Monday, April 15, 2013

Mission with a Church - 1



People tend to think of churches as brick and mortar buildings. “We worship there Sunday mornings, the youth group returns after supper, and the women meet on Wednesday.” But God isn’t concerned with buildings. Buildings will wear out and fall down in a couple hundred years anyway.

What God really wants is for you to get in the game, to get in on the mission, to impact His Kingdom for eternity. Follow the example of the believers when they first came together in Acts 2. Together, they were working on the mission they had been given: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19 They were sharing the Good News with everyone. Think about it - they had a mission, but no church, no building. In spite of that, it all seemed to work. 3000 new believers were baptized in the Acts 2 story.

Don’t get me wrong - buildings can facilitate our ministry by giving the community a place to gather, worship and hear God’s word. But the church building is just that – something that supports our mission and facilitates our work for the Lord. A building might be helpful as we work our mission, but it is not the destination.

Here are some questions to consider:
1. Are church buildings good things, or bad things?
  a) Should you contribute to the “building fund?”
2. Is it better to be a church with no mission, or a mission with no church?
3. Does the church where you worship have:
  a) a building?
  b) a mission?
  c) both?

Answers next week. Blessings as you walk with the Lord this week!

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, April 21, guest teacher Dan Pilla explains how to feed 5k people with 5 loaves and a couple of fish. 10:30am, Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF), in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. See you at church!

NL

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