A Word for Church Leaders

 

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care…”

—1 Peter 5:2a

Few people exist as long-time members of a church, who haven’t bumped up against a church leader who strained their patience or hurt their feelings. Nothing is more irritating or heartbreaking than being harmed by a nasty church leader.

The Apostle Peter offers these words of warning in 1 Peter 5:1-4:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

May every person in authority heed these words, in order to bring glory to God and maintain a loving peace among those believers who worship together.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 28, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Displaying God's Handiwork

 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

—Ephesians 2:10

Many times, when I look at a nature photograph, I feel such joy as I observe God’s handiwork. God has such creativity: “My lips can hardly describe what my eyes can see.”

Do you realize that we Christians are also God’s handiwork? The Apostle Pail makes just such a declaration in Ephesians 2:1-10:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Many people sincerely believe their good works will help them “buy” their way into heaven. But Jesus is the only way. He paid the price for our redemption on the cross. He conquered sin and death through His resurrection. He transformed temporal human life to eternal and everlasting life through His ascension.

We receive God’s gift of eternal life, through Jesus, by grace alone through faith alone. As a result, the Holy Spirit motivates us to do good works to honor God, celebrate this great gift He has given us, and acknowledge the reality of His great love for us.

Good works are not a payment for our entrance into heaven. Rather, any good works we do are a result of the fact that we already have a place reserved for us in heaven through the precious blood of Jesus. Our good works are simply the manifestation of the new life that God has given us through His precious Son. We are motivated to show our obedience to God through the good works that He prompts us to do by the divine presence of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit.

Let us rejoice this day that we who belong to God’s Son, Jesus, are God’s living handiwork. We are products of His grace through faith and recipients of His unfailing love. Our obedience to His perfect will for us is what motivates us to do good works in His name.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 27, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

In View of God's Mercy

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God…”

—Romans 12:1a

Have you ever had a close friend or family member who has sacrificed so very much for you that no matter what you might do for that person in return it would hardly be any sacrifice at all on your part? I think about my parents who adopted me as a baby boy, born to a woman who had an affair with a married man who, once she became pregnant, wanted no part of her. My adoptive dad was 40 and my adoptive Mom was 42 when they welcomed me—a six-weeks-old baby—into their home. They made so many sacrifices to assure I would have every opportunity to succeed in life. Anything that I might do in return, no matter what the cost, would hardly be anything at all compared to the sacrifices they made to secure the very best for me.

I am sure this same scenario has played out millions of times in homes throughout the world, where loving parents give so much of themselves to their children, that those sacrifices seem nothing more than the very thing they expect to do as parents. If ever there was an indication of the value of a nuclear home with a man and woman united in marriage who raise children in a climate of love and unending care, the testimony of children raised in such homes stands as a stark validation.

Thus it is with our Heavenly Father. God gave us His one and only Son to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins. There is nothing that we could do in return that could come close to the investment that God has made in us to secure the very best for us. The Apostle Paul fully understood this fact when he wrote these words in his letter to the newly formed church in Rome, as recorded in Romans 12:1-2:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

“In view of God's mercy”—what a motivating factor this phrase represents, particularly as we begin a new day. God has done so much for us that the least we can do is to give Him our all.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 26, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Love Deeply

 

“…so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

—1 Peter 1:22a

Our “surface society” takes very little in this life seriously, nor pursues anything deeply, except possibly people’s search for self-aggrandizing pleasure and its insatiable drive to divide us into warring tribes. But, true peace, comfort, and enjoyment in this life springs forth from the rich love that God places deep within our hearts.

God unites us a humans, whom He created to glorify Him and to have fellowship with Him. God wants us to celebrate the diversity of our differences within a climate of acceptance and unity, always recognizing that we have far more in common to unite us than we have in differences that divide us.

This love that permeates the totality of God, and His gift of love to us, has a nature that is high and wide and long and, yes, deep. It covers over a multitude of tough edges and tribal differences. It strengthens and sustains everyone who falls under its influence.

The Apostle Peter understood the great power of God-breathed love when he wrote these words in 1 Peter 1:22-23:

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Let us continue this day to allow God-breathed love to flow into us, to flow through us, and to flow out of us that we may touch the lives around us. Let us allow God’s love within us to focus on the unity that comes from recognizing every human is created by God for a purpose. And, let us especially continue to love deeply our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Source of Objective Truth

 

“For the word of God is alive and active.”

—Hebrews 4:12a

Our current culture does not like rules and regulations. The culture despises anything that might restrain its bent toward wanton pleasure and selfish gratification. Furthermore, our current culture does not want anything to occur that might bring people together. Our culture’s current strategy is to “divide and conquer.” Every day, we are bombarded by a culturally, politically, and socially compliant media with messages that emphasize our differences, hoping to spur us on toward suspicion of each other and finally toward hatred.

In fact, as is all too evident, our current culture hates boundaries so much that it declares there are no boundaries and that all truth is relative. It spitefully disdains the idea that there is any source of objective truth. Instead, our culture talks about “my truth” and “your truth,” but never speaks about “our truth,” or even more importantly, “the truth.”

Standing in sharp contrast to this dangerous and sinful cultural norm is God’s written Word, the Bible, which gives testimony to God’s Son, the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews sums it up best when he writes in Hebrews 4:12:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Let us resist our current culture and its pattern of disunity, distrust, and hatred. Instead, let us hold onto God’s written Word as our one and only source of objective truth. Let’s read it, study it, meditate on it, and make it an integral part of our lives. And, let us thank God that He has made His divine and infallable truth known to us through His written Word and through the Living Word, His precious Son, Jesus.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 24, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Thoroughly Equipped

 

“…so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

—2 Timothy 3:17b

I once dreamed I had embarked on a long journey across the United States by air, but I had left my suitcase behind. When I arrived at my destination, I had nothing that I needed to effectively complete the purpose of my travels.

While this very foolish scenario was only a dream, it reminded me how important it is to make every effort to become thoroughly equipped before starting out each day. As a result of that dream, I sat down and created a lengthy checklist. I carefully thought through each item that I placed on this checklist. It included every item that I would need on a trip, including personal and medical needs. Then, I mounted this checklist next to the hook where I kept my garment bag. As I packed for each subsequent trip, I made certain that I packed every item on that checklist.

For Christians, taking care to become “fully equipped” means spending time reading, studying, and meditating on God’s written Word, the Bible. Then, it means consciously applying the truth that God reveals to the Christian in His written Word. The Apostle Paul reinforces this idea in his second letter to his “son in the faith,” Timothy, when he writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we move forward into this new day, let us determine to read, study, and meditate on God’s written Word. Then, let’s allow His truth to shine a light on our pathway, so that we may navigate safely through this dark world.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 21, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Living Carefully

 

“Be very careful, then, how you live…”

—Ephesians 5:15a

Some teaching seems harder than others. Whenever the Apostle Paul gets down to the nitty-gritty of teaching the followers of Jesus how to live, Christians begin to cringe a bit.

This is no less true with Paul’s very frank words found in Ephesians 5:15-20:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us choose to live carefully this day—not to be sanctimonious or self-righteous—but to set an example for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us draw true joy from our relationship with God through the life-transforming power of Jesus. And, as we live carefully, let us both receive great joy and express great joy because of who God is and because of all that He has done for us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 20, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Carry Your Own Load

 

“…for each one should carry their own load.”

—Galatians 6:5b

The Apostle Paul fascinates me with his brilliance. As he gave instruction to the early churches, he often used contrast in order to bring balance to his teaching.

In my last blog post, I shared Paul’s instruction to carry one another’s burdens. In the very next verses, he offers these words from Galatians 6:3-5:

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.

So, while we are to carry one another’s burdens, we are also instructed not to depend on others or expect others to carry our burdens. Rather, as much as God enables us to do so, we are to carry our own burdens.

This places Paul’s teaching into perfect balance. We are to hasten to help our brothers and sisters in Christ with their burdens, but we are also to do our best to carry our own burdens. Like many spiritual truths, there is a definite balance involved. That’s why some have suggested that the walk of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is like walking on a high wire, holding fast to a balancing pole. Each step must be taken with great care. The balancing pole of God’s written Word helps us maintain our balance.

