Back in May, I attended my first home school conference ever. I sat in on a lot of interesting sessions ranging from Jim Weiss' fabulous storytelling to Christian worldview to couponing to writing & education with one of my favorite speakers, Andrew Pudewa. The most thought-provoking one was a presentation by Mark Fox, pastor of Antioch Community Church in Elon, NC.
Pastor Fox spoke of the need for families' spiritual growth to be led by the father, and he painted a picture of what it is like inside of a family-integrated church. He described the families worshiping together, the closeness of the members, and the high calling of the elders and deacons in seeking God's direction for the church. He also shared the devastating statistics about how the majority of youth leave their church after high school (Lifeway 2007, Barna 2006), and the fact that in family-integrated churches, this rarely happens. Pastor Fox has seen 1 walk away from the faith since 1987.
I had heard about "family church" and "home church" and thought that I knew what they were all about, but this did not fit the stereotype. They actually do reach outside of themselves!
For a long while, my spirit had been crying out for things it didn't know it was missing. I didn't feel like I was experiencing much of what Pastor Fox was describing and this contributed to the uneasiness that had been growing in me knowing that God has something more for my family and wondered what it was and where to find it.
I bought and read Pastor Fox's book, "The Family-Integrated Church," and this also sparked a lot of questions -one of the major questions being, "What DID God design the church to do?" What is it's purpose?
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
I had heard about "family church" and "home church" and thought that I knew what they were all about, but this did not fit the stereotype. They actually do reach outside of themselves!
For a long while, my spirit had been crying out for things it didn't know it was missing. I didn't feel like I was experiencing much of what Pastor Fox was describing and this contributed to the uneasiness that had been growing in me knowing that God has something more for my family and wondered what it was and where to find it.
I bought and read Pastor Fox's book, "The Family-Integrated Church," and this also sparked a lot of questions -one of the major questions being, "What DID God design the church to do?" What is it's purpose?
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
NKJV "equipping of the saints for the work of ministry"
CEB "to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ"
NASB "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ"
KJV "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"
AMP "His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church)"
(Sorry, I don't do Greek -just BibleGateway.com)
That's it? Equipping people for ministry? (I thought there'd be a big checklist!) It's not as simple as it sounds, I'm sure!
What can a church do to "equip Saints?" Here's what I found. Mind you, I'm no theologian!
The church leaders equip its members by...
TRAINING PEOPLE HOW TO EVANGELIZE & LIVE GODLY LIVES
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Titus 2:11-12 (NIV) For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
Then there's the stuff for which WE are responsible... (Ideally, we are taught that we need to do these things and trained how to do them. -SEE ABOVE)
FELLOWSHIPING & PRAYING
Acts 2:42 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
STUDYING GOD'S WORD
2 Timothy 2:15(NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
LOVING ONE ANOTHER
John 13:35 (NIV) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
HELPING EACH OTHER
Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
PARTAKING IN COMMUNION
Luke 22:19-20 (NIV) And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."
LOOKING AFTER THOSE IN NEED
James 1:27(NIV) Religion that God
our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans
and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world.
Is my church doing its part?
Am I doing my part?
Thank God for His grace! He does want more for ALL us. GET ON IT!
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