Sunday, August 27, 2006

Late Night Thinking

It's late...and I've been thinking.

Tomorrow is Sunday... Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday morning! Do you know this? If you know it, how do you respond?
(1) Do you feel that you are responsible for worshipping God?
(2) Or do you just feel like a spectator during a worship service?
(3) Do you clap at the end of a song for the performers or for the audience [God]?
(4) How much time did you spend in prayer at church?
(5) How much time reading the word?
(6) Discoursing over spiritual things over coffee with a dear brother or sister in Christ?
(7) Did you pray with anyone in the hall?
(8) Did you tell anyone about the struggle you're facing right now?
(9) Do you know what your pastors think?
(10) How many kids they have?
(11) How many responsibilities they have?
(12) What sins do they struggle with?
(13) Do you know where they live, what kind of cars they drive?
(14) Do you know what they enjoy?
(15) What theological topic gets your pastors going?
(16) Are you happy with what you have learned about theology and church history in your local church?
(17) Do you feel like you are being equipped to reach your neighborhood for Christ?
(18) What will motivate you to boldly declare Christ in your workplace?
(19) In your neighborhood?
(20) Would you risk getting fired for preaching Christ crucified at work?
(21) Have you talked to your neighbor RIGHT NEXT DOOR about who Jesus Christ is?
(22) What do they think?
(23) Do they believe in Islam, Christianity...are they jews, mormons, atheists, agnosics, hindus, etc.?
(24) Is your church having an effective witness and communication of the gospel in your community?
(25) What can it/you be doing to do this?
(26) If you are leading a group in the church do you know where everyone is at in their faith?
(27) Are they struggling with anything?
(28) Is there a different way you can structure the group in order to be more effective/deliberate?
(29) When was the last time you saw a fellow believer from your fellowship outside of Sunday worship?
(30) For dinner, lunch or breakfast?
(31) Do you know any elderly people in your church body?
(32) Do you know the budget?
(33) The elders, and deacons?
(34) How many people are in the hospital right now?
(35) Do you know how many people have died in the last year?
(36) How many widows?
(37) How many reformed homosexuals?
(38) How many kids in the student ministry?
(39) How many Adult Bible Fellowship's there are?
(40) Are you aware of the theological "wolves" that are licking their chops to drag off some helpless or ignorant lambs from your flock?
(41) Do you know who you can go to for help emotionally?
(42) Do you know who the members are at your church?
(43) Do those members come very often?
(44) Have you read the bible lately?
(45) Have you read the entire bible?
(46) What am I doing in response to these things?
(47) Am I doing anything under compulsion?
(48) How's my wife doing, and what does she think about all this?
(49) Am I harboring any bitterness toward a brother or sister?
(50) Have I told them?
(51) When was the last time I repented of my sin?

"Oh Lord, I'm a man with unclean lips. Cleanse me again. Please forgive me of my sins again. Help me to love my local church and communicate clearly with everyone about what I see for the edification of the body. Give me strength to say no to requests in order that I might be more effectively used, but help everyone of us to know about the needs of the body so that we might find out how to meet them. I'm truly humbled by your grace. Father work mightily in our congregation! In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

I'm going to bed...now that I've been completely humbled. God bless you on the Lord's Day!

2 comments:

Zach Kapfer said...

Great post but I will throw my two cents into the pot.

These are great things to be aware of and great things to accomplish. There is one piece from this post that is messing-Love. If you love God and love your fellow man, then this list of good deeds will find a way into your life and the people you love.

If love is absent, then these items are done out of obligation. But I guess doing these obligations may lead to a change of heart.

Romans 13:8-10 (love)
Romans 4:4-8 (faith)

P.S. Have faith that the holy spirit will guide you to do the good deads that God has planned for you. Opposed to the good deeds that you have deemed worthy at that time.

Noah Braymen said...

Good point Zach...that should probably be at the front of the list...

(1) Do you love the Church that God has given you, out of the overflow of love that you have for Jesus Christ??

Thanks for the clarification:)