As we struggle to carry our own burdens, when a brother or sister in Christ reaches out to us to help us, we can joyfully receive such help with sincere gratitude. However, by always first attempting to carry our own burdens, we never become dependent on the help of others. We must never become expectant for that help. We must never wait for someone to do for us what we can and we should do for ourselves.

These two teachings create a perfect balance in our lives. But, these contrasting teachings also make it critically important to live in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ: always seeking to help, but never expecting others to help us.

Such perfect balance gives us lives that are truly worth living. How very wise our God is in His unfailing love for us.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Burden-Carriers

 

“Carry each other’s burdens…”

—Galatians 6:2a

There are many advantages to belonging to God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on Calvary’s cruel cross. Great joy comes from being a part of a community of believers with like-minded, precious faith.

Among those special blessings is the opportunity to support one another during life’s most difficult trials. We Christians—or “Christ’s-ones”—have the joy and responsibility to help carry the burdens imposed on our fellow believers by the difficulties that come during the course of our lives.

We help carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ through prayer, acts of kindness, very practical things we can do to help, and a host of other ways. In fact, as our Christian family shares their needs, God will prompt us as to how we should respond in the most helpful way.

Sometimes this “burden carrying” requires significant effort on our part. Other times the help we give may seem very simple to us, but that help means a great deal to the one we are helping.

My physical disability prevents me from doing many things, including climbing stairs. Several years ago, I purchased a large new fan via the internet. When it arrived, I had no way to move it down to the basement.

As I puzzled over what to do, a dear brother in Christ called just to check in with me. He noted the stress in my voice. I explained my dilemma. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at my door, carried the fan down to the basement, set it up, and with a smile was on his way. That’s literally what “burden carrying” is all about.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians in the church at Galatia in Galatians 6:2 to:

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

This day, let us be alert for any opportunity that might come our way to be a carrier of others’ burdens. This will please our Father very much.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 18, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

An Apt Reply

 

“A person finds joy in giving an apt reply…”

—Proverbs 15:23a

Certain disciplines in the Christian life bring with them great benefit. Taking time at the beginning of each day to let God speak to us through His written Word, the Bible, gives us an opportunity to store up valuable truth in our minds and hearts.

The companion discipline of then talking to God in prayer gives us an opportunity to share with Him our inmost thoughts and desires. Our relationship with God is definitely a two-way experience. He talks to us through His written Word. We talk to Him in prayer.

A very practical outcome of these daily disciplines is that having “listened” to God and “talked” to Him, we will be all the more prepared to share God’s truth with those who cross our pathway. These daily disciplines will give us courage, strength, and perseverance.

King Solomon understood the importance of having just the right words to say to someone who asks us a spiritual question. Notice what he wrote in Proverbs 15:23:

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!

Let’s determine to start our day reading God’s written Word and talking to Him in prayer. Doing so will bring us light, understanding, peace, and also prepare us to give “an apt reply.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 17, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The True Gate

 

“I am the gate for the sheep.”

—John 10:7

While traveling along the road of life, we often have to make choices as to which direction we will take. When we come to a gate blocking our pathway, do we open that gate and proceed? Or, do we turn back and go another way?

Our Savior understood this dilemma. He offered these words of encouragement and direction in John 10:7-10:

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Since Jesus is the true gate, this day let us enter into the joy of our salvation. And, let us glory in the reality that we sheep have been chosen by the Good Shepherd to belong to His Kingdom. Through Jesus we can have “life to the full.”

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 14, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No More Darkness

 

“I am the light of the world.”

—John 8:12

Thanks to skillful employees of a local contractor, several years ago I upgraded the lighting on the outside of my home. I particularly appreciate the lamps on either side of my garage door.

As a person or vehicle enters the driveway, a sensor turns on those lamps automatically. This means whoever comes to visit does not have to walk in darkness. The light from the lamps illuminates the pathway.

Once we acknowledged the gift God has given us of eternal life through His Son, our pathway along the road of life is no longer in darkness. Notice what Jesus says in John 8:12:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

As we step out in the world today, we no longer walk in the darkness of sin. Because God has chosen us to belong to Himself, our Savior shines His bright light to illuminate our pathway. Therefore, let us step out boldly today and share God’s redeeming love with those we meet along the pathway of our lives.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 13, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Acknowledging Our Sin

 

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love…”

—Psalm 51:1

Sin is so pervasive that most people seem barely aware of the entrapping patterns that sin has created in their lives. Our enemy, Satan, uses every clever trick at his disposal to normalize sinful behavior. That’s why our culture glorifies and celebrates sin.

In contrast, the Psalmist lived in a state of constant awareness of the hold sin had on his life. Please note these words from Psalm 51:1-7:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

While we absolutely must glory in the salvation that God has provided for us through His Son, Jesus, we must first consciously acknowledge our sin. Without diminishing our gratitude, nor reducing the praise to God on our lips, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to heighten our awareness of our sin. Being watchful and making decisive choices to step away from sin is a worthy part of following Jesus.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 10, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Very Long List

 

“…were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.”

—Psalm 40:5c

Have you ever tried to write down a list of all the many good things that God has done for you? I cannot help but believe that were we to start such a list, it would go on and on.

Topping the list: before the foundation of the earth, God chose us to belong to Himself, and in due time sent the Holy Spirit to reveal to us this wonderful news that, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and our home in heaven has been vouchsafed by His precious blood. As wonderful as the reality that we have been chosen by God is, the list goes on from there to include blessing after blessing.

The Psalmist acknowledged such a long list when he wrote these words in Psalm 40:5:

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Let us begin this new day by thanking God for His watchful care over us. Thank Him for the careful way He has directed our pathway. Then, let’s determine to specifically praise Him for the many blessings He has poured into our lives. Let gratitude overwhelm our spirits, so we may recognize how good and great God truly is.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 7, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Value of Confession

 

“Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love…”

—Psalm 51:1a

One of the advantages of liturgical worship is that the liturgy contains a time in the Worship Service for Confession of Sins. In the service at the church I attend, we first provide a time of corporate confession, where we pray aloud a unison prayer that is printed in the bulletin (worship folder). This is followed by an opportunity for silent prayer, in order to confess our personal and private sins. (Personally, for sincere theological reasons, I prefer to have the time of personal confession precede the corporate confession.) Next, we hear an Assurance of Pardon from Scripture, followed by a hymn or song of praise in response to the good news of the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for our sins by dying in our place on the cross at Calvary.

These parts of the Worship Service have become very precious to me over the last twenty years that I have worshipped in this way. While I realize that many devoted Christians do not like the concept of a traditional, liturgical Worship Service, I have found that the liturgy greatly enhances my sense of awe in worship.

Even though I take time to confess my sins in prayer each day, there is a pervading joy that always wells up within me during the time of Confession in the Worship Service. There is something very special, something cleansing, about joining with brothers and sisters in Christ to confess our corporate and personal sins.

King David experienced this feeling, as he prayed this prayer following his sin with Bathsheba, as recorded in Psalm 51:1-4, 10-13:

Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

Let me urge all of us this day to keep short accounts with God. As we recognize we have sinned, we must always quickly confess our sins and receive the assurance that our sins have been covered by the precious blood of Jesus.

Confession is truly for our benefit to keep our hearts and minds perfectly clean. May God, indeed, “renew a steadfast spirit within us” this day and every day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 6, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Joyful New Day

 

“Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people…”

—Psalm 30:4a

Where does joy begin? It begins the moment you open your eyes each day. It springs forth from a heart filled with love from God and devotion to Him.

Edward Caswall translated these words from German to form the text of one of the great hymns of the church. The first of no less than fifteen verses reads:

When morning gilds the skies
My heart awaking cries
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer
To Jesus I repair
May Jesus Christ be praised!

In like manner, the Psalmist declares in Psalm 30:4-5:

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

As we start this new day, let us spring forth with joy. God places His song of joy in our hearts that His sweet song might brighten every corner we visit this day.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 5, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 5: Some "How-Tos"

 

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

—Acts 2:42

This is the fifth post in which I have focused on Dr. Luke’s description of the genuineness of the early church found in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

So, how do people, in starting a new church, or renewing an existing church, begin to move toward the kind of genuineness that Dr. Luke reports?

