THE NEW HOPE ADVENTURE

Building Christ’s Church

Contents

1 Why Are We Here?

2 What Kind of Church Do We Want to Be?

3 What Kind of People Do We Want to Become?

4 What Do We Need from Church?

5 Do You Want New Hope to Grow?

6 Will You Pay the Price?

7 Where Do We Find the Power?

8 How Does the Power Get to Us?

9 How Do We Plug In to the Power?

10 Equipped by the Word of God

11 Equipped by Leadership

12 Equipped by the Assembly

13 Parable of the Radio

14 We Can Do It!

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

1 WHY ARE WE HERE?

Background Scripture: Acts 2

In May of 2005 we came together to start a new congregation. Most of us were driving an extra 5-7 miles to church. Difficulties and inconveniences abounded: distance from home, meeting in temporary facilities, struggling to pay the bills, not to mention raising funds for music and youth ministers and for major promotional campaigns. We are still here, though, because Jesus deserves to have us engaged in this challenging work.

Here are four reasons Jesus deserves our regular and faithful participation in this challenging adventure.

Jesus died for our sins.

First, Jesus deserves our regular and faithful participation in this challenging adventure because he died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). He died because there was no other way for us to be saved. We could not save ourselves because of our sins. No one else could save us since God was the One whom we offended by our sins. God’s holiness requires the “shedding of blood” in response to sin. So, Jesus died in our place, and we have the forgiveness of sins.

Out of gratitude we remember his sacrifice, as his apostles taught the first century church, every Lord’s Day by meeting together around the Lord’s Table.

Jesus arose from the dead.

Second, Jesus deserves our regular and faithful participation in this challenging adventure because he arose from the dead. Peter exclaimed, “‘God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact’” (Acts 2:32). After his crucifixion for our sins, on the third day Jesus arose from the dead and forty days later ascended to the right hand of God. The result of this exaltation was that he sent the Holy Spirit to us as the guarantee of our own salvation, as the Helper in our time of need, as the seal proving our relationship with God, and as the personal Representative of Jesus in our hearts. All who have believed in Christ, repented of their sins, and been immersed into Christ have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Because of His resurrection, we celebrate the victory of Christ and the presence of his Spirit in our lives.

Full participation in his family

Third, Jesus deserves our regular and faithful participation in this challenging adventure so that we may participate fully in Jesus’ family. “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:41-42).

In this family, we have imperfect brothers and sisters, but we have a perfect Father. His family provides us with brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers around the world. Wherever we go, we find family members who will welcome and love us, even though they did not previously know that we existed.

This unity and fellowship that we have in this family enables us to serve God. We get training, we have support, and we work together as a team to do more together than we could ever possibly do individually.

To save the lost

And fourth, Jesus deserves our regular and faithful participation in this challenging adventure in order to save the lost, that is, in order to share the message of salvation with those who are lost. Jesus “said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16). Everyone needs what we have found. And as imperfect a system as it may seem to us, God has chosen to work through the church.

And experience has shown that new churches win more people to Christ than long-established churches.

In short, we are here in this church of Christ Jesus because of what God has done for us.

We are here so that we can do more for God.

2 WHAT KIND OF CHURCH DO WE WANT TO BE?

Text: Acts 2:40-47; 4:32-37

When I was a child, visiting in Alabama, my cousins could not understand that we went to a “Christian Church.” They could not understand a church without a denominational name. There are several ways to answer the question, What kind of church do we want to be? Large or small? Denomination? Style? Theology? Formal or informal?

We want to be the kind of church that can do the most toward answering the question, Why are we here? Here are five characteristics of the kind of church we should want to be.

A Bible-ing Church

First, we should want to be a Bible-ing church. (I know it’s not really a word!) We need to be a Bible-ing church because we believe that the Bible is indeed the word of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16); and “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The authors of the Bible claimed inspiration for themselves and for each other. The testimony of Jesus for both the Old Testament and the soon-to-be authors of the New Testament is clear. He accepted the Bible as the written word of God, with all the authority of the spoken word of God.

A Bible-ing church is not just a Bible-reading church but a Bible-obeying church. “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:21-22). Some years back there was a sniper on a Texas campus, who was found to have been an avid Bible reader! Mark Twain said that it wasn’t the parts of the Bible he didn’t understand that bothered him, but rather the parts that he did understand! Too often we don’t read the Bible enough. Too often those who read the Bible don’t study it enough. Too often those who study the Bible and even teach it to others don’t put it into practice!

People in a Bible-ing church will bring our Bibles to church, write notes in them, learn them, and obey what we read. And we’ll do the same at home. Bible-ing people don’t lose their Bibles, and they don’t leave them at church or in the car (unless they are reading from a different Bible at home).

A Praying Church

Second, we should want to be a praying church. Not just at the ritual times (church, bedtime, meals) but throughout the day. We pray when we realize how much we need God’s help. We cannot build a strong church without him. The task before us is too great. From the beginning of New Hope, circumstances have arisen time and again that forced us to depend even more on him.

We should also be constantly grateful for the many things he is doing for us.

A Fellowship-ing Church

Third, we should want to be a fellowship-ing (also not a real word!) church. Fellowship of course means much more than just eating together–although we need to spend more time together so that we can get to know each other better. God has called us into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9). We are in fellowship with God when we walk in the light, as John wrote, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

When we are in fellowship with God, then we are also in fellowship with one another. We can no more choose those with whom we have fellowship than we chose who would be our biological brothers and sisters.

Therefore, we need to spend serious time together so that our sharing of life is real. That’s why we want everyone to be involved in small groups in addition to regular attendance.

A Ministering Church

Fourth, we should want to be a ministering church. Peter wrote (1 Peter 4:10-11):

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it 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.

This characteristic is the practical application of the other four characteristics. We need to serve God first, and then one another. In addition, we must become involved in serving our community. If a year from now our church should not survive, would the community miss us? Or even know we were here? If we don’t survive, it will be because we did not serve those around us.

A Worshiping Church

Fifth, we should want to be a worshiping church. Jesus visited Mary and Martha. Martha was doing important things, but Mary was doing the most important: sitting at Jesus’ feet in worship and listening. When Martha complained about Mary’s failure to help her, Jesus replied, “‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). This story was recorded immediately after the story of the Good Samaritan, in which Jesus emphasized the importance of helping others. Helping others is important; true, Biblical worship is most important.

The first element of worship is “bowing down” in reverence and adoration of God. If we are doing this in our hearts, it doesn’t matter that we are not surrounded by stained glass and dim lighting.

The second element of worship is serving God. In Romans 12:1, Paul urged his readers, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.” We worship him by doing his will. If we are not serving him in the world, then we are not worshiping when we are in church either.

When we come together with hearts filled with true worship, the Lord’s Supper and the other activities in which we participate can never be just a ritual.

A church resting upon the pillars of Bible, Prayer, Fellowship, Ministry, and Worship! We want to be this kind of church! It’s the kind of church that will honor God, satisfy our souls, and be a blessing to our world.

Are you right with God? Give your heart to him, lock, stock and barrel, and then serve him with your fellow-members in the body of Christ, the church.

3 WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO WE WANT TO BECOME?

What kind of people do you like to hang around? Are they not people who hold to your basic values, people who enjoy what you enjoy, but not necessarily people with the same personality type as yourself?

We cannot accomplish the purposes for which we are here (participate fully in God’s family and save the lost) or become the kind of church we want to be (Bible-ing, praying, fellowshiping, ministering, worshiping) unless we become the right kind of people.

Only individuals who are truly Christian can be a church that is truly Christian. Here are three descriptions of the kind of people we want to be.

A Blessing-Receiving People

First, we want to be a blessing-receiving people. The beatitudes of Matthew 5:1-16 are more than ways to be happy, as some modern versions translate the word blessed. They are blessings that come as a result of being disciples of Jesus. They may produce happiness, from time to time, but the blessings are promised even in times of unhappiness.

Notice that these blessings are conditioned upon the actions listed. We cannot expect to receive the blessing unless we are the kind of person described with it. And don’t think you can do just one or two of them–they are part of a package. These are the descriptions of a disciple (follower) of Jesus.

