Some months ago, I wanted to branch out and explore different churches here in Massachusetts. I will definitely say there is something to be said about Churches in South, many of them are warm and inviting. Compared to the Northern counterparts. In particular take Florida as an example, when you walk in the doors, you will usually get greeted with a bubbly personality and may even be asked questions to strike up a conversation. In contrast up here in the North, I usually get greeted with a smile and just find a seat quietly, look around and feeling awkward.
This got me thinking about churches and what makes them a place where people feel wanted, accepted and a part of a community. I started thinking about to some of my first experiences with church, it was at First Baptist Church (FBC) of Fort Lauderdale. When my family and I started attending FBC it was back in 1990. I remember the first time I walked into the sanctuary. We were running late and the orchestra and choir had already begun to singing and playing. I was astounded by the sound of the music - there were 250 faces singing the most beautiful songs I had ever heard and a full orchestra with almost every instrument you could think of. I was about 9 years old. I could have sworn that was what it was going to sound like when we got to heaven. Beautiful and in unison and standing proudly proclaiming Jesus as Lord. I had no idea then how much that church was going to change my life in the best of ways!
I think back on those early days with such fondness and wonder. God used the congregation of that church to minister to my family and I in profound ways that completely shaped the person I became.
At that time, that my dad had been significantly injured and was out of work. We were struggling financially to pay our rent. Someone in the church heard about this struggle. We got a phone call to go check the mailbox and there was a check for the exact amount we needed for rent in our mailbox! I remember my mom crying and getting down on her knees and just thanking God in that moment. Some weeks later we got another call, go check outside there are groceries there. We go outside and our empty fridge was filled with food.
"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:37-38, 40
Another example, I was being homeschooled at the time and was very active in the church, but I must have mentioned in passing that I really wanted to learn how to play the clarinet so I could join the orchestra someday. Someone heard that I wanted to learn the clarinet and they reached out to one of the clarinet players in the orchestra and told him about me. They asked would he be willing to help teach me. He told them that we would be delighted to teach me! My mom was an amazing seamstress so a deal was struck. To pay for clarinet lessons my mom would do his mending. The only thing left was a clarinet. Someone donated a clarinet and dropped it off at the church office! I got a call that they had something specifically for me. When I got to the church office, the smiling lady behind the desk handed me a clarinet. I opened it and was so overjoyed! With my new teacher, I started learning music theory, learning to sight read music and learning to play songs! I was off to making a joyful racket with all the honking and squeaking one learning a clarinet does! (If you have ever played this instrument you KNOW what I am talking about) God bless my parents for putting up with me.
Bunny trail moment:
A about a year ago, my mom was digitizing all of our old family home videos. Hidden in the midst of my church plays and various outing and vacations we had done there was a clip. This clip was us at a retreat on the beach, we were staying at a cabin. My mom woke up before my dad. I had a mischievous idea to grab my beloved clarinet and play right near his head.My mom laughed and thought it was a brilliant idea. So I went off to put it together. I decided I was not going to play a song but I was going to make a series of honks! I remember the sheer joy I had thinking about this little plan I had. I go into the bedroom where my dad was peacefully sleeping and started honking away! I was so proud of myself. My dad woke up instantly as you would expect and once he realized it was me making that awful racket he smiled and threw a pillow at me and we all bust out in laughter. This moment was caught on camera. Think of the joy that would have missed without that Clarinet! HAHAHA
Why do I go into such detail? Because I want to share with you what it means to be part of a bible believing, spirit filled church. Where the people are so in love with Jesus that it overflows into people's lives and it changes them forever! You walk in to a church and walk out a changed person for the better! This is what the church should be!!
I can tell you as a kid I learned the power of what being in community was really all about. They say that it takes a village to raise a child and I can telly you God brought me the best village in town! :) It was because of the Sunday services, Sunday school, youth retreats, camps etc- where I learned who Jesus was. I watched the leaders around me and they all were people that lived out loud what they believed. It's because of their genuineness and authenticity that I believed Jesus was all he said He was! I was changed and made better because of it. I knew, saw and experienced the real love of God through His people. My bible came to life!
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:16-18
I bring these things up to simply remind and challenge the importance of being Jesus' hands and feet in this very sick and dying world around us. Just telling someone that you will pray for them is great. But showing up and providing for a need before anyone asks for help is something that is so much more powerful!!! You will never know the impact you will make in that person's life!! I can tell you, I was one such person. I was changed by the generosity of an amazing congregation who loved and served Jesus with all their hearts. I do not know to this day who helped myself and my family or interceded on my behalf for clarinet lessons. But I am all the better for it today! It was not lip service where they told my family and I they would pray for us. No! It was above and beyond that! These were not people who gave lip service on Sunday. They lived it everyday and did so with purpose, caring and selflessness. What if we as christians truly lived out our faith like this? Can you imagine the impact on our communities?! Can we be challenged to make a difference one people's lives around us? To be the hands and feet of Jesus?
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” James 2:14-24
I have such a burden right now for the body of Christ to get back to the basics and remember all that Jesus has done for us and to show that love to others. The church is not here for our entertainment. It's for us to come into communion with Jesus and learn about him, get convicted of sin so we can change our ways, to know we are a broken and fallen people without God, and to be in fellowship with fellow believers and to make our communities better by helping those who are in need. When we have become so self absorbed and look only to the pastor to do all the work and we take 0 responsibility or accountability for ourselves this is where the church starts to fall apart. A pastor can only do so much all on his own to make a difference in your life. At some point a person has to grow up and take responsibility for their own faith! To read God's word, really read it not just wait for Sunday to roll around. Pray really pray and cry out to God because that is where he works the miracles! In order for faith to be active and alive in your life you have to see God at work. At what point do you take your faith and give it feet?
Challenge:
Can we lay down our pride? Can we be a people who practices forgiveness? Can we show those around us compassion, humility and kindness? Can we lay down our swords of division? Can we stop our warrior keyboards? Can we be a people that will stop hurting each other? Can we show compassion for the person and not just see the sin? Can we step outside of our own selfishness? Can we help someone in need? Can we proclaim God's goodness? Can we live like we have been covered and anointed with the blood of Jesus? Can we act in faith and obedience according to God's word and put feet to our faith? Can we show a dying world God's love for them? Can we help change someone's life for the better? Can we start to claim that Jesus in us is so much bigger than all of the principalities of this world? (this last one is HUGE)
I have experienced in my own life, what it is like to be chained and shackled (metaphorically) with unbelief - with thinking my circumstances will never change, as an example. It's like the physical world becomes so much bigger than Jesus. This is a lie straight from the pits of hell. When you stop focusing on your problems Jesus becomes bigger and the problem becomes smaller. We have a tendency to put God in a box and limit his power. This is our own fault, not God's. We are the ones that make Jesus ineffective.(Oh the conviction as I am writing this!!!) I do it, you do it - we all do it! We have to get out of our own way and let God be GOD! Ask God to heal the unbelief and brokenness within our hearts so that we can reach out beyond ourselves to help others.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17 NIV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 NIV
Final Thought:
There is a much bigger purpose for each of us here on earth, there is a an abundant life waiting where joy will overflow out of our lives. However, it will require us to relinquish our own selfish pursuits and indignations and pursue God's ways. Being used by God will be the most rewarding experience you will ever have and it will not only change someone else's life but it will change YOU!
This is how God works through you and I and how real change happens in our lives.