Let me suggest they start with a frequent schedule of serious and protracted times of intense prayer imploring God for the specific leading of the Holy Spirit, combined with solid, effective Bible teaching. Once a pattern of these two elements becomes well-established, then these sincere folks can begin to season their gatherings with times of fellowship and the celebration of Holy Communion. Each element must have a deliberate vitality that comes from the earnestness and commitment of the people to the task of allowing the Holy Spirit to construct a genuine church in their midst.

“That’s it?” you may respond. “That’s all we need to do?”

Yes, like so many facets of living a life devoted to following Jesus, the steps to obedience in forming a genuine church really are stated quite simply. It’s the doing of them that becomes difficult.

Take prayer, as an example. So many people look upon prayer as a means to ask God for something they believe they need. But, prayer is so much more than presenting mere petitions to God. Yes, those petitions are important—important to the one making the petition and very much important to God. Yet, real devotion to prayer has an intensity and commitment that far exceeds simply asking God for one’s latest request.

Part of becoming a genuine church requires intense study and equally intense effort. To possess the mind of Christ for one’s church requires fervently seeking what Christ would have this particular group of those in His body actively do to enfold His presence into their every thought, word, and deed.

Continuing to use prayer as an example, consider how your church would answer these questions:

• Does your church set aside very specific times for your congregation to gather solely and specifically for the purpose of prayer?
  
  
• During those corporate gatherings for prayer, do you begin by spending time glorifying God simply for who He is—not for what He has done for your church or you individually, but simply because He is God?
  
  
• During those corporate gatherings for prayer, do you spend time confessing the corporate sins that your body, as a whole, may have committed, followed by a time set aside for individuals to privately confess their personal sins?
  
  
• During those corporate gatherings for prayer, do you spend time asking God to illuminate the study of and preaching of His written Word?
  
  
• During those corporate gatherings for prayer, do you then spend time presenting the heartfelt needs of the nation, state, county or parish, city or town, along with the humbly spoken needs of your church—including your mission efforts and other areas of outreach, the needs of your denomination, the concerns of the greater Body of Christ—and the needs of the members of the congregation? It is important to not neglect any of these areas of need in your petitions, but you should particularly emphasize the needs your church has to further its mission on behalf of the Kingdom of God in the place where your church is located.
  
  
• During those corporate gatherings for prayer, do you close your time by pronouncing a benediction over those present, as well as all the individuals in your congregation?
  
  

Next, using this same pattern for prayer, your church must encourage all those in the congregation to set aside time each day to pray for these very same concerns. This will reinforce your devotion to corporate prayer by developing an equal devotion for personal prayer.

In the matter of devotion toward the breaking of bread, the primary aspects for the genuine church is to have congregation members who are consistently faithful in their attendance at the Worship Services of the church. A truly devoted follower of Christ has a compelling longing in his or her heart to meet faithfully and without fail with the other believers in the church. Even though we live in a society that presents many tempting reasons to spend time somewhere else other than in church each week, we must purposely create a pattern of faithful attendance that prompts us to forego activities that would interfere with our attending the Worship Services at our church.

By developing a pattern of always being present in Worship Services, we automatically become devoted to the Apostles teaching through the times of Bible Study in corporate Christian Education, and also through the times when our pastor or priest forthtells the written Word of God. Such times of corporate devotion will naturally lead us to have a thirst for our own private study of God’s written Word. Over time, we will begin to understand that the faithfulness in our attendance at the Worship Services, and at the times of coporate Bible Study, creates within us the kind of impetus that drives our devotion in all of the four characteristic that defines a genuine church.

These suggestions represent only a beginning. But, I urge those who want to proceed, to start immediately. The world has not yet seen the benefits that the presence of thousands of genuine churches would have on our own lives and on the lives of millions of those who do not yet know our Savior.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, August 4, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 4: Devoted to Prayer

 

“They devoted themselves to… prayer.”

