Quote from Forum Archives on August 27, 2003, 11:41 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Larry Davies has been writing a devotional series about the
church. It began with a historical reflection of his local
church, the Timberlake Methodist Church in Lynchburg, VA. Larry
solicited comments from his readership. I shared my own personal
experience, as did many others.

Larry continues the series today. A person named Mark comments
that the institutional church has been the worst part of his
life. Before we get all upset and up in arms about his comment,
I think it deserves some merit and attention. I think he's
right, too. It's really easy to get comfortable and stuck in our
own traditions, then over time, become completely irrelevant to
the needs of those around us. I know of a local church in
Manchester, NH that is right in the heart of the city. It's a
beautiful old church, but it's in a state of decline. Why? I'm
not 100% certain, but I'm guessing that it's a place rich in
tradition, but for too many people, the traditions almost became
like their gods - something to be really careful about and avoid
at all costs.

I think that Larry lays down some solid principles about the
things we DO need to keep consistent, and those things that we
ought to be changing.

For me, personally, I think the focus needs to be on Jesus Christ
first. That comes in reading His Word, constantly thinking about
and talking about Him and with Him, earnestly seeking Him. The
Jesus of the Bible that I read about was decidedly unconventional
in His day, but He wasn't unconventional for the sake of
convention or anything else, He merely sought to reveal God
as He is, not as people make their own god to be. That hits the
nail right on the head, and that's what each of us needs to do -
heed the Matthew 6:33 message: "But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you
as well".

I pray that God will continually do a work in each of our
hearts, not only today, but each moment of each day. Let's keep
our accounts with God short, let's listen, not just talk, and
let's learn to be patient and love one another deeply, following
the example that Christ set before us. The church is God's
institution. When we put God first in it, the church will
flourish.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

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"1953: The World & A Church" Part 3 Larry Davies

For parts one and two... click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/weeklydev.htm

Since 1953, a lot has changed, yet much remains the same. But in
the midst of those fifty years of change and turmoil our church
was born and grew strong. How did it happen? What can we learn?
Last week we heard glowing reports from our readers but a few
letters were not so positive...

"I read with some bemusement your request about how the church
has been an important part of people's lives. I'm glad it has
for some. However, when my wife and I were reflecting the other
day I realized the church has easily been the worst part of my
life: The institutional church that is. What should have been an
oasis has been a desert. A preacher recently asked: "Can God
spread a table in the desert?" and He surely can and does. My
feast has been first God and then friends, especially
Christians. I realized with some relief that it's people, not
the institution that is the church. New wine will burst the old
wineskin if not replaced and people keep hanging onto the old
wineskin." Mark.

"What should have been an oasis has been a desert." Is this an
isolated opinion or do others agree? Recent surveys show the
vast majority of our population believes in God but that
percentage goes way down when asked, "How important is the
church in helping you live out your beliefs?" In other words,
belief in God is relatively high but faith in the church as the
best place to live out those beliefs is low.

During the last fifty years there have been seismic shifts in
our technological prowess which means we can do almost anything
faster and more efficiently. In theory this allows more free
time for family and friends and offers opportunities for
contentment and happiness... but reality is quite a different
story. Instead, stress related disorders are at an all time high
and families are more dysfunctional than ever.

Yet, during the same fifty years, presented with these immense
challenges, the typical church has offered little or no response
to the rapidly changing needs of the community we claim to
serve.

Of course, the basic message of the church should never change:
"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the
special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus
Christ. Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back
into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better
then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as
God--who chose you to be his children--is holy. For he himself
has said, "You must be holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

Peter is fervently reminding the church:

1. In the midst of chaos the church should... "think
clearly and exercise self-control."
2. Surrounded by "cynicism" the church, "looks forward to
the special blessings..."
3. The media promotes, "anything goes" but we, "Obey God
because we are His children."
4. The church keeps us from, "slipping back into our old
ways of doing evil."
5. The church helps us, "be holy in everything we do, just
as God who chose you...'
6. "For God himself said, 'You must be holy because I am
holy.'"

Have we forgotten what God's message means today? "We have been
involved in the church and took great joy in our pledge to
uphold it with our gifts, service, prayers and presence. A few
years ago, I went through a divorce. A member of my Sunday
school class verbally condemned me. Shortly thereafter, I quit
attending Sunday school. I did not feel welcome. I prayed: 'God,
please don't let me treat others this way.' I came to church
broken and often in despair. The people didn't notice the pain
in my eyes or the brokenness in my heart. I came to church less
and less frequently." Anonymous

Here is one of God's children who served faithfully for years
but when tragedy struck, this church chose to condemn rather
than reach out the loving hand of God's grace. But rather than
condemn us as we deserve our letter writer ends by sharing a
valuable lesson for us to heed and remember.

"The church has been an important part of my life in many
different ways over the years, but most recently the church has
taught me to take time to really look in the faces of others for
signs of pain or grief... to really listen when someone's
talking to me... to not judge or condemn regardless of
circumstances... to believe in miracles again... and to see God
in the faces of strangers."

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Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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