Thank You so much for your comments, That is why we are talking about this. If every Christian would just do something to serve the Lord, we could do extraordinary things, just doing small little things for Christ would go a long way. An Example: We make food for our homebound members on Wednesdays and for members before Bible class, the same people do all the cooking so we only do it 10 weeks in the Spring and 12 weeks in the Fall to keep people from being burned out. We would like to do it all year round but we do not have the volunteers, we do have enough members to do it year round. Only about 10 people out of 150 volunteer to cook or deliver food.
Yes, well in our church, like i said it is our family that does a lot of it. and we do send meals year round to the homebound, we just take turns cooking them or, for example, last month no one felt well, or like cooking, we ordered a big 'spahgetti bucket' and it is a family sized amount of food that we took over there. My sister sits every friday with one of our hombound ladies. (she is 97). my sister is 22. When we needed to 'mulch' the gardens around the church, it became an all day thing, because my dad and us went over there, (i have lots of brothers and sisters.) and we did it all. my mom watched my son, and my grandmother made refreshments. we spent the saturday at the church. but it was just us. our family also runs the VBS food and activities. this past season though we had to tell them we couldnt do it. My mom and my grandmother just get worn out, and the four of us left cant deal with 250 kids on our own. but no one volunteered to help us with any of it. so we didnt do it. maybe this coming season will be different and the message will have gotten through to people...
What we've done is hit it head on with study, lots of prayer, and lessons from scripture.
One of two things will happen (at least for us it did):
1) They will/some will hear what scripture says and obey it
2) They will/some will A] Disregard the message and continue on as normal B] Cause turmoil/hostilities C] peaceably leave/ not return.
Either way, you guys must remain strong christians.
Anyhow, welcome here. Glad to see you drop by. Feel free to join in discussion with us. This is a subject that needs to be addressed and made aware of.
As far as what this post has. I recognize it very very much. This is what happened in my moms church also. (and by the way the above mention is actually my stepmother, my dad remarried when i was 4.) (this section is my biological mothers church.) I grew up at my dads house. -- anyways. They also are part of a 'church of christ' group. Well there was some huge 'turmoil' as you would call it, that went down, and the people that didnt want to get involved, left. the church ended up splitting into two different groups. the group that didnt want to change, and the group that did change. My mom says it was very much about, reading and interpreting the scripture, and following through with what it says, and how it directs, rather than ignoring what the bible is saying, and what God is saying. I was too young to be in the middle of it, and really her church is a little different than the church i prefer, my dad's church. However, the point being, that i have seen that in action before, and sometimes it is not pretty. But the church that is left, Even i can tell that it is much stronger in faith and God, and in following the good book. Because before, even as a child i would question, what are people doing? Why this, and that. etc. But now, i can clearly see that they are trying to follow in Christ. The split caused a lot of problems, but it was good for them in the end.
I do worry about what will happen if our church goes that route, and really, if it does, it will happen soon. I say this for a number of reasons.
1. Because our pastor is stepping down soon, for the associate pastor to take over entirely on sermons. Our first pastor will be doing more traveling and outreach now, because we have started several new churches in Australia and Cuba.
2. Because he has recently, during sunday sermon!, told everyone that if they dont start helping out voluntarily with things, than he will start just assigning people. His example was actually Jesus. He didn't say, 'hey would you be interested in helping us pressure wash the church?' no, he said things like. "You. Come. Follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people." (matt 4:19). and people did. He told them what he needed done, and it was done, because he chose the people to do it. Not because they came to him and said, hey, do you need me to go fishing? i can do that!.
that isnt how it worked. Well my pastor had an entire sermon about it. and since then has been delegating tasks to people. So far as i can tell, each person has the ability to do what task has been assigned to them.
3. we also recently had a sermon about change. In fact, to prove the point, they rearranged all of the chairs in the sanctuary! Then the associate pastor preached about change. And asked questions like 'did you come to me and grumble about new chairs? Did you come and tell me that you dont know where to sit and what to do if your chair was different?' and things like, "or did you come and tell me it looks great!?" How did you react to change? If you cannot be alright, with a simple seating arrangement change, how are you going to change yourself so that you are right with God?'
that was the sermon two sundays ago in fact. .. or maybe three. lol i get mixed up.
but still.
so, i can feel it. things are either going to start getting more 'riled up' or people will leave. or maybe we could get a lot more people coming in. but either way, its all moving around.
