The first group has learned to pray, worship, study, fast, take communion, and exercise their spiritual disciplines in their homes. God has invaded every area of their lives, and they are learning to experience God in places other than a church facility. They are learning to experience God at times other than Sunday mornings. These Christians are learning to worship to an online service; to sense God's presence and touch in their homes. Their faith has been tested and they have prevailed. They are stronger now. They have greater faith. They are better prepared for ministry.
Throughout history, the church has had to learn how to be the church under difficult circumstances. We cannot be the church only if the conditions are just right. We must persevere. We must overcome. We must pursue Christ and His Kingdom purpose with relentless ambition.
If you have been drifting, missing the live-streams services, stopped praying and reading. if you haven't worshiped until the heavens open, if you aren't sharing your faith, then I encourage you to flip the switch. Start living as a child of God in the here and now. Stop waiting for things to get "back to normal." They may never be normal again. Who knows, maybe God won't release us from this time until we are all prepared to be the church under any condition. Maybe, the church is waiting on you to get on board.
I believe the gathering is biblical and important, and that we will being meeting in-person again at some point, but we should be different when we do. We should have grown in our walk with God. We should be less dependent on a sermon to inspire us. We should learn to be as victorious on Monday as we are on Sunday. We should do more than go to church. We should learn to be the church, no matter what conditions we are living in.
-Mylon Avery
No comments:
Post a Comment