All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32
Today afforded two special opportunities to pray with others, one that was planned, the other that was not (at least, not by me). The first opportunity arose shortly after I came to the office after a few days away. A note on my desk indicated a missed call from a man who’s relative lay comatose at Valley…a relative with a connection to our church from years gone by. My hospital visit was difficult as the patient could not speak. But there was obvious physical response to my words, if not recognition of my name and voice. I read of God’s mercies from Lamentations 3:21-26. And I prayed. The second opportunity found me joining with five other pastors at our monthly Renton Gospel Network lunch. It was a rich time of fellowship that included the sharing of burdens, mutual encouragement in the work of the Kingdom, and hearty laughter. And we prayed. The first time of prayer reminded me of our world’s unbelievable need for Christ, especially since the coma was induced by alcohol abuse. But whether our idolatry takes the form of substance abuse, or pride, or the relentless accumulation of stuff, it exposes the overwhelming hopelessness all around us…and our own susceptibility to counterfeit gods. And it serves as yet another reminder of the importance of our mission to make fully devoted disciples of Christ. My time with the pastors was a much different, but no less potent, reminder of the challenge of discipleship. If you haven’t noticed, the church, today, is under attack. Certainly, Covid has provided some profound and unique obstacles to the mission of the church. But this is in addition to all of the usual suspects, including a culture that is increasingly hostile to truth. Yet, as I chatted with these fellow shepherds, I was reminded that some of the most profound challenges we face in the church come from within, including challenges which arise from differing perspectives and our aversion to commitment (i.e., flakiness!). Both of these times of prayer, however, are reminders of the importance of the mission we’ve been given as a church…and the importance of pursuing that mission with one heart and one mind. In our fractured world, we’ve grown accustomed to dissension and infighting as the acceptable norm. In the culture, that’s expected. In the church, it’s unacceptable. I love the fact that so many in our church are reading A Place to Belong. (If you missed the Life on Life group sign-ups, I encourage you to get a copy of this book and read it for yourself.) This book is not about a clever concept or a novel idea, but Biblical instructions on the church, like this one: The church is not a man-made society that we can participate in—or opt out of—according to our own level of comfort. The PTA, the neighborhood association, or the library booster club do not obligate us to personal sacrifice when things get tough. Family does. Because God’s people are our family, we will hold our own preferences and priorities loosely (Acts 4:32; Phil. 2:3–4). It’s true, there are many groups that really don’t require commitment. If things get tough, or you grow less fond of the members, or your interest wanes…you can bail. It’s no big deal. Not so in the church. In the church, we are family. You don’t bail on family. You just don’t. Also, being part of the church will require personal sacrifice. It’s shared so matter-of-factly in Acts 4:32 above, but you can be sure that the mutual sharing described here required personal sacrifice. Want proof? Check out Ananias and Sapphira’s attempt to skirt such sacrifice in the following chapter. They wanted the benefits of membership without the cost. But as they found out, in rather dramatic fashion, you can’t have one without the other. Being “devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Romans 12:10)…is hard. But it’s not optional for those in Christ. You cannot have Jesus without His church. Which means, as the quote concludes, “because God’s people are our family, we will hold our own preferences and priorities loosely.” That’s a tough one. We all want what we want. But in Christ, we serve a higher purpose…His Kingdom, His glory, what He wants. Our church has grown increasingly diverse in recent years with the influx of newer members (praise God!). But we must remember, we are called to be one in heart and mind, because we serve one Lord. Let us pray for God’s Spirit to give us an ever-increasing unity in spirit and purpose (Phil. 2:2) as we participate with Him in the building of His Kingdom!
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Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
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