Category Archives: Church Life

Church Life should be governed by God’s design and purposes for the Body of Christ with Jesus as its Head and us as members united though diverse.

Can’t Do Church as Usual?

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We’re looking at a number of priorities for the Church to fulfill our purpose to love God and others.

Church Purpose & Priorities Remain When Can't Do Church as Usual

Click on the links below if you haven’t read the posts showing biblical reasons these practices should be a priority for the Church and in our personal lives.

Benevolence
Christian Nurture
Fellowship
Outreach
Prayer
Worship

Our purpose to love God and others doesn’t change regardless of circumstances or what is happening in the world around us. Even if we can’t meet as a local church, this purpose remains. Under adverse conditions, we actually have greater opportunity to demonstrate God’s love. But, that won’t happen if we think “church as usual” is the only way we can accomplish these priorities.

What happens to these biblical priorities if we can’t do Church as usual?

This is a good time to re-examine how we view Church.

  • If it’s all about our programs and the building we meet in, then we’re going to find ourselves in a dilemma.
  • But, if the Church truly is about ministry and providing opportunities for people to know and love God and demonstrate His love to people, we just have to get a bit creative.

We are still the Church. The programs we have to accomplish these priorities aren’t what make us the Church. These priorities remain priorities. Live streaming is one way many churches are using but not everyone is set up for it and that certainly is not the only way to continue on. We can still shepherd people and provide the support and encouragement people need. Regularly communicate with people by phone, texting, e-mail, social media, and yes, even snail mail.

Encourage People to Be the Church Where They Are

Encourage people in your church to look for ways they can individually and as families live out these various means to show love for God and people. Provide, or at least point them to helpful resources. Think creatively about how to communicate God’s purposes and how these priorities continue to be priorities. — “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24)

Here are just a few things we can encourage people toward. Click on links below for various helps already on the MinTools.com site. The links go to resource pages with articles and books you can pass along to others in your church.

Benevolence – help neighbors in need; give to those in financial distress as you are able

Christian Nurture – good time to get into the practice of personal study of God’s Word; share what you’re learning with someone else as a means of encouragement

Fellowship – phone, texting, e-mail, social media

Outreach – be the salt and light by how you respond in adverse circumstances

Prayer – pray for and with people over the phone

Worship – watch services live streamed but also use available platforms to testify of God’s goodness and grace during this time

In Acts 2:42-47, we read that the Early Church was so devoted to accomplishing these priorities that they met daily with one another. Though that might not be happening today, we’re in a unique position from the Early Church. We have technology they didn’t have … like phones and the Internet. Let’s seek God’s wisdom on how to creatively use it for ministry. Who knows, if we, as the Church, get back to what truly makes us the Church, perhaps we too will be able to say “and the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47).

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Benevolence a Priority?

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Do Good & Share - Benevolence a Priority

To fulfill our purpose to love others (Matt. 22:39), we must consider ways to demonstrate that love. Benevolence, the practical meeting of people’s needs, provides a means of loving others. Hence, benevolence should be a priority for God’s people.

5 Biblical Reasons to Make Benevolence a Priority

If we page through Scripture, we’ll find plenty of other reasons to make benevolence a priority.

  1. God cares about the poor and oppressed. (Ps. 10:14, 17-18; 35:10; 140:12; 146:5-9; Prov. 22:2, 22-23)
  1. What we do for the poor is likened to doing it for the Lord. (Prov. 17:5; 19:17; Matt. 25:31-46)
  1. We see benevolence modeled in the Old Testament. (Lev. 25:1-55; Deut. 14:28-29; 24:19-21)
  1. Jesus’ own life is an example of benevolent living for others. (2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:5-7)
  1. We find an example of its priority in the Early Church. (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 5:1-11; 6:1-7)

Certainly these reasons should motivate us to make benevolence a priority. But, let’s remember that God wants it to be more than merely fulfilling our duty. To Him, it’s about truly loving people.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13:3)

The Church Purpose Manual includes the above content along with more about this priority as well as other ways we can live out our purpose to love God and people.

More: Benevolence Resources & Ideas

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Benefits of Being Accountable to One Another

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Training Category: Body Life

Some people shy away from the concept of accountability because they associate it with confrontation. While rebuking, challenging, warning, and admonishing may be necessary at times, accountability also yields support, counsel, encouragement, and affirmation.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Eccl. 4:10)

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Eccl. 4:12)

There are benefits beyond the support described in Ecclesiastes 4. The verses listed below provide us with the results of Body Life in which accountability is exercised.