These blessings are eternal, not temporary, and thus they are the blessings which are to be desired most.

The promise and reception of these blessings carry responsibilities with them. We are to become salt, making the world a better place, and light, carrying the message of salvation to the world. Immediately after the Beatitudes, Jesus added (Matthew 5:13-16):

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

A Spiritual Fruit-Bearing People

Second, we want to be a Spiritual fruit-bearing people. See Galatians 5:13-26. The nine fruit of the Spirit listed here (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, 5:22-23) are another way to describe the character of disciples of Jesus. (By the way, nine seems to have been Paul’s favorite number.)

These fruit are not compatible with walking in the flesh, that is, imitating sinful humanity. “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want” (Galatians 5:17). “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (5:24-26).

Discipleship is a movement away from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. For most of us this is a major move, one involving actions, speech, thoughts, attitudes, and even personality. Such changes do not normally come quickly, over night. The Christian life is one of making progress. Where you are is not so important as which direction you are going.

These fruit are signs of the presence of the Spirit. A person whose life is not characterized by the fruit of the Spirit should seriously question his/her relationship to God.

A Water-Walking People

And third, we want to be water-walking people. See Matthew 14:19-33, where we read about Jesus and then Peter walking on the water.

Water-walkers desire to be where Jesus is, regardless of the risk. They would rather be on his side and involved in his cause more than remaining in the safety of comfort.

To be a water-walker, we must listen for the call of Jesus. Peter did not just jump out of the boat. He asked Jesus for permission. Water-walking is not the same as being presumptuous, taking risks on our own and then expecting God to get us out of the mess. We must pray for wisdom and guidance, look for open or closed doors, consult with others, and do our homework before “diving in.”

Are you afraid to follow the call of God? Fear is a sign you’re in the right place! Sometimes fear is a warning, but other times it just means you are about to embark on some grand adventure, the outcome of which you are not sure.

Are these the characteristics of the kind of person you want to be? Do you want a church that will let you remain bored or one that will challenge you to greater heights of spiritual experience?

4 WHAT DO WE NEED FROM CHURCH?

People behave in various ways at the beach. Some just sit and watch the ocean. Others play with the waves, but don’t get wet. Others go wading. Still others go swimming. Others go deeper.

What do you need from the church? What we look for in a church reflects the depth of our spiritual growth. There’s nothing wrong with being at any particular level, but there is something wrong with not wanting to go deeper.

Here are four levels of need that indicate where we are spiritually.

Acceptance

First, everyone needs acceptance, to be accepted by others. The Bible tells us that the church should be an accepting place. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7). Those who primarily need acceptance are playing with the waves, running in and out of contact with God’s people and purpose, but not willing to get involved in the church. Nevertheless, this is an important starting place. Everyone should find acceptance in the church, and everyone in the church should be accepting of others.

The standards of acceptance are set by Christ’s teaching and example. We are to accept others as Christ accepted us. This acceptance occurs on two levels. First, Christ accepted (and accepts) people into his friendship, into his company, without conditions. He “ate with the sinners.” Acceptance as a friend must be unconditional. Individuals should not be expected to agree with others, to behave according to the standards of others, or be interested in “religion” in order to be accepted by the church as friends. However, that does not mean that their actions should expect approval by the church anymore than we can expect approval by Christ without conditions.

Another level of acceptance is acceptance as a family member. Such acceptance is not unconditional but rather conditioned upon a commitment to Christ. Indeed, this does not mean that we should have to agree with others on matters not taught in Scripture. But it does mean that we must submit to the teachings of Christ and his apostles regarding our faith and our practice. Only those who are making a sincere effort to live for Christ have any right to be considered a member of the family of God.

Encouragement

Second, we all need encouragement. Those who primarily need encouragement–and my own experience with people tells me that this is where most people are–have moved off the shore and started wading. They get involved in the fellowship of the church. They look to leaders and members alike for something to make them feel better. Their lives, like most of our lives, are filled with troubles, disappointments, and difficult situations; and they are not always very competent in dealing with these situations. We all have a great need for sincere, heart-felt encouragement.

The true source of encouragement is the Holy Spirit. “Then the church . . . was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9:31). He works through Scripture, through fellow Christians, and through circumstances to help us keep going.

We need encouragement to remain loyal to God, to our fellow-believers, and to our families as we face the hardships of life. We need to be reminded that “through many difficulties we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

We also need to be encouraged to love and to produce good works. Hebrews 10:24-25 says this encouragement is a major result of attending church: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Instruction

Third, we need instruction. Although we don’t like to admit it, we all need guidance that goes beyond the self-help books or the daytime talk shows. We need to learn God’s perspective on everything from basic philosophy (who am I, where did I come from, why am I here, where am I going) to morality. The Bible is the only sure way to get that perspective. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

When we come to church, looking for instruction, we are taking the plunge. We are getting into the knowledge of God. As we study the Bible together, we get to know the will of God. We learn how to achieve and maintain a right relationship with God. We learn what is the proper behavior toward fellow human beings. We also learn how to get the help that God offers, how to put into action what we have learned.

Opportunities

Fourth, we need opportunities to walk in the steps of Christ. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). At this point our needs are taking us much deeper.

In the church we need to find opportunity for serving. Matthew 20:28 tells us that Jesus came not to be served but to serve. At this level of spiritual development, we want to follow his example. We want to serve God and to serve others.

We don’t normally like to suffer, but we should relish opportunities to follow in the steps of Jesus by suffering for doing what is right (1 Peter 2:20-21). Paul had reached this stage. It’s a difficult one to accept. This is a very deep relationship with God.

We also need opportunities not just to be loved but to be loving. “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6), that is, in love (3:16-18):

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. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

At this stage we have learned to think more of the needs of others than of ourselves. This level is reached when selfishness and self-centeredness have given way to seeing ourselves and others as God sees us.

So, which level are you on?

It’s UP to YOU!

Are you satisfied with where you are? Come on out into the water! It might be cold at first, but you’ll get used to it and love it!

5 DO YOU WANT NEW HOPE TO GROW?

Some people do not want to be part of a growing church. Maybe they don’t want to lose their power, maybe they don’t want to have to get involved, maybe they think a bigger church would not be friendly. However, God created the church to be a growing organism, and it will grow naturally if people are not doing something to interfere with that growth.

A church will grow when its people see that the outcome is worth the sacrifices. To help us come to this realization that the outcome is worth the sacrifices which we’ll be called upon to make, consider these four blessings that come from a growing church.

A growing church brings glory to God.

First, a growing church can bring glory to God. According to Ephesians 3:10-11, the church is God’s agent through which he is making his plan known. The kingdom of God was established on the day of Pentecost, probably in A.D. 30, as a beachhead. Just as World War II was basically won on D-Day–even though many battles were yet to be fought and many sacrifices were yet to be made–so the war against evil was basically won when the Holy Spirit came down and empowered the church. (Of course, the actual victory was won by Christ through his death and resurrection.) And ever since then this kingdom is continuing to grow around the world. As a result, new people are being brought into the kingdom to join their praises of God with ours.

And so God is glorified by a growing church. But also a church that glorifies God will grow, resulting in more glory, more growth, etc. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

A growing church is God’s change agent in the world.

Second, a growing church can bring positive changes to our world. When we look at Ephesians 2:1-5,10, we see the difference between the world without Christ and the world with him:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. . . . For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Sin, evil, hopelessness, and godlessness give way to a people who produce good works, the kind of actions that make our world a better place.

Everyone brought into Christ becomes a better person. And better people make for a better world. In addition, a church that is “doing good” will grow even more.

A growing church brings joy.

Third, a growing church can bring joy to you and your family. Whether or not your family at home has been a good experience, when you become a part of God’s family (see Ephesians 2:19-22) you begin to experience family the way it ought to be. This new relationship transcends merely human ones. It is characterized by true joy, peace, and love.

The text of Ephesians 2:19-22 uses the metaphor of “house” two ways. First, it refers to a family (household), which in the first century referred to anyone–even the animals!–who lived under the same roof. We have a family that goes around the world and down through the generations, all in relationship to a perfect, heavenly Father.

