are not alone in the vehicle. Before you become impressed with how spiritual that sounds, I need to say that the other “person” on the road with us is Susan – the GPS lady.

We do not share the same level of admiration for Susan. Quite frankly, she irritates me. I think that is because I find her unending patience and calmness, while giving instructions that we may or may not be following correctly, to be a huge irritant. It is so clearly not how I act as navigator.

Susan has never once said “What part of LEFT turn did you not understand?”

When that turn is missed, she calmly recalculates a route, and completely without condemnation suggests that we “turn around as soon as possible.”

Several years ago, before Susan, we were visiting Memphis, TN. Due in large part to my navigating talents, we explored many parts of the city that we had not set out to discover. Getting to our destination occasionally took longer than anticipated and once or twice took us to areas probably best for us not to be exploring.

So, while Susan and I still have issues, she does help us stay on track. There have been incidents however, when whomever was behind the wheel made the decision that perhaps Susan didn’t know best and that we could find our own way. Sometimes though that sort of works, it does at the very least, add stress to the situation. At worst, we again end up in an area that we did not intend to be and an area that may not be best for us. Even though we have dismissed her guidance, Susan gently suggests that we “turn around as soon as possible.”

Exodus 15:13 says “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”

Our Father wants to lead. He does have a path for us to follow. For me that requires a daily choice – sometimes a moment by moment choice – am I going to follow or will I try to find my own way? Will I take the next step, trusting that even though I do not see the entire route laid out before me, it is there, lovingly planned for me?

Sometimes by carelessness and sometimes by conscious choice, I miss directions or don’t take the directions that I should have taken. For those times, when I need to “turn around as soon as possible” there is mercy and forgiveness.

Do you ever struggle to stay on the path that God has laid out for you? Do you ever find yourself in a place that you did not anticipate or a place that you know is not the best place for you to be? Do you ever need to “turn around as soon as possible?” There is mercy and grace for that – not condemnation.

Always remember that He leads with “unfailing love.”

Ruth

Personal Invitations

I have a theory. For a number of years I have been putting it to the test and recently I put it to the test; once again it proved right. It's something I've observed over the years - the longing of people's hearts.

My theory is this; if someone is genuinely and personally asked to come with you to something they are way more apt to say yes than if they just read about it in an announcement or see a poster. I believe people long for personal contact, a personal invitation, a personal connection with a space and place next to someone else.

I am all about announcements and making sure people have the information they need to make an informed decision, but the reality is announcements are about information. If we want people to feel a personal connection, to have buy-in, to get involved, or to participate in a certain function or event; then the odds of them saying yes is significantly higher if I speak to them personally. When I ask if they'd like to come with me, meet me at the door or if I can save them a spot, my experience has shown me they are way more apt to say yes, than not. I can't speak for the men out there, but as women we like to have company, we want to feel like we belong and we long for the connection we get when we are around others.

I also believe the REV test is true and accurate. Most women long be part of something which has the following three elements: R - relational, E - emotional,   V - verbal. They want to connect with someone for the relational component, they want to feel an emotional connection (at least on some level) and they want to be able to share their experience with others verbally. I call it the REV test. Consider the last ladies function you were at (baby shower, ladies retreat, coffee with the neighbours...). Did it have all three of these components? How did you feel when you got home? Chances are good it did have these three components and on some level you felt a connection and enjoyed yourself. Interesting isn't it?

Let me encourage each of you to make personal contact with someone(s) before your next function or event and see how many take you up on your offer. What if everyone asked someone? Then everyone would have the opportunity to feel like they belonged and were part of God's bigger plan. You see we really are better together!

Phil 2:5 says, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus"

Jo-Ann

Learning Transparency

Romans 12:15 (Message) “Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down.”

I can’t hide my feelings, no matter how hard I try! People are forever reading my face, whether correctly or incorrectly. When I am tired, people know it; when I am full of joy, people know it; when I am stressed, try as I might people know it. Frustrating as this can be, it is not nearly as frustrating as when I am misunderstood. People have misunderstood tiredness for boredom, or simple scanning of a room to not liking them.

As much as I dislike being misread, or hearing constant questions in the family of “are you okay?” I realize that my inability to hide my emotion is actually a blessing! It keeps me accountable to others and forces me to be honest and transparent.

