From the book, God is in the Small Stuff and it all matters, Bruce and Stan shared:
And let us not neglect
our meeting together,
as some people do. . .
Hebrews 10:25 NLT
Ever so innocently, we’ve let our English language distort the meaning of the word church. Sometimes that word means a place (as in “I left my Bible at church”). Other times it refers to an activity (as in what time does church start?). Often church is used to describe an institution (as in “His behavior was frowned upon by the church“). While such definitions are appropriate, they miss the meaning of what church is all about.
The essence of church is your Christian family—those people around the world who follow Christ and commit themselves to Him and to each other. When the apostle Paul wrote about the church, he wasn’t talking about a building, an activity, or an institution. For Paul, the expression of church meant a personal relationship among Christians. He most often compared the church to a human body.
In a body, all the parts and details are important, and they must function in harmony:
- If one member of the body is injured or sick, then the entire body suffers.
- The members must operate in unison, because if they try to go in opposite directions they won’t get anywhere.
- Some members are more visible, while others play a vital role on the inside. Both types are necessary. There are no small parts in the body of Christ.
- If every member were the same, the body would look really weird.
The next time you go to church, don’t look at the building or schedule of events. Instead, look at the people. Appreciate them for who they are, what they need, and what they contribute to the “body.” Then think about yourself. What is your role in the church? How do you fit into the body? Are you making a contribution to the over all health and fitness of the body?
Being part of the church means a lot more than just attending a service on Sunday morning, tossing a few coins in the basket, and shaking the pastor’s (Bishop’s) hand on the way out. Being part of the church involves an interactive relationship between people with Christ as their common bond. With that definition, you can’t “walk out of the church ” on Sunday morning. You are part of the body all week long.
In the Small Stuff
- Get involved at church.
- Here’s how to make Sunday worship more meaningful: think of yourself as a participant rather than a spectator.
- Express appreciation to your pastor (Bishop).
- Don’t leave the sermon (and other lessons) at church.
- Give money to your church regularly.
- Teach a Sunday School class at least once a year.
- Next time you’re in church, sit in the front row. You’ll be amazed how much more you’ll learn (not to mention how it will affect the pastor / Bishop.)
- The measure of a good sermon is the listener’s response, not the pastor’s speech (talks given).
Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, “God is in the Small Stuff and it all matters” Promise Press, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683
(Posts with a preamble asterisk * are for a more general audience, and not specific to teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
