What is the purpose of the church?

We went to an area-wide church meeting (known as "the association" around these parts) tonight.  I always thought these meetings were exclusively for church leaders, like pastors, youth directors and Sunday School teachers, so I never bothered to go. However, today they had a huge church picnic, with inflatables and BBQ chicken and carnival games and, because we live in the south, sweet tea, and lots of dessert. So, we showed up. The kids had a blast, and I got to listen to a great guest speaker named Dr. Alvin Reid, who is a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Here are some of his talking points, most of them paraphrased in my own words.
The Biblical context is taken primarily from Acts chapter 2.

"What is the purpose of the church?"
Following are 6 main goals: 

**(Keep in mind, here "church" is referring to all Christian churches in general, not one specific church in particular.)**

1.  The church forms a gospel community.
The original church was comprised primarily of people who did not know Jesus. When was the last time you talked to someone who doesn't know Jesus? When was the last time you talked about Jesus with others, period? We need to talk about Him more, talk with Him more, and learn more about Him, if we are ever going to point people to Him.
Acts is full of descriptive words such as "wonder", "awe". "astonishment", etc. How will we ever entice people to come to our churches if we are just blase and ho-hum about the gospel?

2. The church forms a Biblical community. (See the "great commission" in Matthew 28)
Acts 2:42 says the people of the early church were "devoted to doctrine." Do we get excited about reading our Bibles, or do we take it for granted? Are we devoted to doctrine? No. We often try to pick and choose what pieces of doctrine we will follow.
Keep in mind, information is not the same as transformation.
In other words, you can have head knowledge, but not life-changing, heartfelt belief. 

"The greatness of your impact is measured by the individuals that you pour your life into, daily."
Whether that looks like your own children, someone else's children, neighbors, friends, co-workers... whatever it looks like for you, be invested in the lives of others.  

Mentoring and small groups are important ways for church members to stay connected. 

3. The church forms a praying community.
Acts 2:43: "Seek God." Remember, prayer is powerful. The Holy Spirit is living and active.
Dr Alvin said "Don't let your experience, or lack of experience, affect your theology."
Good advice there.

4.  The church forms a ministry community. In Acts 2:44-45, it states they shared "as they had need". Do we give to those in need, or do we expect someone else to do it? Do we truly care for those less fortunate than ourselves?

Also, keep in mind than often 10% of the people are doing 90% of the work. Don't get burned out. "Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do it." Be discerning about which ministries you join, and why.

5. The church is a giving community.
Give generously. Are you a cheerful giver? Are you teaching your children how to give?
 China is the largest unreached country in the world USA is number 4.
Your LIFE is a mission trip! Live it out!

6. The church is a worshiping community. Acts 2:46-47
"every day" or "day by day", they were "praising God" (v.47).
Do you worship every day?

Our abilities and limitations are all for His glory, and for our good.

Friends and jealousy

Friends and jealousy. Can you truly be friends with someone when you are jealous of them? At our MOPS group this month, we have been discussing how too often, we compare ourselves to others, especially other moms/parents. It’s so hard to break that habit, to try to measure up to someone or something else. We live in this media-saturated, facebook-filled world where everyone tries to present themselves with their best face, wearing rose-colored glasses. We always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. We are a culture that is rarely satisfied with what we have, constantly wanting the next best thing.

So… what do you do when someone you care about gets something you don’t have, but would like very much? How do you handle it?

Two verses, recited to me tonight by a kid in my Awana group, helped me gain perspective: (Prov 17:17) “a friend loves at all times” and “abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.”

Selfishness is not a virtue, NOT something we should be striving for or cultivating. 

My own selfish ambition and vain conceit should never be allowed to trump someone else’s happiness, accomplishments, or good news. So tonight I found myself pasting on a happy smile, opening my arms, and saying “Congratulations!” The friend doesn’t need to know that I might not mean it in my heart quite yet. 

But one day soon, hopefully I will. 

Ecclesiastes

This week, I am in a sad place. I spend the hours trying not to cry, holding it in, feeling numb, watching the clock move slowly, slowly, towards bedtime and quietness again. Then the quietness is deafening and lonely, Still, I relish the selfish chance I get during the night hours to be still; I revel in the moments when I have to care for no one but myself. Until the morning comes again, and my little human alarm clocks start the day for me all over.

Lately, I have been feeling like I'm living in the Bible book of Ecclesiastes: "Meaningless! Everything under the sun is useless." Is anything I do WORTH something to anyone else around here? Does it have eternal value, or a fleeting value? I've had quite a few disappointments this week. Sometimes it feels like I should have a nice pity party for myself. But I can't! I don't have the chance to take a shower, or eat food while it's still hot, or sit on the couch without being mobbed, much less process and grieve my losses.

I am in this sad place, but I know that my circumstances are not the end. My circumstances change daily or hourly or weekly. I know that we need to praise in the good times and the bad, not just when we feel like it. So I press on, and I cling to the hope of what is good and pure and right, and I continue to try to do the next thing that God has put before me.

Check back next time for a lesson on Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.

Isaiah 1:17

Isaiah 1:17  (NIV)

¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

This week, I am working on memorizing this Bible verse.
I thought I knew almost every verse in the Bible that had to do with orphans.... and yes, I know a few. But earlier today, I realized that I don't: primarily because they are not usually called "orphans". In the Bible, they are most often referred to as "the fatherless." In our American culture, being "fatherless" is much more commonplace than being "an orphan". This seemingly small nuance changed the message in my mind somewhat.