—Acts 2:42d

In the course of four previous blog posts, I have explored the interesting and challenging phenomenon that occurs when some people move from church to church in an attempt to find a church that they believe will genuinely fit their ideal of what a church should be. When you ask these wandering ones what elements they believe will provide the genuineness they seek, you will frequently find that most people have a hard time defining exactly what qualities the perfect church would possess.

Most believers will embrace the Scriptural concept that a genuine church is not comprised of a building, nor an institution. Rather, a genuine church is made up of a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus.

In these blog posts, I’m trying to answer the question: “How does a group of believers form a genuine, Christ-honoring, life-supporting, question-answering church?” I’m very certain that I have found an appropriate definition by looking at the very beginning of the New Testament church.

Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the last three posts, I suggested that the believers striving to create a genuine church need to start their quest by laying a super-strong foundation of the Apostles’ teaching, through a study of and devotion to God’s written Word. Then, they need to work diligently to create a milieu in which heartfelt, soul-refreshing fellowship will occur. Next, they need to be devoted to the breaking of bread: the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of Holy Communion, or the Celebration of the Eucharist. Finally, Dr. Luke asserts that believers in the early church devote themselves to prayer.

Prayer has great power. Matthew Henry, a Presbyterian who ministered in the late 1600s and early 1700s in Wales, wrote:

“When God intends great mercy for His people, He first of all sets them to praying.”

Does your church make much of prayer? I’m not talking about a various prayers in the Worship Service, including the pastoral prayer, nor simply pausing to bless the food at mealtimes. I’m talking about heartfelt, intense, deeply hand-of-God-moving, protracted times of intense corporate and personal prayer.

In the quest for finding a genuine church—or in renewing your present church—keep these four critical elements in the forefront of your thinking. Some “How-Tos” will emerge in the next blog post.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, August 3, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 3: Devoted to the Breaking of Bread

 

“They devoted themselves to… the breaking of bread…”

—Acts 2:42c

For three previous posts, I have explored the phenomenon of some people who move from church to church trying to find a church that genuinely fits their ideal of what a church should be. Sadly, when you try to inquire what these folks wish to experience in a church, you find that most people have a hard time defining exactly what qualities the perfect church, or genuine church, would display.

Of course, it goes almost without saying—though I have said it repeatedly—that a “genuine church” is not a building, nor an institution. It is a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus.

In trying to answer the question: “How does a group of believers form a genuine, Christ-honoring, life-supporting, question-answering church?”—we need to turn to Scripture for a biblical definition of a genuine church. Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the last two posts, I suggested that the believers striving to create a genuine church need to start their quest by laying a super-strong foundation of the Apostles’ teaching, through a study of and devotion to God’s written Word, and then those believers need to work diligently to create a milieu in which heartfelt, soul-refreshing fellowship will occur.

The third element is to become devoted to the breaking of bread. Most of the time, the phrase “breaking of bread” refers to the Lord’s Supper—the Sacrament of Holy Communion, or the Celebration of the Eucharist. Sadly, in many Protestant churches, this critically important Feast of Remembrance, Communion, and Hope is relegated to an occasional event tacked on to the end of a normal Worship Service.

In other traditions, Communion is offered at every Worship Service. To outsiders from such traditions, or to those who have no particular tradition at all, this may seem like “overkill” and they may feel that such frequent repetition must surely decrease the value of the sacrament.

As one who has the privilege of attending a traditional and liturgical Worship Service in an Evangelical Presbyterian Church—a denomination where traditional/liturgical services are not the norm—I must confess that I have come to greatly appreciate the value of coming humbly, and in repentance, to the Lord’s Table each week.

No matter what you may personally may feel about the frequency of sharing at the Lord’s Table, apparently it was important enough to be one of the four key elements of the early church. After all, as Jesus concluded His earthly ministry, just prior to His arrest and crucifixion, He instituted this Sacrament with His closest followers.

So, how would a genuine church handle this important matter of the breaking of bread? By now you’ve probably noticed that I have withheld any specific recommendations or “How-Tos” regarding this topic. Those will come in the final blog post in this series.

