Knowing your Church

 

Through all my Christian life I have observed and experienced so many things that I would like to share with you but as I can not cover all the experiences I have to go again one by one. But let me ask you; do you know your church?

In this writing I want to speak about why many people criticises the church and its leaders? Well, at one time you may have been or were one of them, hope not any more. As I lived in Australia and during my ministry l used to joke about the “Christians type Kangaroo” referring to those  believers who are jumping from church to church as they can’t find what they are looking for…

But, why people jumps from church to church? It is because they don’t like the church, the preaching, the liturgy, and in many times they don’t like its leaders? So criticism is all what they can do and once the tongue is unleashed there is nothing else to do than to jump to another church.

While thinking in this came to my mind an anecdote that I heard from someone, so I would like to share it with you as it portrays this type of persons. 

The story is about a family who moves out of their town in search for a better town to live, well I will change the subject and I am going to apply such story to a people wanting to find another better church than the one they are attending; let’s see if can do it:

“There was a man who left his church and went to see if he could find a better church to worship, let’s call him John. He came to the first church and met Sebastian there; John introduce himself as a believer and not wasting time he asked this question; how is the people in this church? Well, John; replies Sebastian; tell me how is the people in the church were you come from? Oh, replies John; the people over there is selfish, untrue, hypocrite, and the pastor is the same! Oh, John, sorry to hear that, -said Sebastian-. The people in here are all the same! So, John left and went to the second church.

The story was de same a few times, and John could not find the church he wants”

“Later, came to the first church another person looking for a new church where to worship. Let’s call him Peter. Peter and his family have just moved into a new town and were looking for a church to worship. Peter came to the same first church and met the same person; Sebastian who John first met. Without wasting any time Peter asked to Sebastian; how is the people in this church? Well, replies Sebastian; tell me how is the people in the church were you came from? Oh! Replies Peter; the people over there are, warm, caring, lovely and sincere, and the pastor such a good man of God. Oh, Peter! Said Sebastian, the people here are all the same, welcome to your new church!

Perspective, misunderstanding and expectations; are three important words that many people can not perceive adequately;

-Perspective; depends of how you want to see things or how you perceive things.

-Misunderstanding; occurs when the person can not understand the church, the vision and the principles.

-Expectations can be affected for your own felling and desires.

John and Peter were opposite in this three things and Sebastian gives us such a tremendous lesson that hope will speak to many John’s and Peter’s.

It is important to understand that the church is a divine institution created by God ‘not by man’ but since such institution is being form by ‘people’ we need to understand that we humans are not perfect therefore every church is different from one to another.

Now, let me ask you and think about your answer;

Why people jump from church to church?

Why the great majority of people move away from churches within the first year or less?

Why we have people who established themselves in the church and after many years still remains in there?

This is the key component and the heart of this writing, I have felt so move and stirred to speak about.

Understanding the church;

Church is not just what you see on Sunday or in your first visit. The church is a complex organisation being driven by God through the Holy Spirit and its leaders specifically by the pastor who are carrying a vision placed by God in his heart. To understand the vision of the church it is not just grasped in one week, it takes time! To my understanding it results of un-maturity when a person criticises the church and its leaders by the first impression. The church has goals visions and teachings that you can not understand at least you are identified and committed to be part of it. A mature Christian can easily identify himself with the church in a short period of time but still it will take some time to grab the full understanding of the church.

The church responses towards people;

In so many times I have seen people coming to church and leaves within the first days because they felt unwanted in there. The reality is that they are not unwanted as they are part of the body of Christ ‘but’ no matter who you are a wise church will take time to get to know you before enrolled you in any ministry of any kind. Yes! There are ministries that people can do in their first time in church but there are others that demand to know you first, and the mature believers understand this.

 

Well settled believers;

I am now talking about those believers who have remained in church already for a few years. The reason for what they have remained in the church is because they have now developed an understanding of the church and have identified themselves with it in many different areas such; teaching, vision and goals carried out by the leaders.

But, how long will take to a person to understand the church the teaching, vision and goals?

What I am now saying does not come from any book or someone else or because someone told me, but rather comes from my experience and years that I have served and walked with God, so this should be copy righted eh? Here is my explanation:

For a new converted believer this comments I would say may not be applicable as some persons will grow up and be developed within the church and will grab easily the teaching, the goals and the vision easily. For a believer who was moved into a new church here is my response;

In the first year;

You will accommodate to the church culture; how we are, what we do, why we do it, and who we are. It will take at least one full year to grasp this idea and to get to know the people especially in a large church.

In the first two years;

The believer will start to understand the vision, the teaching and the goals.

By the third year;

The believer will start to accept the leadership of the church; I’m talking about the pastor and the team of leaders.

By the four year;

The believer would have identified with the church and it leaders are recognising him as a mature established person.

By the fifth year;

The believer has developed the full sense of belonging and certainly will become a person well established and will be hard to be move or to leave the church. The teaching, the vision and the goals are part of his faith.

 The rest of the years will speak by themselves.

A blessed church;

We can see all around the world a large quantity of churches; ones big, other medium and many more small. The blessing of the church can not be measured by number but by what they do and preach.

A blessed church is that one who relies in God and follows the pattern of blessing being established by God in many part of the Scripture by now let me explain one of them:

 

Psalm 133

¹ How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!

 ² It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
³ It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore

 

In Verse 1;

To live together in unity; pleases God and therefore His eyes are upon his people.

In Verse 2;

The precious oil here can be mentioned as God’s anointing poured out for the church. This anointing falls first in the head. Here refers to Aaron’s head the priest who is now represented by the pastor. The anointing of God, the blessing and the wisdom is delivered by God through the Holy Spirit over the pastor. We can also see that this anointing runs down to the beard. The beard here represents the leadership of the church all those who have been appointed to beared an office in the church are under the same anointing. This anointing also runs down the collar which represent the congregation of the church and reached down Hi’s rob and the Mount of Zion that symbolises the people out of church; the community. Got it? 

Submission and respect;

Is the subject also a believer needs to understand as when we submit and respect, the blessing of God will not be missed at all.

Church; let’s stop playing ‘religiosity’ and becomes true with God. Let’s pray for the biblical understanding so we can grasp the heart of the church. Stop looking for perfectionism as you will never find it, and as one once said; “the day you find the perfect church you will destroy it”.

Hope this writing reaches your hear and God reveals His will to you.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

 

Your Bro. Gustavo