26 Jul “Leaving Country Club Christianity” (Learning to do anything to reach the lost…except compromise) PART 9
Isn’t it time we all left Country Club Christianity?!
The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 9:19-23: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might win the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
Remember this: You blowing out another man’s candle will never make yours shine any brighter!
Continuing with our “3 Leaving Lessons”, not only do we need to
- Leave our Preferences
- We must be able to…Leave our privileges.
Please allow me to share with you “3 Privilege Principles”:
- Membership has its privileges…you get to take the worst seat, you get to take the worst parking space and prefer our guests!
This is something we tell our “members” here at Joy Church on a regular basis. A few months ago we had three Easter services and all of them were packed. We had a good portion of our “regulars” park the farthest away from the building as possible. That way we could prefer our guests! Many churches are like border collies…very friendly to family but will growl at guests!
2. To be a healthy Christian you must move from being the object OF ministry to the object TO ministry.
In Privilege Principle #1 it is important that once our “guests” transition into “members” that they too become givers and not takers!
When people first come to church usually it is because they are hurting in some area and need help. They come to church and in essence say, “Sing to me, feed me, love me, counsel me, encourage me…” There is nothing wrong with that. The church should be for the “sick” not just the “well” (see Matt. 9:12-13). (There are also times when mature believers need those as well and there is no shame in that.)
However, to be a healthy Christian eventually we must all grow up and rather than “Sing to me, feed me, love me, counsel me, encourage me….we move to “Sing to you, feed you, love you, counsel you, encourage you!”
We must all make the transition from the object OF ministry to the object TO ministry!
Remember this: When we are always wrapped up with ourselves, we make for a very small package. Remember this too: The entire world’s population consists of someone other than you!
Next month we will continue our discussion!