March 21, 2007
Unreal
Two struggling churches in rural Kansas combine forces and formed one congregation. The group agreed to have worship services in the newest and largest of their buildings, which happened to be seven miles from town. As time went on however, the pastor concluded that in order to grow the church needed to be located closer to town. Putting the property on the market, they abandoned their new building and rented a school in town for the worship services. Attendance dropped and tensions flared as parishioners questioned spending money to rent a school while their new church building seven miles away sat empty. Growing friction was played out in the local newspaper when the pastor was quoted as saying, “The real Christians are sticking through this [rough time].” So that's how real Christians are measured.
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Gail;
-----I’m thinking about calling the principle seen behind Philippians 2:3-4, Romans 15:2, and Galatians 6:10 the Chip-n-Dale principle. With the Chip-n-Dale principle truly in effect in the hearts of the children, there would still be arguments and disagreements in the church, but I would be arguing for what you want and denying what I want. You would be arguing for what I want and denying what you want. In the end, all things would work out the same in some fashion of compromise, but it would be a whole lot sweeter getting there. It would be a whole lot more scriptural too.
----Is this not what truly underlies Romans 12:1? Yet from the pulpit we always hear Romans 12:1 as meaning to deny everything of your street-life and go do religious things (prayer meetings, small groups, street-corner preaching, giving extra money, whatever is the religious-thing-de-jour of the sermon). If this were the case, then how does it naturally fit with Ecclesiastes 3:12 -13, “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God.” Or with Micah 6:8, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The sermon is saying that my body as a living sacrifice is doing some particular religious thing, while Philippians, Romans, Galatians, Ecclesiastes, and Micah (among so many others) seem to be saying that the sacrifice is just putting your self aside to do what is right among the circumstances, with your brother considered the tie breaker for the unclear decisions. Simply put, bring the Bible to your street life.
-----As I grew up I had hoped that I would meet some folks in the Lord to practice the Chip-n-Dale principle with, but dog-on-it, I haven’t come across any. I have been trying to teach the principle to my family, and joyfully, I am beginning to notice that my little spats with Char are showing real overtones of it! Our girls are still a bit clueless, though. What about the rest of you guys? Anybody game? Shoot, I’m not so good at it myself.
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