Church

Not As Many Churches As There Are Churches

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

It’s a strange statement, but in most places there are not as many churches as there are churches.  I am not referring here to the many church buildings that have been emptied, sold and converted for use as Hindu temples, car repair shops, martial arts schools or apartments (come visit the UK if you don’t believe me!)  What I am referring to here is the number of churches where people will gather today, but come out none the wiser as far as the Bible, the gospel and God is concerned.  How many churches there are that preach the fluff of well-meaning platitudes, rather than the solid substance of biblical truth.

In the city of London there are apparently something like 4000 churches.  But how many will preach the gospel clearly and accurately today?  How many will speak from the Word of God in a manner that reflects its truth, accuracy, historicity and relevance?  How many genuinely believe in a God who is at work in the world today, even during the sermon segment of the service?  As Calvin wrote, “Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and listened to . . . it is in now way to be doubted that a church of God exists.” Let us pray for the people sitting in a church building today, but unclear as to their spiritual state or God’s provision for them in Christ.  And let’s be sure that the church we preach in really is a church today!

Don’t Dress Up Non-Preaching In Bible Dress

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that you have something to share that is not the normal biblical sermon.  Perhaps you have an announcement to make, a vision to cast, an update on the new building project, some other leadership issue to address.  Even though you are in church, don’t automatically attach a Bible text.

Typically, if not always, there will be a biblical basis for what is being communicated or done.  It is obviously fine to share that, but make it clear that is not an authoritative warrant for the action.  For example, you can present a biblical basis for fellowship, but don’t leverage that biblical content to add pressure for attending a church social event.  There are biblical examples of God’s people working together on a building project, but that is not divine pressure for your people to sign up to the current project.  It is fine to give some biblical support, but evaluate if it is really fair and helpful.

Don’t automatically attach a Bible text.  Just because you’re in church doesn’t mean every announcement has to be “sanctified” in this way.  Let people evaluate what they hear on its own merits, not with the unnecessary pressure of apparent biblical warrant.  This is not a hard and fast rule, it’s a judgment call.  If the church is following through on church discipline, I would strongly suggest you do give a biblical explanation for the procedure.  But for a social event, just take the pressure off and let them choose!

Protecting the Final Preparation

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Yesterday I sat in church next to my wife (after the four children were safely in their classes) and got to listen to my friend preach.  He did well.  So I told him so.  Turns out he had been run ragged in the 24 hours leading up to the service.  I assured him that it had not shown in the preaching anywhere near the extent to which he had felt it.  He responded with gratitude and something along these lines – I determined this would not happen to me again, but I need to revisit the situation.

As you know there are long lists of details that go into a Sunday morning service at church.  All it takes is one person to be away, or a series of minor crises, and suddenly a lot of the last minute hassles can fall on the preacher’s shoulders.  Take a few moments and evaluate yesterday’s preaching experience.  Were there distractions at home, at church, in the last few hours?  Did you find yourself dealing with issues relating to music, seating, announcements, unlocking the church, preparing communion, notice sheets, hymn books, projectors, lights, greeting people, seating people . . . several of these, all of these?

The time to make sure your final preparation is not crowded or distracted is not next Sunday morning.  It is now.  Who can be enlisted to shoulder burdens so that you are free to preach?  Or if someone else is preaching, what can you do to free them for the task?  The New Testament knows nothing of the one-man ministry models so many churches fall into.  Take stock of your duties, divide them into categories and delegate them away.  Ideally, try to find people with a passion for the things you don’t have passion for, but end up doing anyway.  Some people are passionate about selecting songs, welcoming guests, organizing seating, doing the “children’s talk” if your tradition still has that, etc.  Praise God for people with different passions.  Pray for people with different passions.  Take stock of yesterday, revisit the situation before it’s too late . . . again.