I know the church has been getting a poor rep lately.
Lately, it seems everyone has an opinion, and not all of them are positive. This pandemic has been more about division than bringing people together, which is a shame.
Some think the church should meet, and others believe the wisest move is to stay apart. Many vote for masks on, and just as many who say masks off. Some want us to meet only outside, and others can’t understand why everything isn’t inside.
At The Lighthouse Church, we have done our best to provide entry points that cover the bases by offering four worship services every weekend, but even that has not satisfied the masses. At a time when the church needs to be staying together, there are too many attempts to tear it apart.
The church is not an organization; it is a living organism. The church is not made of a workforce; it is made of God’s family showing the world how it is done.
No matter what, programs will never give us what only God’s power can provide. Big budgets don’t promise the Holy Spirit has the freedom to move. Flashy worship may be entertaining, but if the music showcases the band over the One we should be singing to, there will be a short circuit in the electricity department.
We need to let our light shine, so people can see Jesus whether they know the pastor’s name or not. God-initiated vision prevents believers from looking in the wrong direction with prioritizing their most important purpose. I believe the Bible tells us that it has to do with love.
In the Gospel of John, 13:34-35, Jesus told us, “A new commandment, I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
Loving God will only strengthen our relationship with Him because we learn that He loved us before we loved Him. The more we allow God’s love to invade our hearts, the more we will begin caring for those around us.
This world is about taking “selfies.” The church should be about making “otheries” more important than our desires. Humans stand on level ground before the cross of Christ. Young and old, male and female, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, black, white, and every other nationality that has ever walked the grounds of this planet, we are sinners needing salvation.
This is not the season that we should be about barriers. Why are we constructing walls that our Lord and Savior already tore down? Only by living Jesus’ love and genuinely loving one another will the world ever see the real Jesus.
It is to brothers and sisters that the world is drawn. The church is the bride of Jesus. Are we attempting to be more factory than family?
Actions always speak louder than words. For God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus, and in Jesus, we should finally discover the value of being around one another.
God made it obvious that without the church, there would be no Christianity.
Too much of a believer’s spiritual formation must occur primarily within the context of community, where people mature in their faith. There are so many goals you can’t accomplish as a solo entity. How can you do all the “one another’s” of Scripture if there is nobody around you for practicing?
People who stay committed to Jesus’ truths will experience what God has in store for His creation. We must learn to work through conflict, practice holiness partnered with hospitality, forge through forgiveness, fight the great fight of faith, and stick it out when running away might be the easiest option.
I have always said that I would rather have pew jumpers than church hoppers. I love seeing God’s people practice his word.
In my 24 years in Cape May County, I have seen many people come and go, come again and go again, and so on. We all know people who are critical of the church. Unfortunately, they are not committed enough to be part of the spiritually led solutions.
Aren’t you glad that Jesus doesn’t give up on us? He wants us to blossom where we were planted, but there will be no eternal fruit if faith doesn’t dig deep roots. Like trees repeatedly transplanted from soil to soil have a challenge to establish a real root system, so are Christians who don’t dig in and make a lasting statement about who they are and what they believe.
You can’t ignore the church’s importance. Nobody is perfect, and there is no infallible place of worship this side of heaven. Wherever we go, flesh will always attempt to squash faith. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.
God promised that His explosion of colorful creativity would be displayed through the church. Not everything is black and white.
There is unity around the truth, but there is diversity in how faith is expressed. What a time for the watching world to see the church at its best. This is the day that God wants us to become the rock that He proclaimed hell’s gates won’t stand against.
I love being a pastor because it keeps me real. Traveling speakers can repeat their five best messages, coming to town only to leave just as fast. However, when the shepherd makes his home in the middle of the sheep, you can’t fake it because you will be exposed quite quickly.
The church is God’s idea, so I wouldn’t abandon it too quickly. God didn’t commission the angels to share the great news of Jesus. He gave His Holy Spirit to redeemed men and women.
Instead of opting out, it is time for us to surrender all to our Savior who gave us nothing less than His best. Get excited and let’s uplift Jesus.
It is not about denominations or political parties. It is about believing in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and allowing Him to shine through us.
Our world is becoming too dark, and now, more than ever, it is a season for the church to shine. Come be part of what God is doing. It is a miraculous adventure.
Let’s stop going to church, and instead, let’s be the church.
ED. NOTE: The author is the senior pastor of The Lighthouse Church, 1248 Route 9 South, Court House.
