John Wesley once said to his preachers: “How dare you lead people to Christ without providing adequate opportunity for growth and nurture? Anything less is simply begetting children for the murders.”
I like the way Hebrews 3:12-13 puts it. ‘See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.’
Pretty hard to encourage one another when you see them only on Sunday or Wednesday for an hour or two. I believe discipling one another takes more commitment than that. It’s really an intimate thing. That’s why in Matthew 18:20 Jesus said, “Where two or three come together” we all benefit greatly from a sermon or some teaching on Sunday or Wednesday night, but is that bearing one another’s burdens?
Try an experiment. Take just 10 or 15 people standing around talking about whatever. Soon there will be two, three, or four splitting off by themselves, maybe agreeing or disagreeing on whatever. That is how real fellowship works.
Brother Paul tells us how Onesiphorus searched hard in brotherly love to be helpful and refreshing to him. (2 Timothy 1:15-18) Also, Paul had learned that fellowship is a two way benefit (Romans 1:11-12).
I even enjoyed the Quakers. Once upon a time while cutting timber in central Washington I attended a ‘Friends’ church. The pastor stepped away from the pulpit after his sermon and gave the members time to be moved by the Spirit and come forward to share. I really enjoyed their service (Acts 13:15). The Spirit of the Lord sent me to many different churches to enlighten me on my spiritual journey with Christ. We could all benefit by getting out of our denominational cocoon.
Perhaps all of us believers should take a mental Spiritual Inventory once in a while. Am I pleased with my Spiritual growth? Is God pleased with my life in Christ? Is my Church (denominational) body functioning the very best it can?
Reader Comments(0)