The above verse also reminds me of Micah 6:8, which says

"...what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God."

That is the verse I think we most often see, on tshirts or cutesy bags or even etsy necklaces. I've seen it on missions and/or adoption fundraiser t-shirts as well. It is a good reminder of how we should live, and how we should think, talk, and act. 

So, as Christians we proclaim it - there's even a song written about this verse by a popular contemporary group - but is that really the way we live? Are we humbly walking with God every day? Are we just and merciful to everyone we meet, without bias or discrimination? Is this truly how others see us?  I don't know. I would hope so. But I know that I fall far, far short of the expectations set before me. That's why I'm so appreciative of God's grace and mercy.

I don't know what I was trying to say here.... just my random thoughts.

emotions aren't the end

Some days I feel inadequate... as a wife, mother, and friend.
Some days I am furiously frustrated and emotionally drained.
Some days I am so worn-down, tired and weary
that after the kids are in bed, I just want to
crawl into my room, lock the doors, and cry.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I am sorry to admit that my throat was sore last night from yelling at disrespectful, disobedient children.

But you know what?
"Joy comes in the morning."
See Psalm 30, verse 5.

Every morning is a new day and another chance to do better.
I have taught my kids to pray and thank God for "this day", and I love hearing this sentiment echoed back to me in their childish voices... because they may not understand it right now, but the truth is, there aren't any guarantees about tomorrow. 

I am learning that my emotions should not limit me.
And I should not let my frustrations or failures limit God.
My feelings are NOT the same as my circumstances.
Even in my tiredness and weakness, even when I'm at my worst, God is there.
And he is working, in me and those around me. Even when I feel inadequate.

Along with a group of people at church, I am going through a Bible Study called "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. It's been around for quite awhile, but was recently updated. The ideas in this study are not new. They are actually pretty basic and simple. But I love that it has devotional thoughts and questions for each day, and really digs into the heart of God (and, in contrast, the heart of ourselves and our sinful nature). Sometimes I need something that just tells me what to study. Everyday with our homeschool lessons, I'm gleaning from others or making up my own material. It's really nice to have a break from that. It's an excellent study, for beginners, soul seekers, or experienced Christians.

(And no, I don't gain anything from the links above.
No affiliate links here; I'm not cool enough for that.)

Here's to Wednesday... Hoping it's a better day then yesterday.

Doubts...

First of all, I just want to say how grateful I am for friends that pray for me and think of me daily, and share their hearts and their lives with me, so that I can pray for them too. You have no idea how much I appreciate that kind of friendship.

So in my last post I wrote that I had some doubts. I guess my instinct was correct, because yesterday I learned that we were not, in fact, accepted into the foster parent classes that begin on Saturday. The class "was full. There is no space for you."

At hearing this news, I was initially crushed. Disappointed. Upset. Frustrated (this is the second time we haven't been "accepted" by Durham County, for goodness sakes!). I mean, we had worked hard to sell our house and buy this new bigger house, to make room for more children, to clear our schedules for the next six weekends in a row, to line up babysitters, and to make sure we did everything right so that we could take the foster parent classes this month. We did do everything right, but obviously God has different plans than the ones I had in mind. So I let myself cry a little for this lost dream.

Then after the shock wore off, my first reaction was to call a few different local agencies, to get us into another class soon. When I want something, I don't give up on it easily.  So there are 2 "orientation" classes we'll go to in the next month. (I didn't realize that there are options, that you don't HAVE to work with your county's DSS agency. News to me.)

To reiterate: I'm not giving up. I'm giving IN!
Giving in to whatever God has planned for me.
I KNOW God still has good plans for me!!

Because this is NOT about what -I- want. My goals need to be lined up with what God's plans are for myself and my family. Whether or not that means foster care or adopting, or neither, I need to be ok with what happens. Because none of it is in my control.

 Last night, I laid awake with a sick child at 2am, thoughts jumping around in my head, unable to sleep. I wanted to hear some kind of wisdom from the Bible, but I wasn't focused enough to read it myself and come up with some sort of applicable insight. So I searched through sermon archives and found a message that JD Greear preached five years ago, in September 2007. It is so applicable to me (and to many other people also, I'm sure). The first point he made was that everyone has doubts. I know that's kind of obvious, but it was what I needed to hear in the moment. Quote: "EVery person has doubts. It's part of what makes us human. We think, therefore we doubt God." It goes on to explain 4 common areas of doubt, and how we can overcome them. If you're interested, find the sermon here.

So, what does this mean, and where do I go from here? Well, today I was praying along with Proverbs 3:5-6. It's one of the very first Bible verses I memorized as a young child: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not upon your own understanding; but in all of your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." That's what I'm praying, that I will not give in to doubt, but put my trust completely in Him.

Random Hannah Quotes.

Hannah often surprises or amuses me with the things she says.

Here are some things that I found particularly funny this week:

"Sometimes I learn things so quickly. But sometimes I don't."

"Purple lettuce tastes PURPLE! That's so funny!"

"Why does Psalms start with a P, if you say it "SALMS"?

She is beginning to memorize Bible verses, and I love how excited she is about learning the Bible... bonus, it's also helping her learn to read better on her own, without Mommy having to push her quite so much!