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This Sunday
February 12, 2017
Sermon Title:
"Pizza, Sushi, and the Three Spiritual Food Groups"
Scripture:
I Corinthians
3:3-9
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 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building (I Corinthians 3:8-9).
February 9, 2017
Dear MLEPC Members and Friends,
What do pizza, sushi, and the basic food groups have in common with I Corinthians 3? We will all have to come to worship services this Sunday to find out! But in the meantime, I can say that Paul's exhortation to both the leaders and the congregants at the church in Corinth is easily identifiable:
Planting Seeds
First, he says, we need not argue over the small things. There are bigger fish to fry--namely, how to plant the seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to water those seeds through strong methods of discipleship. These are the things that Christians, especially leaders, are called to do. At every opportunity, see where we might plant a seed. Through a word, a discussion, or a helping hand of service, we build the vital relationships needed to grant us further opportunity to interface with those who literally do not know Jesus from Adam. Then, as those relationships are cultivated, so also are the seeds nourished. They are nourished through love, through attention, through guidance in God's Word, through prayer, through answering the tough questions and working through them together, through sharing in both joys and sorrows, and through worshipping together. But perhaps the most important point that Paul makes in his letter to the Corinthian church is that it is God who makes seeds grow. We can plant seeds all day. We can water them all night. But without God, they simply remain seeds. God turns seeds into beautiful plants that grow and replicate.
Being of one Mind
Second, I believe that what Paul tells the church in Corinth is very applicable to our current transition time in the church. He states in I Corinthians 3:8 that "...he who plants and he who waters are one." What Paul means is that those working in the fields of the kingdom are of one mind--one purpose. They are in agreement about how to go about the process of planting and watering. I cannot emphasize this enough for you, my brothers and sisters. God is calling us to get on the same page about what ministries are done at our church, to whom the primary focus is given, and how to best reach those whom God is calling us to reach. Otherwise, like so many Mainline Protestant churches that are failing in America, we become, as Robert Greene said in 1592, "a jack of all trades, but a master of none."
You: God's Field and God's Building
Last, I want to mention something to you, the faithful members and friends of MLEPC. I believe God is not done with our church. I believe He has a plan, a purpose, and a perfect way forward for us in this time. And I believe God wants to use you in mighty ways. You are God's field, and God's building. Your leaders are here to serve you, so you can be equipped to serve others--especially those who are unchurched, or hurting, or broken. Fields have one purpose and one purpose alone--to grow plants and bear fruit. Buildings (Paul is referring to a house or a home, in the Greek) have one purpose too, and as they are built on strong foundations, they fulfill the purpose for which they were built: they become homes for the living of life. It is God who wants to live in the homes of our hearts.
Getting Plugged into Christian Community
We know that this is a time of potential stress for people in the church. Because of this, Pastor Linda, the Session of the church, our lay-leaders, and I are in full agreement that we need to support you. We will do our best to be there for you, to listen to you, and to provide ministry opportunities that are more in line with being than doing. Small groups are like this. They are an easy way, even for facilitators, to be in the presence of God and one another without having to obsess over the 'doing' of ministry. They leave room for community building, for the study of God's Word, for prayer, for sharing and care to be given with and to each other. What's funny is that sometimes it's ok to vent a little too in small groups. Complaints could be aired out and dealt with a little. So can frustrations--and no one will judge you. But the best thing about small groups is that they help to nourish the plants growing in the field, and they help to solidify the foundation laid for the buildings. I want to simply encourage you to get plugged into one of the small groups that MLEPC is offering: on Wednesday evening primarily, and also others on different days or evenings, such as the one meeting to discuss and practice prayer on Sunday nights. We need to be there for each other, and continually relearn the art of Christian community.
May the grace of Jesus Christ be with you all,
~Pastor Steve
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