Even though this is a heavenly family, it is composed of persons who have not yet learned to be perfect. As a result, the church is not always what it ought to be. But it “has it moments” and is on its way. We can enjoy the benefits of the family if we remember that “God is not through with us yet.”

In addition, “house” refers to the temple of God. “Every building” (more accurate translation than “the whole building”) refers to each Christian who is individually a temple of the Holy Spirit but who also is being built together with every other Christian into a grand temple complex. The essence of this metaphor is that God’s Spirit is living here. He is not just up in Heaven, but also right here with us.

This relationship also gives us something worth working for. To be a part of such a family, to be in the presence of the living God, is that not worth whatever it takes?

A growing church brings hope.

Fourth, a growing church can bring hope to the lost. Ephesians 2:12-13 tells us that we are no longer without hope, without God, without Christ in the world. A growing church is one that finds more and more ways to get the message of salvation to those who do not even know they are lost. For those who will listen with an open heart, they will find hope and salvation that they did not even know were possible.

A growing church brings hope to the lost because new people reach more new people faster than long-time Christians can. This is why it is also important for growing churches to plant more churches, for, on average, new churches win more people to Christ than older ones.

6 WILL YOU PAY THE PRICE?

“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). In other words, all the persecutions and other difficulties Paul went through were not too great a price for him to pay in his efforts to bring salvation to the lost.

In fact, experience teaches us that nothing worthwhile comes without a price, without difficulty. Many have already paid and are still paying a steep price for our efforts in starting this church. If we want this church to grow we must never quit paying the price, for there will always be a price to pay. Consider the following three prices necessary to be paid in order for the church to grow.

Change

First, there is the price of change. In Luke 5:36-39 Jesus presented two metaphors in which he taught that different situations call for different strategies:

“No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

As times and circumstances change, the church must adjust its methods in order to improve its efficiency.

We will never change our message, our doctrine, our commitment to the word.

We have made and must continue to make changes necessary to carry out our mission. That means that we must all be willing to accept things we do not like. If everything suits me, then we are not doing enough to reach others!

Commitment

Second, there is the price of commitment. The apostle Paul said, “From him [Christ] the whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16) We must all be committed to the kingdom of God, to putting the advancement of the kingdom first in our priorities, and to obeying his will in all things.

In addition, we must all be committed to love for God, for one another, and for the lost.

Charm

Third, there is the price of charm, that is having a positive attitude. In Titus 2:9-10 Christian slaves are told to behave on the job in order to make their faith attractive to their masters.

We like to be around positive, happy people. So do others. They won’t want to attend a church that you are negative about. When talking about church around family and friends, keep it positive. Being happy and positive is a choice.

Are you willing to pay the price? Is it worth it to you to have a growing church? Robert Haldane (1792), who, along with his brother, James, spent his family fortune in supporting the spread of the gospel to Africa, said, “Christianity is everything or nothing. If it be true, it warrants and commands every sacrifice to promote its influence. If it be not, then let us lay aside the hypocrisy of believing it.” Do you really believe it? Are you will to make the necessary sacrifices?

7 WHERE DO WE FIND THE POWER?

The story is told of a man who bought his very first chain saw. Having never seen a chain saw before, he was nevertheless guaranteed that this saw would cut twenty cords of wood in one day. Well, the first three days he only cut five cords of wood. The next day only two, and the third day only one. Bringing it back to the store, he handed it to the clerk and complained that it did not live up to the guarantee. Taking the saw in hand, the clerk started it up, vroom! The man exclaimed, “What’s that noise!”

Too often we depend on our own skills, or those of hired ministers, to make our churches grow. However, Hebrews 13:20-21 implies that the power to grow a church comes only from God: "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus . . . equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Consider these three reasons why the power to grow a church must come from God.

We cannot do it alone.

First, the power to grow a church must come from God because we cannot do it alone. Gideon (Judges 6-7), chosen by God to free Israel from constant raids by the Midianites, protested that he was from the smallest of the clans of Israel and could no nothing about Israel’s predicament. In fact, at the moment the Angel of the Lord commissioned him, he was hiding from the enemy.

There are several things that keep us from being able to do anything for God in our own power. Fatigue comes to us when we’ve worked and worked. Discouragement comes when we’ve tried and tried. Emotional distractions (work, family, personal problems) add to the burden. However, when God is the source of our power, we find that there is plenty of power left after we have done all we can. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

We just do not want to do it.

Second, the power to grow a church must come from God because too often we just do not want to do what it takes to grow. Sometimes this is because we fear rejection. Gideon was told to tear down the idol in town, but he tore it down at night because he was afraid the townspeople would not understand.

Sometimes we don’t want to because of our fear of failure. It was for this reason that Gideon put forth the “fleece” twice and why God led him to hear an enemy soldier’s dream about a barley loaf. (Check it out at Judges 7:9-15.)

And sometimes we are just too self-centered (often disguised with the words “no time”).

But when God is the source, he motivates us to do what needs to be done “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

God will be glorified.

Third, the power to grow a church must come from God so that God may be glorified. After God downsized Gideon’s army so that they would not think they achieved the victory on their own, Gideon wound up with only 300 men, not the 32,000 he started out with.

God must be glorified because he deserves it. God must be glorified because we need to remember the source of our power. God must be glorified so that the world will be directed to him, not to us. And when God is the source of power, he gets the praise. “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it 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 4:11).

Wally Rendel, former traveling evangelist, once said that there is no place where God cannot grow a great church. I believe that. But we can do it only with God’s power. As Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”

8 HOW DOES THE POWER GET TO US?

Winter in the south causes some different problems from those in the north. Here we worry about roads and roofs. There they worry about the electricity being cut off by ice on the lines. In life and in the church, God is the source of our power, but it must travel “the lines” to get to us. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 mentions three lines through which the power flows.

Faith

The first line of power is faith. Faith in the person and work of Jesus. According to 1 John 4:15 and 5:1, our very relationship to God is dependent on our faith in Jesus as the Christ (the God-appointed Savior of the world) and the Son of God (the Man who is also God).

But faith is more than just a mental awareness of who Jesus is. It is also complete, unreserved trust in the word of Jesus. We take his word for whatever he says. “Jesus replied, ‘You may go. Your son will live.’ The man took Jesus at his word and departed” (John 4:50). “Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5).

We trust his declarations about himself and our salvation. “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). We also must believe in his power to keep any promise he has made: “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised“ (Romans 4:20-21).

Faith enables us to attempt things far beyond our own natural capacities or inclinations.

Hope

The second line of power is hope. Hope is the big pay-off. It’s what makes any sacrifice worth it. Hope is more than an idle wish. It is a confidence in the certainty of God’s word. It also includes the attitude of eager expectation. “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:18-19).

When will our hope be realized? At the Second Coming of Christ. See Titus 2:13.

What is our hope? The resurrection of our physical bodies so that our salvation will be complete, body and soul. The apostle Paul put it this way (Romans 8:23-25): "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Paul confirms that our hope is the resurrection of our bodies: “I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” (Acts 24:15). Therefore, we do not even fear death (although we may dread it)!

Hope gives us power to endure when the going gets rough.

Love

The third line of power is love. First, of course, it is love for God. Love for God means that we obey him not out of fear (1 John 4:18) but out of a realization that the only way we know how to show God is through his revelation of his commands. “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 5:3-4). His commands are descriptions of how love behaves. And commands approached with this attitude are not burdensome but a blessing.

Then, it is love for our brothers. 1 John 4:19-20 tells us that we cannot love God if we do not love others. The only way we can show our love for him is through our actions toward them.

Love empowers us to overcome our own self-centeredness.

The power is available for the taking. But how do we develop the faith, hope, and love? Next: plugging in.

9 How Do We Plug in to the Power?

My grandmother loved a story told by my father about a man who, taking a shortcut through a cemetery on a dark night, fell into a freshly dug grave. It had rained a bit and so the sides of the grave were very slick. He tried and tried to get out, to no avail. Finally he gave up trying and settled in a corner to await the morning. Not long afterward a second man fell into the grave and also tried, to no avail, his very best to get out. After several tries, he heard the first man, hidden from him in the darkness of the grave, say, “It’s no use, you can’t get out.” But he did!

