As I feverishly worked between Charge Conference forms, bulletin preparation, sermon preparation, Bible study preparation, Church and Civic Committees.... it dawned on me, "Be careful what you wish (pray) for 'cause you might just get it!" We have prayed for growth. We have prepared for growth. Now we have begun to see growth. I think what some of us missed was that with church growth comes a growth of commitment to the church.
Many of us are satisfied with our level of commitment to the church. This commitment includes coming to the church, singing appropriately, placing a few dollars in the offering plate, listening to the sermon and going home. Would it surprise you to know that church membership in the early church was much different? Church membership then was less about what happened in the church building (if they were even able to assemble in a large building set aside for worship) and more about what happened out side of the church building. Of course we don't forsake the assembling together of believers, but that is more about "filling the salt shakers" so we can go out and be the "salt of the earth." As we grow I pray that each of us would look at what it means to BE a church rather than simply DOING church. We may find there is a big difference. (For more on this check out the archive of sermons link on this page.)