In the next post, I will examine the fourth and final element of a genuine church.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Saturday, August 1, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 2: Devoted to Fellowship

 

“They devoted themselves to… fellowship…”

—Acts 2:42b

Over the course of the last two blog posts, I began to flesh out my suggestion that some people move from church to church trying to find a church that genuinely fits their ideal of what a church should be. The trouble is that most people have a hard time defining exactly what qualities the perfect church would display.

We must remember that a genuine church is not a building, nor an institution. It is a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus. So, if a group of believers want to form a genuine, Christ-honoring, life-supporting, question-answering church, how do they do that?

Scripture offers us a definition of a genuine church. Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the last blog post, I suggested that the believers striving to create a genuine church need to start their quest by laying a super-strong foundation of the Apostles’ teaching. They do this by devoting themselves to the study of God’s written Word, both corporately and personally.

The next step is to work diligently to create a milieu in which heartfelt, soul-refreshing fellowship will occur. This fellowship will be more than a superficial “church-luncheon-after-the-morning-worship-service” type of gathering. It will exhibit a number of truly important characteristics. This fellowship will be:

• designed to extend open-hearted hospitality
  
  
• fully inclusive
  
  
• totally welcoming
  
  
• completely engaging
  
  
• clique-free
  
  
• focused on giving encouragement
  
  
• offering an open heart and a listening ear
  
  
• willing to allow another person to share their concerns
  
  
• able to maintain confidentiality when necessary
  
  
• foster compelling brotherly and sisterly love
  
  
• focused on acting as Jesus would act
  
  

The kind of connections that this type of fellowship affords is as deep as—or even deeper than—the kind of connection that a healthy family has among its members. Thus, we use the phrases: “brothers in Christ” or “sisters in Christ” quite appropriately.

In the next blog post, I will attempt to explore the third element of a genuine church.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, July 30, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 1: Devoted to the Apostles' Teaching

 

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…”

—Acts 2:42a

I began the last blog post by suggesting that some people move from church to church trying to find one that genuinely fits their ideal of what a church should be. In response to that phenomenon, I suggested that Scripture offers us a definition of a genuine church. Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

The first element is that they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching. A genuine body of believers will feel compelled to study God’s written Word. They will not be content to only hear a 15-minute or 45-minute sermon, or homily, once a week during the Worship Service they attend.

Yes, they will pay very close attention to what their pastor or priest shares during the sermon or homily. They will even take notes, so that they can ponder the teaching contained in this time of proclamation of God’s truth. But, their intense interest in the written Word of God will not end when the time of preaching concludes. Rather, they will want to pursue a time of weekly corporate Bible study, as well as setting aside time for personal Bible study, preferably on a daily basis.

They will give priority to attending Worship Services and to take part in these other opportunities to learn about what God has to say to them through His written Word. And, they will make a serious and a concerted effort to obediently apply the truths they learn to the daily activities of their own lives. Why? Because they are “devoted” to what they are being taught.

The dictionary defines the word “devoted” as follows:

“Very loving or loyal; given over to the display, study, or discussion of.”

For believers in a particular church to earn the description of those who have “devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching,” they would have to illustrate that they are very loving or loyal to that teaching and that they are given over to the display, study, or discussion of such teaching. That sounds like a good measure, as we consider this first element of what constitutes a genuine church.

In the next blog post, I’ll continue to pursue the four elements of a genuine church. And, of course, by now you realize a genuine church is not a building, nor an institution. Instead, it is a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus for the purpose of bringing honor to the God who loves them with His everlasting love.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, July 29, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church: An Introduction

 

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

—Acts 2:42

I once knew a pastor who opined that, if he could harness the energy produced by the people who move from church to church, he could greatly reduce his electricity bill. I’m not certain how he would do that. But, there is a lot of movement, as people leave one church to join another.

Their often vocally stated reasons for leaving one church and moving to another church produce a long list of both serious and trivial concerns. To an interested observer, it seems as if they’re always looking for the perfect church and don’t realize that, once they join such a church, it will no longer be perfect.

In Acts 2:42, Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the next few blog posts, I’m going to attempt to explore what those four elements might look like in a 21st century church. Maybe together we can figure out how to renew the vitality of our churches in a way that would particularly honor God. I’m willing to try. Are you with me?

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, July 28, 2015

_{Copyright © 2021 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}