Volume 4 15 December 2002 Issue 42
What We Owe The Local Work
by Tom Wacaster
When the Lord designed the church, He did so with a consideration of how the work of God could best be accomplished in the most efficient way. While the New Testament speaks of the church in a universal sense (Matt. 16:18, Eph. 1:22-23, Col. 1:18, etc), it also speaks of the church in the local setting. Consequently we read of the church at Rome, the church at Ephesus, the church at Philippi, and the churches of Asia in Pergamum, Sardis, Laodicia, etc. It seems to me that even the most casual search of the scriptures will reveal the fact that God intended for each member of the body of Christ to be identified and labor with the congregation that is nearest in proximity to where they live (provided, of course, that the congregation is faithful to the word of God). In fact, the only way any one of us will labor in the Lord's vineyard is within the structure commonly referred to as the "local church." There are a number of reasons why this is the case, not the least of which was the need for members to be under and submit to godly men who serve as Shepherds of their souls (Heb. 13:17). It would seem that any attempt to drive a great distance to meet with the brethren, when there is a faithful congregation close at hand, would diminish the capability of one to participate to the fullest in whatever capacity he or she may be able to labor. I have known of some brethren who would drive for two or three hours to attend another congregation for no other reason than the fact that the speaker was more "dynamic," or that they simply did not get along with one of the brethren, or they liked what congregation A had to offer over congregation B. Much more could be said regarding the use of our talents to help the church grow where we ourselves live, but I want to move on to another thought. Seeing that most of us are members of a local congregation, it remains, therefore, to determine precisely what I owe my local congregation. A number of years ago I conducted a gospel meeting at a congregation in rural Indiana. On Sunday morning, after the A.M. worship, the local preacher and his family departed for a week's vacation, much to my surprise and dismay. His attitude was: "Well, we have someone else here to do the preaching, so I can be gone." Most of us would respond in absolute horror at such lukewarmness, and yet, do we not manifest precisely the same attitude toward the Lord's work when we plan vacations, week-end trips, outings, and any number of activities when the local congregation is engaged in a major effort to promote the cause of Christ? When the elders plan a gospel meeting, or a lectureship, and provide enough notice to the members, it rests upon us to do everything within our power to arrange our schedule so that we can be present, and encourage others to do the same. There may be occasions when an "ox gets in the ditch." But it is a spiritually weak person who will make his plans with no regard to what God wills, and without any interest in the planned work of the local congregation, and then pitifully and hypocritically bemoan his inability to be present for those meetings because he "has other plans." Don't forget that James told us, "for that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both do this or that. But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is vain" (James 4:15). When we fail to participate in the work of the local congregation to the best of our ability, we rob the church of one more vital link in the life chain to the lost. Our absence and/or uninvolvement will reduce the influence of the church locally, and will eventually cause us to loose our soul with that wicked and slothful servant who dug a hole and buried his talent in the dirt of the earth.
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THE CHURCH IS NOT A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION
by David E. Parks
In the course of my studies, I sometimes encounter articles by management experts advising church leaders on the efficient recruitment, motivation and utilization of volunteers. At the risk of sounding picky or authoritarian, may I say that the church is NOT a volunteer organization. Elders, Deacons, and other Christians make a serious mistake when they fall for the modern, democratic idea of the church as a volunteer organization.
Where did this idea of the church as a volunteer organization originate? Certainly not the Bible! God's chosen leaders were never called volunteers in the Word. Imagine James writing, "James, a volunteer of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1). Could you picture Paul writing, "Paul, a volunteer of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1)?
The members of the church were never addressed as volunteers either. Paul did not write "To the volunteers in Christ who are in Colossae" (Colossians 1:2).
It is true that we enter the kingdom of God of our own free will. From that perspective we are volunteers. However, once we become Christians, we are not members of a volunteer organization. We are members of the "family of God," the "Body of Christ," and the "Kingdom of the Son" (I Peter 4:16; I Corinthians 12:26; Colossians 1:13).
The differentiation-between volunteers and servants of God-is important because volunteers and their leaders frankly do not expect very much of each other. Leadership experts tell us that the leaders of volunteer organizations tend to expect a very low level of performance and quality from the volunteers because they are: hard to get, working for free, and can quit on a whim. If a volunteer fails to perform as promised, what can his supervisor do-dock his pay, or give him time off?
The Lord does not give us the option of treating ourselves as volunteers. The words "servant" and "serve" are used over 130 times in the New Testament. The word "volunteer" is not found in the Bible. We are not called to volunteer. We are called to serve (Galatians 5:13). Following are several points from the Bible concerning how we are to serve:
1. According to the ability God has given us (Matthew 25:15-23; Luke 19:13-25; I Peter 4:10).
2. According to the opportunities presented to us (Galatians 6:10; Philippians 4:10).
3. With all our hearts (Colossians 3:23; I Samuel 12:24).
From these passages we conclude that each Christian should pray for wisdom to determine what abilities God has granted him or her and use them diligently as God presents opportunities to do so. It does not matter what your circumstance in life is. God has called you to serve.
- From Dec. 24, 1998 issue of The Words of Truth, published by the 6th Avenue church of Christ in Jasper, Alabama.
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Family News and Notes
Mark your calendar...the mid week service for Christmas week has been changed to Thursday, December 26th.
On December 17th at 9:30 a.m., the Ladies Bible Class will be filling holiday bags for those we want to remember at this time of the year. If you would like to help with this, you may bring individually wrapped non-perishable foods or travel-size toiletries. There will be a basket in the foyer, or they may be placed in the kitchen. If there is someone you would like for us to remember please give their name to Veleta, Billie or Amy.
Janelle Stephenson fell last week and broke a bone in her shoulder.
Sue Browning suffered a small stroke last Saturday. She is at home.
Some more of our folks have been sick at home:
Edith Shiflet
Wade Miller
Jerry freeman
Meryl Riley
Zeneth Hargrove
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Do You Love Him?
author unknown
I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down
But never found the time."
PRAYER LIST:
Delores Adams, Sue Browning, Narci Cooper, Perry Cooper, Sandra Cooper, Patsy Duncan, Jerry Freeman, Zeneth Hargrove, Bonnie Horton, Howard Horton, Corine Hudson, Dick Justiss, Ruby Lawhon, Wade Miller, Elna O'Neal, Glenn Parham, Meryl Riley, Murphy Ross, Edith Shiflet, Janelle Stephenson
ALSO: Paula Duncan, Evelyn Harrison, Alice O'Neal, Todd Ranes
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Service Arrangements
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Jim Duncan
SONG LEADER: Bill Jones
PRAYERS-----Sunday
a. m. First Prayer Vernon Garrett
a. m. Closing Frankie Sargent
p. m. First Prayer Gene Campbell
p. m. Closing Grady Duncan
PRAYERS-----Wednesday
First Prayer Tim Jones
Closing William Embree
COMMUNION:
a. m. Gene Campbell Bob Hedges
Roger Grimes Bud Roach
Lewis Robertson Darrell Cooper
p.m. Ralph Phillips Devon Phillips
ATTENDANCE COUNTER: Grady Duncan
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Transportation can be provided for those who need it. Please call--------
FRANKIE SARGENT at 903-572-2647
