There is a reason that Christians congregate. It’s not just because of the socialization aspect of being with like minded people. It’s because God has given those in the church different gifts, to be used together with others all for the building up of the body. Listen to this Scripture: “And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head – Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” Ephesians 4:11-16 Now that sounds like a plan! God’s plan, that we all work together to bring unity from diversity; unity from different gifts, all working together, not to cause divisiveness, but to bring unity by concentrating on the head – Christ. So let’s think about that the next time we attend church. Often we will look at the church as to what we can get out of it, but shouldn’t we be looking at it from the standpoint of what we can put into it, for the sake of others, doing the same thing? It’s time to get out of our pews of indifference and that place that we go to every week, to sit in the same place, and to not associate except with the few who approach us. Let us approach others with the gift we have been given. Just think, if we all went to “church” thinking of what the Lord would have us input into it for the sake of others, the church would blossom, and it would become strong, and it would become mature. We would learn to overlook the differences and see the similarities of faith that we share. Those things pertinent to Salvation and growth. We must stop majoring on the minor things that reveal our differences, and concentrate on the things that make us alike, knowing full well that we are different but in Christ we are all the same – just different gifts, which are to be used for what? For unity! We should have an excitement to be in church every Sunday. If you are not excited about being in church, perhaps you are there with the wrong motivation. Look to the Father! Look to the Son, Look around you and see the adventure that awaits you when you “branch” out and willingly make yourself part of the body. That’s the church I want to be a part of, and I want you there to share your gift, and to enjoy the fellowship as we worship together, to the praise of our Great God and King. Pastor Andy
Barnabas Man 