When given the right motivation, we can accomplish much. But whether we are talking about our individual lives or growing a church, we must realize that we are doomed to fail unless we are plugged into God’s power lines, faith, hope, and love. All the motivation in the world, without these power lines, will not result in real church growth.

However, we must plug in to the power lines. Electricity coming into your home is of no use unless you plug in to it. Consider these four prongs in the plug that connects us to the power lines pulsing with the power of God.

Praying

First, we plug in by praying. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that we can receive anything we ask, as long as it is in the will of God. The “will of God” means that we must pray for those things that we know are the will of God. One way to do this is to learn to pray the prayers of the New Testament. Look, for example at Paul’s prayer for the Colossians (Col. 1:9-12):

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

The “will of God” also means that we must be willing to accept the will of God, even if it does not agree with the object or the timing of our requests. If we are not willing to hear him say no, we have no right to expect him to say yes.

Learning the Word

Second, we plug in by learning the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 describes the Bible as the God-breathed word. We must get into the word so that the Spirit can have something to use in his work in us. We must learn the word through personal study, through devotional reading, and through group study.

Assembly

Third, we plug in by assembling together. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us that we must not get into the habit of missing church. But just going to church is not enough. Our assembly must be characterized by encouragement of one another. We give encouragement through our study of the word and showing how it applies to everyday life. We also give encouragement by looking for those brothers and sisters who look like they need some encouragement. A warm handshake, a friendly smile, a kind word, a pat on the shoulder, or an offer to take them out to lunch may be just what they need to keep on keeping on for Christ.

Serving

Fourth, we plug in by serving Christ. Ephesians 4:7,12,16 tells us that we all have a function to perform in God’s church, a function that is determined by our abilities, our vision, and our opportunities. Only when we are actually out serving will we experience the power of Christ. He does not waste his power on people that might work. He empowers those that are working.

These four prongs to the plug of power may seem trite and mundane, but when we fill them with New Testament purpose, they will open us up to the filling and the power of the Spirit of God.

10 EQUIPPED BY THE WORD OF GOD

In previous chapters, we have looked at several things necessary for the church to grow, most recently the power of God. The power of God is necessary for the church to be trained, instructed, and equipped for its work. A growing church is one that is equipped by the word of God. Consider these perspectives on the equipping process.

What the Bible Does for Us

First, consider what the Bible does for us. Like a junked car that is rescued from the scrap pile, cleaned up, and then put into running order, the Bible saves us. Paul affirms (Romans 1:16) that the gospel, which is contained in the Bible, is the power of God unto salvation. Of course, it is Jesus that saves, but the Bible tells us about the possibility of salvation and the means by which we receive the salvation that Jesus offers.

After we are saved, the Bible cleanses us. James 1:21 says that the word which can save us is also the means by which we “get rid all the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.” 2 Peter 1:4 says that it is through the promises of God, which, of course, are found in the Bible, that we are able to “participate in the divine nature” as well as to “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Again it is God who does the actual cleansing–and this cleansing takes place throughout our lives, not as a once and for all experience–but he uses the Bible, especially his promises recorded in it, to do this cleansing work.

Furthermore, the Bible equips us for service. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 describes the Bible as being God-breathed. This means that, although Scripture was written by human beings, God worked through their writing so that the result is the same as if the breath of God itself came upon the pages and formed the words. This God-breathed word is profitable, we are told, for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness so that we may be thoroughly equipped for service for God.

What the Bible Requires of Us

Now, let us consider what the Bible requires of us in order to save, cleanse, and equip us for service. First, the Bible requires us to accept it. James 1:21 says that we are cleansed when we humbly accept the word of God. That means we must accept it as the word of God, not just as the opinions of men. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 commends those who accepted the apostles’ message not as the word of men but as the word of God “as it actually is.” We must ignore what the world tells us, what liberal theologians tell us, what the TV tells us, and accept the Bible as the word of God. If it is only the words of men, then it means no more to us than any other writing. But if it is the word of God, it is totally dependable, and also totally powerful to accomplish God’s purposes.

It is not, however, enough to accept the Bible as the word of God. We must also read it. A Bible sitting on a shelf will do no one any good. In order to do its work, it must be opened. In reading it, we must read large portions of it so that we can learn as much of it as possible. Reading large portions enables us to get the broad view of what God wants to say to us. Reading large portions also enables us to read it over and over again, for we have poor memories and too often poor understanding. We need to read both Old and New Testaments, some of each every day, or alternating day to day. We need a plan–what time of day, how much to read, what to read. When reading, use a pencil to mark verses you don’t understand. Then later you can come back and study them when you get a chance.

Reading helps us get closer to God, developing our souls. But then we must also study in order to develop our minds and understanding. Whereas reading broadens our understanding of the word, studying deepens that understanding.

Finally, we must obey the word. James 1:22-25 compares obedience to a person looking in a mirror and then correcting the things that don’t look so nice. If we just read or study the Bible, then it cannot do its work. We must be willing to do everything it tells us to do. We cannot pick and choose, for it is God’s word to us. Jesus said, “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven’” (Matthew 7:21).

When we realize what the Bible does for us, and then let it do those things as we do what the Bible requires of us, then we will become the kind of people God wants us to be. And when a church is full of such people, then it becomes the kind of church God wants it to be–and it will grow.

11 EQUIPPED BY BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP

God’s power to grow a church works through the equipping process. Ephesians 4:11-12 teaches us that one element in the equipping process is leadership. A growing church is equipped by a Biblical leadership.

What do we mean by leaders? Formal leaders are those in an official, congregationally recognized position. Some of these positions are Biblical and others are expedient, that is, helpful in achieving the purpose and goals of the church. Informal leaders are people who hold no office but who have influence with others. At one time or another that probably includes everyone.

Consider the following four Biblical functions of leadership.

Leaders teach.

First, leaders teach. “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Those who have teaching responsibilities must, of course, have learned from others. They must also be constantly learning, studying the word of God as well as studying what others have to say about the Bible. Their learning also needs to include principles and methods of leadership and teaching. Their study should also include learning about people and the best ways to communicate with people. They need to have experience as well as book knowledge.

Evangelists (preachers) have been assigned by the word of God the responsibility of faithfully communicating to the lost the good news about Jesus. Their work does not end there, however, for they are then to gather those who accept that good news into groups (congregations, churches). Then they are to train the congregation to be faithful to Christ and his mission, to spread the word to others, to raise up leaders, and to function as the body of Christ in their local vicinity. Paul told one of his protégées, “These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you” (Titus 2:15).

Elders (shepherds of the local congregation) must also teach the congregation, especially when there is no evangelist present. As shepherds of the flock, the elders are responsible for seeing that the members are spiritually fed, that the word being taught is true to the word of God, and that the unity of the congregation is preserved. “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).

Both evangelists and elders are also responsible for teaching and training the next generation of leaders so that the work of the church will continue after they are gone. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Notice in this one verse how four generations are involved in passing the torch of leadership: (1) Paul to (2) Timothy to (3) reliable men to (4) others.

Leaders model.

It is not enough for leaders to know what they teach, they must also model it. A leader must not be the kind of person who says, “Do as I say, not as I do”! The apostles of Christ set the example for all other leaders. The apostle Paul, said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The evangelist Timothy was commanded, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). And the apostle Peter instructed the elders that they were to eagerly serve God’s flock, “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3).

Modeling means to set the example as a mature disciple. Novices in the faith are prohibited from becoming leaders: “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6). People in the congregation need to be able to see what it means to be a mature disciple so that they can emulate their leaders. A good leader is one who has learned, and continues to learn, from other leaders and especially from the examples of Jesus as recorded in the pages of Scripture.

Now, this does not mean that the leader has to be without sin and never making mistakes. For one thing, that would mean the congregation would never have leaders. Jesus was the only one who never sinned or made mistakes. Besides, modeling by church leaders must include how to handle shortcomings, failures, and mistakes. People need to see how even a mature disciple deals with his own sin, how he handles errors in judgment.

Humility is therefore an essential characteristic of all leaders. They must be willing to acknowledge their faults and errors, to apologize for them, to change their minds when appropriate, to ask for forgiveness, and to do what they can to rectify their mistakes. These processes are an important part of modeling, for it shows the people how they should handle their failures.

Leaders equip.

And finally, leaders must be equippers. In fact, equipping the congregation is the primary duty of leaders. Teaching and modeling are simply aspects of equipping. Paul wrote, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it” (Ephesians 4:7). By grace he meant a gift of divine power that is to be used in ministry. Some of these gifts are innate, present at birth and to be developed through learning and training. We usually call these talents or natural abilities. For example, some people have a special ability in singing, art, music, baseball, leadership, etc., which others could not match no matter how much they study or practice. These talents are, nevertheless, gifts from God that are to be used in ways that are pleasing to him. Romans 12:7-8 refers to several examples of such abilities of grace.

The word grace also includes many talents or abilities that do not seem to be present in a person until later in life. The Bible does not say much about these, but there are some exceptional instances recorded in Scripture. Prophets, perhaps, would be the most notable ones, who had the gift of inspiration, being able to speak on behalf of God through the Holy Spirit. Their messages were also often accompanied by the ability to work miracles as signs that their messages were indeed inspired by God. In the New Testament the apostles were able to lay hands on people and given them “spiritual gifts,” that is, miraculous abilities such as instantaneous healing or speaking in languages they had never studied. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 refers to several examples of such miraculous abilities of grace.

Although the Bible speaks often of those miraculous gifts, experience seems to give evidence that there are also other nonmiraculous talents, abilities that arise in some Christians’ lives, abilities that enable them to do much more than they ever dreamed they could. Of course, there is no way to tell for sure whether these abilities were present in one’s DNA or were received later. It does not really matter, for all gifts from God are to be used in service to him and for the common good of the church as it carries out its mission.

Ephesians 4:11 refers to some special “gifts” from Christ to the church, not abilities per se but rather individuals: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers . . . .” The original wording (in Greek) implies that there are four classes of leaders here. By studying what else the New Testament says about these leaders we can draw the following conclusions regarding their individualized work.

The word apostles could refer to anyone who was sent on a mission, akin to our words ambassador or missionary. However, in this text the word is used in a specialized meaning, referring to the apostles of Christ, thirteen men (including Paul) sent out by Christ to (1) testify to his resurrection from the dead, (2) proclaim the message of Christ, (3) provide miraculous proofs that their message was from God, (4) set forth the terms for responding to that message, resulting in the hearers’ reception of salvation, (5) set up Christ’s church, and (6) instructing Christ’s church for its ongoing mission. Their work included writing much of the New Testament so that the church could learn from them down through the ages.

The word prophet referred to persons who had the gift of inspiration, with the result that they could authoritatively and without error proclaim messages from God. This gift was especially necessary in the early days of the church before there was a written “New Testament.” It seems logical to infer that the non-apostle writers of the New Testament had the gift of prophecy.

An evangelist could be anyone who brought a message of good news–the word literally means to announce good news–but in Ephesians it refers to specially appointed and gifted leaders (such as Timothy, Titus, and Epaphroditus). New Testament synonyms are preacher, herald, and minister of the word. The evangelist was an ordained person who carried on that part of the apostles’ work that included establishing and training churches. They are evangelists not just because they preach the word to the lost but also because they plant churches and equip the saved to become evangelistic individuals and congregations.

Pastors and teachers are in a class together because they have very similar and overlapping functions. Literally, a pastor is a shepherd. Everywhere else in the Bible, the word is translated shepherd. In the New Testament the pastors are the elders or overseers of the church. They frequently preached and taught the word, but they were usually separate from the evangelists. (It was possible for a person to hold more than one leadership position. For example, the apostle Peter was also an elder.) The pastors (elders, overseers) were to teach, exhort, guard the integrity of the teaching in the church, guard the integrity of the lives of the members, and watch out for wolves in sheep’s clothing. Teachers were specially recognized persons who helped the elders in the teaching of the congregation. They may not have been qualified to be elders.

The Ephesians 4 passage, however, does not refer to the individual work of these leaders but rather to the work that they all had in common: equipping God’s people (4:12-16):

to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

This work of equipping includes teaching. However, that is only the beginning. The leaders must also provide the people opportunities to minister (serve God).

The evangelist Titus was instructed to set up churches and organize them. Paul put it this way: “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). Whether setting up a new congregation or leading an established congregation to get back into appropriate order, the purpose was to foster encouragement and growth.

Timothy was given this instruction regarding elders: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). The “double honor” was pay for their work, some of which was preaching and teaching. (Remember that the first churches frequently did not have their own evangelists since there were so few available. They spent much of their time planting new churches.)

The King James Version translates “rule” in place of “direct the affairs.” The word in the original is the same one as in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (“are over you”) and in 1 Timothy 3:5 (“manage,” as a parallel to “take care of”). Jesus taught that leadership in the church is not to be like that which we find in the political and corporate world (Matthew 20:25-28): “'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'" Note: “Not so with you.”

The role of leadership is, therefore, directing, not like a drill sergeant, but like a band director. They must instruct, sometimes demonstrate, and help each member to meet his/her best potential in serving Christ.

In Acts 6:1-4 we have an example of how the apostles dealt with a particular need by delegating a certain work to those who were specially able to do it:

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

They recognized the need, came up with a plan, put the plan to the congregation, set forth the requirements for new leaders to be put in charge, let the congregation choose the new leaders, and then gave their approval of the selection by prayer and the laying on of hands (6:6).

Leaders pray.

Leaders also call on God for help, because they know that their work and, indeed, all of the work of the church is too great to be done by mere human effort. One such prayer by the Apostle Paul is recorded in Philippians 1:2-5,9-11:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now . . . . And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.

This prayer is appropriate for all congregations in all ages!

In Acts 6:4 (see above), the apostles made it clear that prayer and ministry of the word were more important than personally handling other areas of ministry.

The leaders’ prayers (and, indeed, those of the congregation as well) are to follow Paul’s instructions (1 Timothy 2:1-2): “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” The next two verses imply that the prayers should include an appeal for peace and safety in the community and nation.

Church leaders must be people of prayer.

Closing Considerations

Is Christ calling you into some area of leadership?

Are you willing to be a team player? To follow the leaders as we work together?

LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. The work of the church is too great for any of us to be inactive or a hindrance to others. “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

12 EQUIPPED BY THE ASSEMBLY

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:36-42

Have you ever wondered how they started fires in ancient times? Waiting for lightning to strike would be awfully inconvenient. And I suppose God could have told Adam to rub two sticks together–but if he was as good at it as most of us, there would have been a lot of tuna sandwiches instead of hot meals for supper! A good flint was essential for thousands of years, until the match was invented in the late 19th century. I’m sure that one popular way, after the magnifying glass was invented, was to focus upon a flammable object.

Kindling the flame in church is a result of the power of God. But too often the power does not come in spite of our prayer, Bible reading, and good efforts. We often associate spiritual growth and spiritual power with the exercise of spiritual disciplines. Many times we forget to include the discipline of assembly, popularly referred to as worship. The weekly assembly of Christ’s disciples is intended to be the primary focal point of the power of God. Perhaps we too often omit “church services” in our lists of spiritual disciplines because we have not found much power when we do gather together.

By the way, the original Greek word translated church in our English Bibles is more accurately translated assembly or congregation. The word is used at least six ways in the New Testament: (1) the people of Israel wandering through the desert (Acts 7:38), (2) a meeting of the citizens of a city (Acts 19:39), (3) a gathering of angels (Hebrews 12:22), (4) the universal, eternal church (Ephesians 3:21), (5) a local congregation (Revelation 3:1), and (6) the weekly gathering of the disciples of Jesus in any one location (1 Corinthians 11:18). The word is never used to refer to the building in which they met!

The apostle Paul mentions the hypothetical case of a visitor in the assembly who responds to what he hears there, “and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’” (1 Corinthians 14:25). That is real power! If the visitor can witness the power of God in an assembly of the saints (people of God), surely those who are committed to Christ should be able to experience God’s power.

Perhaps we do not often come into contact with God’s power in the assembly because we have failed to appreciate and practice the elements of assembly that the Scriptures teach us. The Bible mentions four specific elements of the Biblical assembly that help us to focalize the power of God: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). (Oddly, there is no mention of singing, although surely they did sing. God’s people on earth and creatures in heaven have always expressed themselves in song. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 refer to singing to one another, but the context is unclear as to whether the singing was in the assembly or even whether it was singing together.)

Receiving Through the Apostles’ Teaching

In the assembly we are equipped for service by receiving the apostles’ teaching. The entire Bible is the means through which we receive various kinds of instruction from God. The apostles taught, as did Jesus, that the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, is the word of God and therefore useful for Christians, “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Paul also wrote that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

The New Testament particularly could be called the apostles’ teaching. They wrote, under inspiration of the Spirit, the things that Jesus wanted us to know (John 14:26; 16:13). (Four of the New Testament writers were not apostles, but they were close associates of the apostles and apparently had the gift of prophecy.) We cannot rightly claim that we are disciples of Jesus if we do not follow the teaching of his apostles: “If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also” (John 15:20).

Just as the Old Testament was given to Israel for their instruction, guidance, and encouragement, so the New Testament was given to the church for our instruction, guidance, and encouragement. In the Old Testament we see where we came from, and in the New Testament we see where we are going and how to get there.

Being devoted to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42) requires more than an assertion. It requires personal and private study as well as group study. In the assembly it means we must listen and learn. To get the most out of the assembly we should be present not only for the large-group reading and preaching of the word but also attend the in-depth Bible studies on Sunday morning and through the week. The large-group assemblies and the small-group Bible studies each have their purpose, and we benefit from them in different ways.

Learning does not happen automatically by being present. Our minds must be active. In order to get the most out of the presentations, here are some suggestions: Take notes. Write down Scripture references so you can look over them at home, check out the contexts, and consider whether they were properly used in the lesson. If you have questions in the meeting or later at home, write down the questions to bring to group study or submit them to the teacher or preacher.

In the large-group setting sit near the front. There you will be able to hear better, and there will be fewer distractions.

Most of all, think about what is being said and taught. Is it what the Bible teaches? Is it just the speaker’s opinion? Is it something you had not thought about before? Is it something that helps you understand other Scripture better? Does it convict you? Does it challenge you? Does it encourage you? Is it something you can use to help with some problem you have been dealing with? Is it something that can help you as you help your friends, relatives, and co-workers get to know Jesus better?

Write it down! Our memories are awfully poor places to store what we have heard.

And finally, do something with the word. Did you learn something? Did it make you feel something? Did it urge you to act? “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

Relating Through Fellowship with One Another

The second element of the assembly that helps us focalize the power of God is relating to one another through fellowship. The word fellowship is a translation of the Greek word koinonia. The root meaning is sharing. Christian fellowship is much more than eating and playing together. Romans 15:26 (also 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:13; Hebrews 13:16) refers to a monetary contribution to help the needy as fellowship. God has called us into fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9). When we eat the Lord’s Supper, we have fellowship (participation) in the body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). We have fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). The church leaders in Jerusalem extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, thus recognizing their partnership in the gospel (Galatians 2:9). We are in the fellowship (partnership) of the gospel (Philippians 1:5). Paul wanted to know the fellowship (sharing) of the suffering of Christ (Philippians 3:10). The fellowship (sharing) of our faith effects a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ (Philemon 6). Our fellowship is with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3). When we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7).

In short, Christian fellowship is sharing in a common life with God and with our fellow disciples of Christ. The first church, we are told, devoted itself to fellowship (Acts 2:42). This fellowship was immediately demonstrated in their care for one another, taking care of the needy among them, meeting together, and eating together (2:44-47): "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people."

And when this fellowship was combined with the apostles’ teaching, the breaking of bread, and the prayers, what was the result? “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47). So then, fellowship is much more than getting together for a “fellowship dinner” in the “fellowship hall” or getting together for a cup of coffee with a fellow church member!

Although Acts 2:42 does not mention any singing, we know that singing was intended to be a part of the life of the Christian community. There was ample precedence for singing in ancient Israel. The book of Psalms was basically a collection of songs to be used by Israelites individually and collectively. Jesus and his disciples continued the age-old tradition in the upper room: “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:30). And in Heaven itself, there is much singing (Revelation 5:9; 14:3; 15:3), although there is no real reference anywhere in the Bible to any singing by angels (“sang” being a mistranslation in Revelation 5:12).

Nevertheless, the only mentions of singing in the early church are recorded in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. And this singing was not necessarily “in church,” although one can reasonably assume that it was meant to include congregational singing. Paul exhorted the believers to “sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” in conjunction with teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, thus letting the word of Christ dwell in them richly (Col. 3:16). In the parallel passage (Eph. 5:18-19), in place of “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, Paul wrote, “Be filled with the Spirit,” to be accomplished by speaking “to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” by singing and making “music in your heart to the Lord,” by “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and by submitting “to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (These are often separated into individual sentences in our English translations, but in the original Greek, they are all part of one sentence.)

Singing was one way of sharing their common beliefs, hopes, and concerns for God’s plan and for one another. The modern church too often goes to opposite extremes: (1) Some see singing as just another ritual, something we’re supposed to do in church; and so we sing without paying much attention to what we are singing. Our hearts are not stirred, our emotions are not expressed–we just go through the motions. (2) On the other hand, some see singing as the sum total of worship–“We now turn from worship to listening to the word”!–and forget that it is also a part of our fellowship with one another. We are singing together, corporately, not just individually. Of course, there is a third group, who see singing as something that primarily goes on “up front” and thus we are entertained by it. And if we are not entertained, we complain or go somewhere else.

The selection of songs does not really matter as long as they are scriptural in content and bring a blessing to the congregation. Surely, God likes to be praised, but we are not auditioning for him; nor are we stroking his ego! Praising God is for our benefit, not for his. By praising him we remind ourselves of who he is and our relationship to him. We demonstrate our love for and faithfulness to him not by what we say or how we say it but by our lives of obedience! As Jesus said, in quoting God’s word through Isaiah, “‘“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men”’” (Matthew 15:8-9). We need to be careful about assuming that we are worshiping God just because we are singing to him.

There is nothing holy about selecting songs that are contemporary. Israel did not need a new book of Psalms every five years! Congregations sometimes fight over the style of music, traditional or contemporary, but even a contemporary style does not always suit the non-traditionalists. If it’s more than five years old, it’s not contemporary!

When we look at singing as fellowship, we see that it is indeed a sin to fight over the style of music or the newness of it. Singing is to be a participation, a partnership, a sharing together. A congregation of mostly older or long-time Christians may find more in common with some of the traditional hymns and choruses. A congregation of mostly younger or newer Christians may have no affinity to the traditional. They may get more out of the newer songs. Most congregations, ideally, would consist of both newer and older Christians. For them, they may need to sing some of the traditional as well as the contemporary songs. (By the way, when large groups get together, such as in conventions, it is very disrespectful to have all or nearly all of the songs of just one style. The people who do not know that style feel insulted that the program planners do not seem to care about them.)

The purpose of the church is to make disciples, not to please the saved. On the other hand, the purpose of the assembly is not to please the visitors (or the regulars, for that matter), but to encourage and equip the saved. So we need to take a good, long, and hard look at what kind of music will do the most good. Are there many visitors who have no church background? Are there many regulars who are young and need something more contemporary? Then the style of music should be adjusted, without totally leaving out the older people who also like to sing some of the older songs. Both groups should be understanding of the other and be more concerned about the purpose of church than about their personal likes and dislikes. As one preacher said, “If everything is what I like, then there is something wrong.”

If you are in a growing church, and the leadership has chosen to emphasize a style of music not to your liking, rejoice that people are being won to Christ! Do your best to learn to sing with the others, and quit complaining. There is nothing wrong about asking for some songs with a style more to your liking, but go with the leaders’ decisions. It is not worth hindering the work.