Questions We Might Ask about the Benefits of Being Accountable to One Another

What’s in it for me?

James 5:16 indicates that healing is in store for the person who puts himself in a place of accountability.

What’s in it for others?

Colossians 3:9-10 states that it is a reflection of the new life we have in Christ which is a wonderful testimony to the world around us.

What’s in it for God?

Ephesians 5:21 lets us know that Christ is honored through it because this kind of accountability is the backbone of unity.

Benefits of Accountability in Body Life Ministry Manual

Please Note: You’ll find the content of this post in the Body Life Ministry Manual, along with some additional thoughts and help on being accountable to one another.

Also Read: True Body Life Results in Accountability

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How Can We Worship Our God?

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Reflecting on who God is, as we did in the previous post, leads to responding to who He is in worship and praise. What a difference it makes in our worship when the reason we worship grows out of knowing the One we worship. It’s hard to simply go through the motions when we truly reflect on Him.

Know and Worship Our God - How To

Respond: How We Worship Our God

Some of the same verses used to reflect on who God is, give an appropriate, and logical, way to respond.

Be thankful and praise His name.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Ps. 100:4-5)

Bow before Him in reverence and submission.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. (Ps. 95:6-7)

Offer praise even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise –the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Heb. 13:15-16)

Give all of who we are to His glory.

Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. (Rom. 11:35-12:1)

Notice that worship goes beyond our words, songs, and motions to our attitude toward Him. What’s in our heart matters! And, worshiping goes beyond the worship service to the whole of our lives.

Learn more about worshiping our God:

Learn more about the implications in leading this kind of worship:

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Passionate Prayer Rooted in Knowledge

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Training Category: Prayer Ministry

Passionate prayer is more than emotion. Our zeal needs to be combined with and rooted in knowledge so we don’t mistakenly interpret how God is working through our prayers.

Passionate Prayer Rooted in Knowledge

When passion grows out of knowledge — both head and heart knowledge, we find that we have a reason to be enthused about prayer that transcends our feelings and circumstances. We don’t get discouraged when God answers differently than the way we might have hoped. We realize how much better His ways are than our ways. As we learn to know Him better, we find ourselves turning to Him more with increasing reliance and anticipation.

Passionate Prayer Rooted in Knowledge of God

When what we know in our minds to be true about God sinks into a heart knowledge, we can’t help but be passionate in prayer. Realizing that who He is affects how He responds to our prayers, tends to build within us an excitement and anticipation.

  1. knowledge of who He is: His character

God is fully capable of answering our prayers.

  1. knowledge of how He works: His ways

God cares about us. Our good is at the core of His love for us and will affect how He answers our prayers.

  1. knowledge of what He says: His Word

God will always be consistent with His Word in the way He responds to prayer.

The Prayer Ministry Manual guides you in reflecting on these three points to further develop your passion in prayer.

 

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Apologetics: Not Just What We Say

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Training Category: Outreach Ministry

ApologeticsWe are to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet. 3:15) which certainly refers to “what” we say. The Greek word itself for “to give an answer”, apologia, means a verbal defense. However, we need to go on to the next word in the verse “but” — “But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience …”

Biblical Apologetics Isn’t Just What We Say But How We Say It

God’s Word exhorts us to not only defend our faith but to maintain integrity while doing so. 2 Timothy 2:24 parallels the stance Christians should take with others — “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct …”

Biblical Apologetics involves some do’s and don’ts:

DO:

  • Do be gentle in your approach no matter how they treat you.
  • Do treat the person with respect regardless of their views.
  • Do demonstrate kindness even if they aren’t.

DON’T:

  • Don’t quarrel or let a debate escalate to the point of a power struggle.
  • Don’t get resentful if people won’t budge or if they attack you rather than the issues.

We need to know when to bail out. 2 Timothy 2:23 says “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels.” If a person genuinely wants an answer, you should be able to get beyond the smoke screens and deal with the real issues in a civil manner.

Learn more about apologetics in the Outreach Ministry Manual which includes an outline of this classic passage, 1 Peter 3:15-18, on defending our faith.

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