Yesterday, we explored how a church community is meant to be a gathering, sometimes even just for fun and fellowship.
You might think church has always meant a religious gathering of Christians on Sunday morning. But in the Bible’s Greek language, church had another meaning before that. The Greek word for church is ekklesia which literally means “an assembly” or “gathering of people”. But not just for its own good. It’s called out to be and do something specific. This week’s passage says gathering together is not just for encouragement to love, but for encouragement to good works.
We are meant to be a preview of the world as God wants it to be. We are meant to make people say wow. Unlike the church I described yesterday, people are supposed to look at our community (even at its business meetings) and say, “Wow! That’s how we are supposed to relate with each other, and our world, and God. I can see it now!” They are meant to see the Kingdom of God in us.
Aristides was a philosopher in Athens in the second century and he observed the first Christians, the early church, and this is what he recorded about them in 125 AD.
“They walk in humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them. They love one another. He that has distributes liberally to him that does not have. If they see a stranger they bring him under their own roof and rejoice over him as if he were their own brother.”
Aristides looked at that first church, that earliest gathering of Christians and he said WOW.
Have you ever looked at a team, group or organization and said, wow? Why? Think of the Snowbirds, or a great dance troupe.
Our church today meant to make people say wow…because of our generosity and love of one another, that spills over to the lives of others near us.
We’re intending to becoming this kind of church through our discussion groups first, and also when our discussion groups come together as one community for celebration.
Challenge: If you’re not already meeting with a group, please do. What act of generosity and service can you do with your discussion group, or family, that will make others in your life say wow? Think of one thing internal to your group that you do for each other, and one thing your group does for others.
Reminder: Last week we saw the importance of reading the Bible together in sync, so our new daily bible readings start today in our mobile app and web site.
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CloseRyan Sim - October 17, 2013
Thursday - Act On It - Friends to Family
In this series on being great neighbours, that ends this week, we’ve looked at 6 shifts: Stranger -> Neighbour -> Acquaintance -> Partner -> Friend -> Family We’ve encouraged you to learn neighbours’ names, stories, work together, become friends, and now your challenge is to find people of peace in your life. Start sharing Redeem the Commute with them. Perhaps you could do the Marriage course with your spouse and some other couples. Or you could do the parenting courses with other parents. Then take Christianity 101 together, and then the daily challenges. Make a habit of eating together whenever you can, and talking about things that matter. This is our vision, to be a network of small groups who are being the church. We don’t want to be a church you go to, but a church on the go. We don’t want you to just go to church, but to be the church every day. We’ll be the church when we are scattered around the GTA at work, and scattered around our various neighbourhoods, but also when we gather for community events. We started this with our outdoor movie night, and next we have a trivia night. After that, we’ll have a Christmas event. We want it to be welcoming for local residents and families, generous for those in need, and introduces the story of the original Christmas party. We’re about to start planning, so let Ryan know if you would like to help! In the next series, Becoming Like Family, we’ll look at what it means for you, and perhaps your own immediate family to be part of God’s family, called the church. See you there! Challenge: Ask your person of peace for help with the party you’re planning. Then invite them to follow challenges, or another course, with you.
Related Topics: Church, Family | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"
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EPIC: Abraham & Isaac - Tuesday | February 17, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Thursday | February 12, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Wednesday | February 11, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Tuesday | February 10, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Tower of Babel - Friday | February 6, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Tower of Babel - Thursday | February 5, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Noah - Friday | January 30, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Noah - Thursday | January 29, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Cain and Abel - Friday | January 23, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Thursday | January 22, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Wednesday | January 21, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Best of 2014: Reset Body & Food - Monday | December 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Friday | December 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Thursday | December 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Wednesday | December 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Tuesday | December 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Monday | December 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: God in the Flesh - Thursday | December 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: God in the Flesh - Wednesday | December 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: God in the Flesh - Tuesday | December 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Friday | December 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Thursday | December 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Wednesday | December 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Tuesday | December 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Monday | December 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Friday | December 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Thursday | December 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Wednesday | December 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Tuesday | December 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Monday | December 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Friday | November 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Thursday | November 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Wednesday | November 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Tuesday | November 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Monday | November 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Friday | November 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Thursday | November 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Light of the World - Tuesday | November 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Monday | November 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Friday | November 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Wednesday | November 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Tuesday | November 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Monday | November 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Friday | November 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Thursday | November 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Wednesday | November 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Tuesday | November 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Monday | November 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Most Interesting Priest in the World - Wednesday - Change It | October 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Priest in the World - Tuesday - Study It | October 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Priest in the World - Monday | October 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Thursday - Act On It - Foundation | October 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Foundation | October 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Foundation | October 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Foundation | October 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Wednesday - Change It - Forgiver | October 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Forgiver | October 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Forgiver | October 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Wednesday - Change It - Teacher | October 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Monday - A New Idea - Teacher | October 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Thursday - Act On It - Revolutionary | October 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen |