[Faith-talk] FW: [tbcf] what do you want

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: Andrew Edgcumbe <andrewjedg at gmail.com>
To: tbcfamilyroom <tbcfamilyroom at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [tbcf] what do you want
Date: 
Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:29:34 -0400

What Do You Want?

By
Bishop Vashti McKenzie

This week's topic:
The Church

Have you ever thought about the kind of church you want? Some will say
they want a church that is climatically controlled, not too hot in the
summer or
too cold in the winter; or a church that is environmentally inspiring
and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

There are those who will say they want a church where people's actions
and attitudes don't turn you off at the door or where people act like
you are doing
them a favor just by being there.

Some may want a church that makes them feel comfortable and one that
is sensitive to their needs; a church that doesn't insult a person's
intelligence,
talk down to them or water down the gospel. Many want a church where
the spirit is high, love abounds and attitudes are checked at the
door; a church where
people are pleased when you are present and miss you when you're
absent. Certainly, most want a church where the authority of Jesus
Christ is respected
as well as its membership.

Who wouldn't want a church that knows how to welcome strangers and
transform them into friends and disciples of God? A church that prays
for the leading
of the Holy Spirit and for a vision to guide its ministry?
It is important to know what kind of church you want, but it is also
important to know what kind of church God wants.

The Acts of the Apostles give us a glimpse and a profound
understanding of the nature and mission of the church. This epistle
tells of a church that is
pleasing to God. It is not a perfect church, but a pleasing church
that distinguished itself beyond aesthetics and physical structure. It
was a church
filled with forgiven imperfect people. Often it is our expectations of
perfection that get in the way of the church that is pleasing to God.

In the book of Acts, we find a church that was growing, and amazingly
adding new disciples daily. A church that shared, that worshipped and
sat at the teaching
of the apostles, and that went from house to house sharing the gospel.

A need arose in chapter six that required the church to better manage
its resources in a new and orderly manner. The Greeks began to murmur
and complain
about how their widows were being treated compared to the Hebrew
widows. There was a hint of favoritism - one group was favored over
another. It hinted
at prejudice or seeing to your own ethnic group or family outside
their circles of close associates.

The disciples called a church conference. The murmuring was getting
out of hand. People were possibly gossiping more about the situation
than they were
listening to the gospel.

They decided to change their method of handling the ministry. The
administrative structure hinders seeing the needs of all groups of
people. They decided
to have a division of labor because the work of word, worship, prayer
and evangelism was too important for them to stop and supervise a
feeding program.

They chose those who were wise and full of the Holy Spirit, and
empowered them to exercise their gifts.

The kind of church seen then was where everyone is important in the
sight of God regardless of family affiliation, ethnic group, history
or heritage. It
was a church that takes care of the needs of people fairly without
prejudice, and a church where leaders take action before a problem
becomes a crisis.
It was a place where people are not afraid of change.

The church seen in the first few verses of Acts 6 is one where the
love of Christ flowed to be a healing and a help to the surrounding
community. This church
was a place where its leadership was serious about the ministry of
word, worship, prayer and evangelism that would guard against
intrusion.

What kind of church? It was the kind of church where God's presence
was felt and God's power was seen. It was a place where loads were
lifted, burdens born,
and sustenance and strength were given.

What kind of church do you want? That may be the wrong question. The
question is, what kind of church does God want? The blueprint is found
in Acts 6 and
God can work through you to manifest high glory in the church where
you are planted.

Scripture Of The Day: ".It would not be right for us to neglect the
ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables." - Acts 6:2
(NIV)


------------------------------------

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