The Body of Christ

God has it all set up from beginning to end and everything in between and it 

ALL WORKS TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD                                       AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE!

The 80/20 Connundrum in Gods Church

The polls have been done, the questions answered and the numbers just aren't pretty.

79.5% of Americans identify as Christians, but they rarely attend church services, do not trust exclusively in Christ for salvation and they do not value the teachings of the Bible as Gods Word.

If the statistics were true, 8 of every 10 people we know would be an active, believing Christian. 

The numbers are closer to maybe 7-9%, and of that percentage, according to a Barna Group poll:

46% of church going people say their lives have not changed at all as a result of attending services

61% say they have received NO significant insight from attending church services

17% of all Americans are actively antagonistic toward the Bible

The statistics go from bad to worse, and are indicative of the disarray Gods Holy Church is in here in America, at this time in His Story.

2 out of 3 Americans believe the Bible contains everything needed to live a meaningful life, but only 1 out of 5 actually reads the bible just 4 days a week.

When we take out the Sundays and Wednesdays in the church setting, this means 1 in 5 of actually reads any part of the bible just 2 more times in any given week period.  Since Apostle Paul tells us we are transformed by the renewing of our minds to His word, it leaves very little transformation going on!

Only 20% of church goers who identify themselves as Christian say they even think about the bible during any given day.

The actual numbers are far worse.  The truth is that fewer than 1 out of 10 Americans participate in the activities that would be expected of true Christians.

LESS THAN 1 IN 10:

• read the Bible 
• strive to live according to its teachings 
• submit their personal will to the Will of the Creator they say they believe in.

Sadder still, less than 1% of that less than 1% have experienced any significant transformation in their lives as a result of trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior according to their own testimonies.

The Lord called His people to “come out from among them” through sanctification and be a peculiar people.

From Exodus 19:5 to 1Peter 2:9 it has always been Gods intention that His people would be different from others on the earth.  That they would stick out.  That the difference would be noticeable and noticed!

How else would anyone know something was different enough about you that they might want to know what it is and thereby open a door for you to share the Gospel, the Good News of Salvation, as Jesus in Acts 1:8 instructed us to do?

Yet, particularly in the last 30 or so years, the “church” has put such effort into being exactly LIKE the world, under the false notion that being like the world would somehow attract the world to them, and then they would share the Gospel.

Unfortunately, every experiment has proven that it doesn't work that way.  If we were reading the bible, we'd remember that 1Corinthians 5:6 warned us of the opposite occurring, that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump."  Adding a little "clean" doesn't work but the opposite does.

As the church becomes more worldly, compromising in the mistaken idea they could “reach” more people this way, the only result is that the church became more worldly while the world never became more godly.  Compromise has led to a watered Gospel that lacks the power of God.

I Corinthians 5:6 and again in Galatians 5:9, we were warned against that kind of thinking and we didn’t pay attention.  Instead, we are now paying a price.

Here is a truth, straight from the Bible, that IF we will pay attention to, we can experience transformation, we can experience true salvation, we can experience lasting, glorious, joyful change in our hearts and lives that not only blesses us, but will bless those around us!

Philippians 2:12

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

We are INDIVIDUALLY responsible before God.  We will each INDIVIDUALLY give an account of ourselves to the Lord at the Day of Judgment.

When each INDIVIDUAL makes their own personal commitment and works out their salvation according to the teaching and doctrine found in the Bible, then when we come together COLLECTIVELY, like the First Century Church:

Acts 2:40-47

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

We will have in common the doctrines we follow, when we share, rather than dictate according to our own need, want and desire, the words found in the Bible.

We will have in common a peculiarity that smells and looks like a TRUE BELIEVER that others will recognize.  They may hate us, as they hated Jesus, but we will be true to the Lord Who made formed and created us!

 We will see God move mightily on behalf of His people when we zealously, diligently seek personal relationship with the Father and The Son Jesus through the Holy Spirit given for that purpose, and then COLLECTIVELY, CORPORATELY manifest that power in His name. 

• Not the name of a denomination
• Not the name of a church building
• Not the name of any Pastor, bible Teacher or CELEBRITY so-called Christian

In the Name above all names, the Name of Jesus the Lord.

In thinking about all of this I can't help but wonder, based on the behaviors we've encountered as we've visited churches across the US, do enough of us even still care?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Hit the "Comment" below and share your thoughts with the Body of Christ.

One True Story

What's the first thing you do when you move to a new place, perhaps a different city or another state?

Right - I had to find replacements for all the services I'd enjoyed in my previous living place.

Doctor & Dentist

Grocery & Pharmacy

Hair Salon - and this is where the story gets interesting.

Everyone knows that the main event in any hair salon are the stories that are shared.  Stylist to client, client to stylist, stylist to stylist and so on.  I can't imagine sitting in a stylists chair and not asking about their life or answering questions about my own.  I'm sure that happens, but I'm guessing not very often.

I saw a salon that had a very bright and colorful sign at the roadside.  Okay, so how do you pick a new hairdresser when you don't know anyone in town yet?  I liked the name, I liked the colors and it was convenient, right on my way to and from my new job.

I dropped in one afternoon, met a very nice woman and made an appointment to have my hair cut.
For the next year or so I went fairly regularly and the woman, who turned out to be the shop owner, cut my hair, sometimes the same style, and sometimes we experimented. But every time we talked.

I asked about her life.  I asked about her family.  I listened as she shared about her husband and the ups and downs of family life.  I listened as she spoke about her concerns for her children and raising them well, making good decisions for them and choosing the best course of action in any given situation.

