Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27, New International Version)
Theme: The Church
Today is dedicated to reviewing what we have learned over the last three days. As you perform your review, please consider catching up on any comments you may have missed. The commentary provided by others on this journey are critical to the process we employ for 40 Days of Discipline. There is no guarantee that every comment will be 100 percent correct but we value greatly the contributions of everyone. As guided by the Holy Spirit, we are confident that we can lovingly work through divergent doctrinal views if they arise. As you read through the comments you will find that they reflect thoughtful contributions that demonstrate how God is working in individual lives and communities.
Our desire is to make this journey transformative and not just informative.
Question:
Are you encouraged by the prescribed activities of the local church that we encountered in the Scripture over the last three days?
Please leave a comment. We would love to hear from you.
March 5, 2022 at 7:11 am
I am encouraged. I think being involved in your local church is important, no matter the role. I haven’t been to my own church since it went online due to the pandemic. There’s a small gathering on Saturday evenings that I have not be able to attend, but I’m looking forward to. I’m still a part of the prayer team, and I take that role seriously. I was the person who introduced the pastor at the beginning of the worship service, and even though it’s not a “big” role, it was a role I was committed to.
Have a wonderful weekend.
March 5, 2022 at 11:17 am
I am encouraged. As of the present, we are posted in Houston, Texas and I just started to attend at church near my place. This is our 11th assignment so my 10th church not including my home church in Japan. In this new church in River Oaks, Houston, I am grateful that I could attend again a bible study group, worship with other believers on Sundays, and I ‘m so glad to have met new friends, wonderful pastor and amazing women to have fellowship with and study God’s word. It is very important for me to have these ladies at church for they serve as my support spiritually and emotionally. Having a church family in every new place we live is such a blessing.
March 5, 2022 at 11:58 am
I have a mix of feelings as we go through the prescribed activities of the local church. On the one hand, it is encouraging to see how powerful and integral the local church can be to a community. On the other hand, there’s a temptation to be critical and examine modern local churches to see how they measure up to what is prescribed in scripture. As Ben (my husband) and I look for a new home church, there’s a delicate balance that needs to be struck between using these standards to help with our decision and being critical to the point where no church measures up. Because in truth, many churches struggle with one or more of the prescribed activities we’ve discussed thus far.
March 5, 2022 at 12:36 pm
I am encouraged by the activities read through scripture, the past few days. It is an encouragement because it shows how God is able to work through people in order to show a glimpse of the kingdom of Heaven. Selflessness, peace, and harmony. Though not common at all, these scriptures show that it is possible.
March 5, 2022 at 1:30 pm
I am encouraged by the reminders of the original intent of the church – a movement of likeminded people and not a building. I am also challenged, compelled, to reengage with my local church to live out the teachings and precepts that defined the first century Christ followers.
March 7, 2022 at 7:18 pm
There are complementary passages such as Eph 4:1-16 and 1 Cor 12 that provide a description of a healthy functioning local body. We as believers are obligated to take ownership and responsibility to avail ourselves and our gift to our local body and it is the role of the leaders to ensure that all members of the body are provided the opportunity to use their gift.
March 7, 2022 at 9:35 pm
Thanks for the Bible references Lee!