We often find it difficult to be open with one another. It is “easier” to be shallow or to put on the face that we would like the world to see, however when we do this, we miss out on deep relationship and the ability to have others help bear our struggles or learn from our journeys.

The Bible commands us to “carry one another’s burdens” (Gal.6:2) and to “laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.”(Rom.12:15). Many of us find it easy to do this for others, (as women we are nurturers and more empathetic by nature) but we have trouble flipping the coin. How are those close to us suppose to carry our burdens, or laugh with us in our happy times when we don’t have relationships where we communicate how we really feel because we are trying to present a front? While we nurture others easily, we are not quite as good at allowing ourselves to be nurtured.

In order for us to live according to God’s plan for us as believers, we need to learn transparency. (Is this resonating with anyone else, or am I the only one with some inner “ouches” going on?) Sharing struggles, hardships and sins is biblical, and vital to having deep and lasting relationships!

I challenge you (and myself!) to evaluate your relationships. Do we reach out to deepen these relationships? If we do, is it by reaching out to others emotions, or reaching out with our own? God’s word encourages us to do both!

Kourtnay

Kourtnay is a wife and mother, and she is very active in her local church. She is a woman of passionate purpose who longs for all women to live out their God-given passions.

Life Changing!

Psalm 37:3-7 reads:

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this:

He will make righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes."

We may be familiar with these verses, but it’s the *order* that really hit me one morning. We are restless... until we rest in the LORD. So, how do we refrain from restlessness? Look at verse 3...

Trust. Well, it’s easy to trust Him ~most~ of the time.... When I begin to realize that I cannot do it on my own, and put my trust back where it belongs – in an all knowing, loving, powerful, compassionate Father, who always knows what’s best for us, it becomes easier. What’s next?

Delight. To me this is incorporated in praise, prayer and worship. OK, I can do that. Next?

Commit. I need to commit my heart to storing up heavenly treasure and commit to making Jesus the centre of my life. This includes walking in the Spirit as I am led. I need to intentionally commit to allow the fruits of the Spirit to shine brightly in my life – that includes committing to service – in the face of persecution, hardship and trials (read time restraints). If I can’t find time for God – my priorities must be out of whack.

Be still. Rest. When we trust in the LORD, we can find rest because He is our refuge always. So, what do our Sundays look like? Do they reflect rest?

Let’s look forward to what God has for us... beginning with the promises given in Psalm 37.

Press in and press on,

Giselle

Practice, Practice, Practice

I am working my way through a book called “as we forgive” on the subject of forgiveness and reconciliation in Rwanda. I say that I am working my way through this book because it is not an easy read. I find that I must put it aside from time to time not just because of the heaviness of the stories but also because of some of the examples and teachings on forgiveness. These are not examples of minor offences. If there would ever be justifiable reasons for revenge, they are here, and yet there are examples of forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration in the face of unspeakable pain. I have been challenged and have spent a fair bit of time pondering.

The book also talks about a Pennsylvania Amish community that had to deal with a brutal school shooting a few years ago. The bigger story became the reaction of the Amish people who visited the parents of the shooter, offering forgiveness and sharing in their sorrow. The story goes on to say that in this Amish culture “forgiveness is a virtue that is cultivated” and that there are “habits of forgiveness”…and so I wonder….is this part of what Jesus was trying to get across when Peter asked if he should forgive his brother up to seven times.

Jesus answered,” I tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” ( Matt 18:22)

Seven times, seventy-seven times or seventy times seven, if we are counting we may just have missed the point! On the other hand, if I have actually forgiven someone that many times, at some point, that is going to become my habit – maybe my default position. If I actually get to that point, maybe that whole turning the other cheek business will be more reality than theory in my life.

I often know when I should forgive. I may even want to forgive. When I remember all that I have been forgiven how can I not forgive? Forgiving though is often easier said than done.

A culture of forgiveness sounds like a great idea but how do I get there? How do we get there? It may need to start with just one being willing to form a habit of forgiveness. Habits are formed by repeating behaviour…practice, practice, practice…

We may need to start with the small things. The things we may pass off as insignificant and yet are habit forming – the driver who cut you off, the cashier who short-changed you, the person who invaded your chocolate stash…all pretty insignificant really and yet perhaps the beginning of a mindset. Imagine how our relationships, our families, our churches could be transformed with just a little more practice.

Ruth