Through it all, I offered my thoughts and opinions.  I shared biblical principle's with her on a regular basis, though I seldom actually quoted the bible.  I shared wisdom from Proverbs and Psalms, encouraged her in every way I possibly could and shared stories from my own life that exampled some of the things I was sharing with her.

Until the day when we'd gotten comfortable with each other and had established an easy friendship that included a sense of trust.  She had some serious questions about a few serious matters occurring in her life.  I made it clear the serious answers were found in Jesus, She listened attentively.  She didn't feel comfortable accepting an invitation to church.  Shortly after that, I was moving on once more to continue the ministry work I was called to do.  On my last visit to her shop, I brought with me a bible, where I had inscribed a message of hope on the inside.

Several years went by and once in while, I thought about her and prayed for her.  Then we had occasion to visit the area again, as we'd been invited by my husbands childhood friend to visit a new church he was involved in planting.

As we worshiped in song that morning, I kept thinking to myself that I knew the woman sitting in the front pew, glorifying God with passion and sincerity.  All through the service I admit I was slightly distracted, trying to place where I knew her from.

When the service had concluded, our friend asked us to come to the front and meet his new Pastor, which we were glad to do.  We shook hands and praised God at this new and needed work to bring the Gospel message to this town.  And then I turned around.

A woman glowing in the love of Christ stood waiting, a blue bible in her hand.  She smiled and said "Do you remember me?  I read the Bible you gave me!"  It was my dear hairdresser, holding the Bible I'd given her as a gift before I left, opened to the inscription I'd written:

"You were right," she told me, "all the answers I needed were in here."  I cried as we hugged and caught up with each other.

Seemingly insignificant acts committed in the love of Christ transform people dead in trespasses and sins to new creations with Eternal Life in Christ Jesus.

THAT IS HOW GOD WORKS!  

*This is a true story!

For want of a Needle...

John 16:13

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

To be lost, to realize you are in a strange, unknown place without knowledge of where you are or how to get back to a familiar place is an alarming experience.  I know this for a certainty because my inner compass lacks a needle, leaving me directionally dysfunctional and vulnerable to getting lost on a fairly regular basis.  No matter that it happens often, each time leaves me upset.  One missed turn when I am in a place I am not familiar with easily leads me astray and if I cannot return to familiar territory immediately can quickly escalate to all out panic.  I have experienced times when I am so turned around and hopelessly confused the sense of failure and frustration has left me in tears of fright and helplessness.  Such strong overwhelming emotions- evoked simply because I am lost following a road, where I can easily stop, ask directions and get back on track to where I want to go. 

A compass isn't much good when you don't even
know which direction you SHOULD be heading!

Those who have the innate sense of direction I lack won’t understand the scariness of what I feel, nor will they empathize with frightening helpless feelings of not knowing which direction to turn, because they have not experienced it themselves and cannot relate sufficiently to have true compassion for my plight.

Can you imagine how intensified this helpless, frightening and frustrating feeling must be for those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior?  Who are not born again and therefore are lacking the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit?  We call them “lost”, but do we truly recognize what this means for them?  Listen to just a few of the descriptions of the word LOST:

Gone astray

Missed the way

Not used to good purpose

Wasted opportunities

Being something that someone has failed to win

Failure to keep, maintain, preserve

Suffer defeat

To be without through theft or negligence

To wander away from and unable to return

Fail to sustain

Cause death or destruction

How much worse could it be?  What if you were eternally, hopelessly lost and you didn't even know it?  Wouldn't that be even worse?  Because if you don’t even know you are lost, you have even less hope, if such a thing is possible, then one who knows they are lost and are seeking the right way, seeking to get the most from opportunity, seeking victory, seeking to preserve, to sustain, to LIVE!  Jesus told us if we seek, we shall find, but if you don’t know you are lost what are the chances you’ll ever find truth? 

Slim to none, my friend if it weren't for the great unbounded grace of a loving God!

But thanks be to God (ICorinthians 15:57) who never leaves us wandering on our own, but offers us the missing needle for our compass that will point us in the righteous direction each and every time without fail.  The Holy Spirit is our guide, our needle in the compass, that brings us to truth every time we wander from it.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11

 But as it is written:

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Our map is the theo-pneustos, the God breathed word we find in the Bible.  The Holy Spirit is our compass.  And our destination?

Eternal life with Christ Jesus the Lord. (Romans 5:21)

Reading the word of God everyday will keep you firmly on the path, grounded in the truth of God.  Then you will be able to direct others who are lost.  To lead them to the truth which will guide their way, not just now, but eternally.  

There is more, so very much more!  Once God is directing the needle in your compass,(as you daily read His word)  you will have the Joy of helping others move from LOST to FOUND!  Start with the first steps and the Holy Spirit will guide you into places you never thought you'd go.

Do you have questions about what you read in the Bible?  Use the prayer request at the top left of the website and send us your questions.  Or better - ask them in the comment section, which is monitored daily.  We welcome the opportunity to dialog about the truth of Gods word and how it works effectively in the lives of believers!  God bless you this week!  

We post a weekly reading schedule which when followed, results in reading through the entire Bible once every two years.  Join us today and begin the adventure of a lifetime!

Do you feel lost or distant from the Lord?  You are not alone!  God, who created you, loves you and has a plan for your life!  Through Jesus, His Son, you have access to Gods ear and heart - he hears you when you cry out to Him!  Tell Him all that's in your heart, ask for His forgiveness for your sins, and receive the cleansing and forgiveness He desires you to have!  All who call upon the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED!  

Contact us, using the Prayer Request form, and we will gladly talk with you, answer questions, and pray with you.