The Facebook online social networking site is one of the Internet's most popular stops right now. (Jerry's page) If you're not familiar, Facebook creates a kind of virtual coffeeshop, where a person can drop in and chat with friends. Yesterday, for example, Jake and Steve shared their mutual dislike of Monday mornings. On Sunday, John posted photos of the youth event that had happened on Saturday evening at our church. Paige let us all know she finished her homework 'round 7 last night. Dawn was congratulated on her wedding anniversary this morning. Sharon told us that her father had died and we returned our thoughts of comfort.
"Who cares about all this?" you ask. In a busy world, it's a way to maintain our friendships, to stay connected in a highly mobile society. But, Facebook is not enough! We need regular times of face to face interaction to stay alive in Christ! On Sunday, I watched people at our church, chatting with each other: some conversations just about the weather, others much more important. In the evening, about 15 men sat in a circle. We all had other things we could have been doing, but we chose to share life for an hour. Together we read some from Nehemiah, talked about our prayer needs and our thankful praise. It was a time to gather strength for the week ahead, hope to deal with the struggles, encouragement of like-minded friends. In addition to prayer and Scripture, a foundational part of the Christian life is community!
Gayle Beebe writes, "External aids to God's grace increase our power to resist the ways and distractions of the world. Sermons, edifying conversations with other Christians... strengthen our resolve and ground our life in God." (Longing for God, IVP, 2009) Never underestimate the importance of being faithful to your church, of making creation and maintenance of friendships a high priority. Nothing yields greater results in spiritual formation than being part of a community of disciples that urges you to grow and helps you to stand up to the tests and temptations that inevitably come our way during this journey to our Home.
Ever built a campfire? You cannot do it with one single log! You start with some dry grass and a spark. Once that is burning, you add small twigs, then kindling. Finally, several larger pieces of wood must be placed next to each other to maintain the fire. Remove one that is blazing and set it by itself and in a short time the fire consuming it will sputter and die! Likewise, a solitary Christian will find himself cooling in faith! This is why one of the enemy's primary tactics to destroy our effectiveness as a follower of Jesus is to cause us to become offended or self-centered, so we remove ourselves from the fellowship. The Devil knows this is a sure way to bring on discouragement or delusion! Facebook, podcasts, and TV church cannot replace regular worship and interaction with other Believers! A disciple cannot thrive on Facebook alone.
Are you building up the Body?
Are you making regular worship with your church a priority?
Are you in a small group of disciples where 'everybody knows your name' and can encourage you and see through your excuses to challenge you to growth in Christ?
The Word is uncompromising in emphasizing the importance of living in community. Paul makes much of our being part of the Body of Christ! We cannot experience the fullness of God or His Kingdom apart from His Church! So, we read this command: "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)
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The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word.
From heav'n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.
Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
"One Lord, one faith, one birth;"
One holy name she blesses;
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev'ry grace endued.
'Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
'Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious,
Shall be the Church at rest.
Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, "how long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.
The Church's One Foundation
Stone, Samuel J. / Wesley, Samuel S.© Public Domain Join Our Mailing List
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