In singing, we should pay attention to the words. We should let them seep deeply into our hearts, and pour out our hearts to God. If we are singing joyful songs, we should think about the things of God that bring us joy. If we are singing challenging songs, we should think about taking up the challenge. If we are singing songs of encouragement, we should find encouragement in those songs as well as thinking of our fellow singers and encouraging them. If we are singing doctrinal songs, we should be thinking about putting the doctrine into our own beliefs and practices. (If we notice an incorrect doctrine, we should speak to someone in church leadership to have it examined.) If we are singing songs of praise, our hearts should be filled with love and devotion to our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What if you do not know a particular song? Try to sing along with it anyway. You may never learn it just by listening. You may be a split second behind as you try to match the tune, but no one will notice; and before you know it, you will be singing right along with others.

The primary purpose of fellowship is to encourage one another. (The New Testament never mentions the word worship in conjunction with the Christian assembly. Everything we do should be in an attitude of worship. If you do not worship God on Monday, you are not worshiping him on Sunday, regardless of what you do.) Hebrews 10:24-25 makes this plain: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We share our lives together, we come into contact with one another, we meet together around the Lord’s Table each week, all because we need encouragement.

Remembering Through the Lord’s Supper

The third element of the assembly that helps us focalize the power of God is remembering through the Lord’s Supper (communion, breaking bread). We live in a world that is in rebellion against God. Accordingly, the priorities, philosophies, and activities of the world are contrary to living for God. We are constantly bombarded with things, some good, some evil, that distract us from Christian living. As the dust of the world settles upon us, we tend to forget what we are all about. We need constant reminding. As individuals, living in fellowship with one another, we need to come around the Lord’s Table each Lord’s Day so that we can get back on track for Christ.

When a computer runs multiple programs, it tends to slow down; and sometimes it runs so many things at once that it becomes useless. When we have so much going in our lives, we need a time to reboot. The Lord’s Supper is one way God has given us to draw our attention back to our primary purpose in life. We need to be reminded (1 Corinthians 11:23-26):

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We need to be reminded of God’s loving sacrifice. As we hear Scripture read, meditation thoughts spoken, and prayers lifted up to God, we are reminded that this bit of bread and cup of juice are much more than they appear. On your computer desktop each icon is just a little blip of electronics–but no! Click on it and amazing things happen! Your word processor or some other program pops up. There you will find menus that list items on which you can click and bring up a document, a picture, a game. Those pixels produced by electronic wonders lead you to a whole different world than could have been imagined a hundred years ago. So also the “icons” of the Lord’s Supper bring to your mind so much more.

The loaf, a tiny one, to be sure, reminds you of the body of Christ. (Pierced, indeed, but not broken. The KJV, 1 Corinthians 11:24, inserted the word broken, but Scripture is clear that not a bone of Jesus was broken; see John 19:36.) We are reminded that the body of Christ was given for us (Luke 22:19). His body was given as a ransom for our sins: “he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15). In his body he bore our sins, paying the penalty on our behalf: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

The loaf also reminds us of what we call the mystical body of Christ, that is, the church. Everyone who is in a saving relationship with Christ is in the body of Christ. The term member in the Bible is never used in connection with the word church but rather with the concept of the body. We are members of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5). Too often we think of church membership in a similar fashion to being members of a club or organization. The Biblical concept is more organic. We become members of the body not by joining it but by becoming disciples of Jesus, born into his family. Since there is only one body (the universal church), we are all members of the same body.

When we eat the loaf in the Lord’s Supper, we are not just remembering the crucified body of Christ; we are also remembering that we belong to his body. “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17).

The unity of the body of Christ is not just a sweet ideal or a doctrinal issue. This unity is at the heart of our communion with Christ. We are confronted with our unity or lack of it every time we observe the Lord’s Supper. In the Bible’s most extensive discussion of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), the apostle criticizes the church because they were being divisive in their attitudes toward one another. Although they were meeting for the purpose of eating the Lord’s Supper, he asserts that “it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat” (11:20). Their actions were denying their unity. He then reminded them of Christ’s institution of the supper, concluding that “whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (11:26). He then charged (11:27-29): "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself."

The context makes it clear that “recognizing the body” is not a reference to the physical body upon the cross but rather the mystical body (the church). The “unworthy manner” in this passage does not refer to not thinking about the sacrifice of Christ (although that would also be an unworthy manner) but rather to taking the Lord’s Supper while being divisive in attitude toward one another. To show disrespect toward or a lack of concern for one’s brothers and sisters in Christ is to sin against the physical body and blood of Christ.

Other passages of Scripture that identify the people of Jesus with Jesus himself include Acts 9:4-5. “He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.” Notice that Jesus did not say, “whose people you are persecuting.” To persecute the church is to persecute Jesus. He takes it personally.

Another passage on the identity of Jesus with his people is Matthew 25:40. “‘“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”’”

If we are at odds with one another, we should solve that relationship (changing our attitude, asking forgiveness, giving forgiveness) first, before we come to the assembly. Then we can partake of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. Jesus taught that we are responsible for doing what we can toward resolving conflict between us and our brothers. If you have offended your brother (or if he just thinks you have), it is your responsibility to try for a reconciliation. “‘Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift’” (Matthew 5:23-24). On the other hand, if your brother has sinned against you, it is still your responsibility to try for a reconciliation. “‘If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over’” (Matthew 18:15). In either case, if you have done what you can and your brother does not listen, then you may partake of the Lord’s Supper, for you are no longer promoting disunity.

By the way, the “unworthy manner” does not mean that we should take the Lord’s Supper only if we are worthy. No one is worthy except in the sense that Christ has deemed us worthy through the cleansing of our sins through our union with him. A Christian’s sins are forgiven.

The second icon of the Lord’s Supper is the cup. The Bible uses the cup (for example,“drink this cup,” 1 Corinthians 11:26) as a figure of speech to refer to its contents. (Jesus used the phrase, fruit of the vine, but the word wine is never used in reference to the cup’s contents.) The cup, of course, reminds us of the blood of Christ. Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Paul added the information that Jesus referred to the new covenant (also some manuscripts in Matthew), and then, “do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25).

When looking at the cup, we remember that “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20); and that “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:25).

A third “icon” in the Lord’s Supper is the actual act of eating and drinking. We do not just look at these symbols, we take them. When we eat and drink, we are reminding ourselves that we have actually, by faith, eaten the body of Jesus and drunk his blood (John 6:54-56): "Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.'”

By this figurative language–he did not mean that they would literally eat and drink–Jesus meant that those who obey the gospel are taking into themselves the benefits of his sacrifice upon the cross. When we do literally eat and drink the Lord’s Supper, we are acknowledging that we have accepted him as our Lord and Savior.

For this reason, the Lord’s Supper may be viewed and meditated upon by those who have not been baptized into his death and resurrection (see Romans 6:3-6), but they should not actually partake of it. By looking and meditating they may be brought closer to a decision to become his disciples, but they should wait to eat and drink until they have come into a saving relationship with him.

A fourth icon of the Lord’s Supper is the day on which we partake, Sunday, the Lord’s Day. The bread reminds us of Jesus’ body; the cup, his blood; eating and drinking, our union with him; and the first day of the week, his resurrection. Without his resurrection, his death would have been meaningless. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Indeed, without his resurrection, we would have no solid reason for believing in him: “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14).

In addition to remembering Christ in the Lord’s Supper, we need to recommit ourselves to him. “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Christ is reaffirming his love for us, and we are reaffirming our love for him.

We also need to affirm the faith of others. By being present with other believers, we give and receive encouragement to remain faithful to Christ. As long as we observe the Lord’s Supper, we join the millions down through the centuries who have proclaimed, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and our Savior.

In light of all these thoughts on the Lord’s Supper, why would anyone ever want to neglect the Lord’s Supper?

Responding Through Prayers

The fourth element of the assembly that helps us focalize the power of God is the prayers. The early church left several examples of the benefits of praying together. When they were suffering persecution, they prayed. When they set apart leadership, they prayed. When they were searching for the will of God, they prayed. When they parted from one another, they prayed. When they were sick, they prayed. When they were discouraged, they prayed. When they rejoiced, they prayed. In fact, it seems that they were constantly praying with and for one another. And the power of God was unleashed.

