How Can I Make a Difference in My Church?
Third Step: Live to Give-Not Take!!!
God wants us to live our lives investing in others. However, our natural tendency is to want other people to invest in us. We want a church that sings the songs we like and delivers messages that bring us comfort or help us to live a good life. We want others to teach us and give us good things to do. Unfortunately, that is not being the body of Christ. The body of Christ looks out for others. The body of Christ gives and receives.
When we come to worship with others, we need to be determined that we will do our best to give encouragement. We will do our best to make someone else glad that they came to church. We will be their friend. When we listen to a sermon, we need to listen for not only what God would say to us, but also we need to listen for what God would have us pass along.
Philippians 2:1-4 is one of my favorite passages from the Bible and it gets at the heart of what I am saying. It says,
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,if any tenderness and compassion,
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then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
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Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
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not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
In short, if you would like to be a part of a church that is more loving, let it begin with you. Take the risk of allowing the love of Christ to shine in you and see how it improves the entire church.
In Christ,
Dan Brown (Administrative Pastor)
