As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Read the series.
We’ve noted that some people resist committing to a local church, and I think we’ve demonstrated that their reasons for doing so are short-sighted. Even in a broken world with broken institutions full of broken people, surrounding yourself with your fellow travelers—and committing to them—is not only worth it, but it’s a mark of personal and social health.
So why get involved? Several reasons.
“A ‘top-down approach’ essentially means that theologically speaking, God has the right to inform and reform how I — or anyone — should approach him in worship.” - P&D
“Christians…increasingly want their church to point to God, not only in the explicit worship and teaching, but also in its appearance, how it makes them feel, and the subconscious ways they experience the space.” - Barna
“Keep meetings short. Long, heavy meetings are hard for everyone. The typical person can focus for 65–70 minutes. Few can concentrate on demanding mental work for more than 90 minutes.” - TGC
“A church congregation is more than just a group of people; they are a family. In times of crisis, it is crucial to communicate with them personally.” - Phil Cooke
I’d like to begin a brief series on what our relationship should be with our local church. Like any culture, our culture—early 21st-century American conservative evangelicalism—has its strengths and its weaknesses, its sore spots and its blind spots. I think there are some elements in our church culture that have greatly improved on the way things used to be done—improved in the sense of becoming more in line with biblical teaching—but I think there are also some important elements that we tend to de-emphasize.
So a few posts on some of those.
“Before these conversations, I’d never considered the spiritual significance of the lobby as I came and went from worship. Merely having this pointed out to me has—in no time—created a more grace-filled heart posture as I approach this preworship and postworship pass-through.” - TGC
“In general, the regulative principle calls for inflexibility on the elements and flexibility on the forms. Don’t mess with the elements. God has spoken. But you can exercise prudence with the forms.
“How do you shepherd a flock to healthier pastures when the sheep aren’t yet convinced that the grass is greener on the other side? Some answers are obvious: we must walk faithfully with the Lord and patiently love the flock. Okay, but what else?” - 9 Marks
“No matter what he faces in years to come, your early loving care for him will help keep his heart soft. If his first experience is a negative one, on the other hand, he may always be wondering when the proverbial ‘other shoe will drop.’” - Chuck Lawless
Discussion