Conclusion

When we use the assembly to come closer to God, it will equip us to become better disciples and draw us closer to one another. Never again should we take church for granted; and we certainly should not look on it as a duty to perform.

13 PARABLE OF THE RADIO

Scripture Reading: Luke 12:35-48.

“Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns” (Luke 12:42-43).

When I was twelve years old, I received for Christmas a kit that enabled me to make several simple radios. My brother-in-law explained to me what each part did. Most churches have the same kinds of parts as that crystal/transistor radio. Unfortunately for the church, these parts are not all beneficial to its use as they are in a radio.

You will be one kind or another even if you do not choose. But you can choose what kind of part you would like to be. Consider these four basic parts of a simple crystal radio.

Resistor

A resistor holds back the power. Now in a radio, this is essential, for the resistor protects circuits from becoming overloaded. In the church, however, resistors hinder the full effectiveness of the ministry of the congregation. Eight to ten percent of any group are naturally negative. For some people, it is just part of their personality; and it will remain that way until they realize that they are standing opposed to the work of God and get help in overcoming their negativity.

Others become resistors when problems occur, and they just do not know the proper way to deal with problems. Early on in the first church, one such occasion arose. “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1). When the problem became known to the apostles, however, a plan was adopted and the problem was solved.

Still others become resistors when things do not go their way. They would rather hinder the work of others, and certainly not cooperate, than to support majority or leadership decisions. They often will even take their football and go home!

Diode

The diode allows power to go only one way. In the radio, it is very important to route the energy and the signal in certain directions so that the other parts will be effective. In the church, however, some people insist on things going their way. Unlike the resistors who just stand in the way when things do not go their way, the diode will work behind the scenes to get his (or her) way; and he will often vie for a position of power so that he will get his way. He may work from a small group (discipleship group or Adult Bible Fellowship class) to get others to carry out a campaign to discourage or even dismiss those in leadership. If he can, he will work to become a leader and then do all he can to persuade others to vote with him. If he cannot get the votes, he may become so critical of those with whom he disagrees that they throw in the towel, “It’s not worth it!”

3 John 9-10 tells of one such person in the late first century: "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church."

Capacitor

The capacitor holds power back, but only until the energy builds up to a certain limit; and then it lets the power flow with sufficient effectiveness. In the church, there are capacitors, those who hold on to opinions, beliefs, or practices until they are forced by circumstances to let go. And even then sometimes they don’t, bringing the work to a halt. On the other hand, often they get used to a change and get on board, then get on fire for the work at hand.

In the first church, the disciples were having a marvelous time, even though there were incidents of persecution. However, for perhaps three years, they stayed right in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. The gospel was not being taken to the world as Jesus had commanded! Then Stephen was killed, and Saul of Tarsus engaged in a campaign to wipe out the fledgling church. The persecution failed, of course, but it resulted in the church being scattered, fleeing for their lives. “They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4, ASV). It took persecution to get them out of Jerusalem. They were forced to get with the program. As a result, the Way of Christ began to spread like wildfire until it became the dominant religious force in the Roman Empire in just over 300 years!

Transistor

And finally, there is the transistor, the marvelous invention that made these radios possible. The transistor receives power from the battery and adds it to the signal, greatly increasing the strength of the signal. The transistor in church is an individual who draws on the power of God and adds that power working in him to the collective power of the congregation.

The transistor does not insist on getting his way, he does not create dissension when there is something he does not like, nor does he quit and go home. Instead he studies the Bible, prays, gets involved in the ministry of the congregation, and joins his gifts of grace (talents, skills, abilities) to those of other members. He draws strength and encouragement from fellow believers, adds to it the strength and encouragement he gets from God, shares that empowered strength and encouragement with others, and finds a way to serve alongside others who are engaged in the work that God has assigned to us all.

Acts 11:19-26 tells us about one such transistor, a disciple nicknamed Barnabas, whose name, by the way, meant “Son of Encouragement”:

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

What kind of member are you? The church is only as good as the total of its parts. Can we count on you to be a transistor?

14 WE CAN DO IT!

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:15-24

There’s only one reason we are here on Earth–only one thing we can do here that we could not do in Heaven: saving souls. Many of those souls do not know they need to be saved. Many do not want to be saved. All need to be saved, and God wants them all to be saved.

We will never reach, much less win, all, but we can reach many with the saving message of Jesus. But there is one little but very important word that we must add to the previous sentence: IF. In this chapter we are going to see three conditions that must be met if we are to reach many of the lost.

First, however, let us look at some scriptures that show us how important saving the lost is to God. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). The “‘Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus said, “‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent’” (Luke 4:43). “‘If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?’” (Matthew 18:12).

“‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in [mg., into] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:18-20). “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

We can reach the lost if we are willing to do God’s will.

The first necessity in reaching the lost is the will to do so. We must decide to grow and to do what it takes to reach the lost. It is not enough just to play church and lie to ourselves that we are worshiping God when we are failing to take seriously the task he has given us. “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven’” (Matthew 7:21). A church that is not actively pursuing a strategy to win the lost is a disobedient church!

Being willing to do God’s will requires self-sacrifice. “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:1-2). The apostle Paul said of himself, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).

Are you willing to do God’s will? Are we willing to do God’s will?

We can reach the lost if we are determined to do God’s will.

The second necessity in reaching the lost is determination. The first church faced many obstacles, including not only its small size, but also the opposition that it encountered: "Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 'Go, stand in the temple courts,' he said, 'and tell the people the full message of this new life.'”

At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin–the full assembly of the elders of Israel–and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. [Acts 5:17-22]

Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” [5:25]

Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!” [5:27-29]

They . . . had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. [5:40-42]

That’s the kind of determination that it will take, for our task has many obstacles, not the least of which is the spiritual war going on against us by our own sinful desires (1 Peter 2:11) and by Satan (Ephesians 6:10-12): "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Determination is necessary because we are going against the easy way. God’s way is never the easy way. The easy way is seductive. It looks good, but it accomplishes nothing.

Determination comes from faith (2 Corinthians 4:7-13):

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak . . . .

We must always remember, “The main thing is to make the main thing the main thing.”

We can reach the lost if we have the courage to do God’s will.

The third necessity in reaching the lost is courage. The early church knew the difference between courage and cowardice. When Jesus was arrested, only John and Peter returned from their initial flight to follow Jesus into the court. But John did not stay, and Peter denied knowing him. And after Jesus was buried, “On the evening of that first day of the week . . . the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews . . .” (John 20:19). Contrast those actions of the apostles with their attitude after the coming of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the church (Acts 4:13,18-20):

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. . . .

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

How do we get courage? In the first place, we must remember what heroes often tell us. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is moving forward in spite of one’s fear.

Courage comes from faith. We will develop courage as we come to believe that the lost need Jesus. They really are lost; and without him, they cannot be saved.

We must also believe that we have the answer, not because we are any smarter, but because someone first shared the answer with us. God gave us the answer in Jesus, Jesus gave it to his apostles, they gave it to others, and it was passed down until someone who loved us shared it with us.

Courage comes as we believe that Jesus will go with us. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Not only will they not be saved if they do not come to Jesus, they won’t be saved if we don’t go to them with the saving message. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14).

And, we must really, deep down in our hearts, believe that we are doing them a favor, even if they might not at first recognize it. Too often we feel like we are imposing on them. Or, we think they will not want to be saved. If we do not believe we are doing them a favor, then we will never find ways to overcome their resistance.

Conclusion

What about you? Are you willing, determined, courageous to do God’s will?

If so, we can do it!

Join us in the adventure! It will not be easy. “Where there is no risk, there is no adventure!” It will not always be enjoyable. But you will have the time of your life and on top of that, life to come.

Robert and James Haldane, Scotsmen who lived around 1800, gave up their family fortune in order to support the spread of the gospel to Africa. Robert wrote, ““Christianity is everything or nothing. If it be true, it warrants and commands every sacrifice to promote its influence; if it be not true, then let us lay aside the hypocrisy of believing it.” Do you believe it! What will you do with it?