Church and Community

How does the church and community interact?

There are two trains of thought. The first and most common is that the community is a place to get more members to come to our church so that we can have more people who will tithe so we can put on more, bigger, and better programs. This is from a program driven mentality. And sadly, that is the case of most churches in our society. It's to get people in our doors....and that's when they can hear about the transformation a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring. It's a flawed system. And in my opinion, it's not biblical.

The second thought is that the community is where the church operates. The church is a part of it's community and the majority of it's action is done outside the walls. The people are trained to go outside the church and SHOW the transformation Jesus Christ offers. This is a people driven mentality. This is how Jesus operated. How the disciples and the New Testament church operated. They were in the community, active.

This is where the church needs to be today. In the community...promoting reconciliation, training leaders, assisting the homeless and poor, caring for the sick, and helping educate the children. It's time for a revolution.

Earth Day

I guess this is something that can be a bit of a touchy subject. For some, Earth Day is thought of as another just agenda item. Something that is pushed by an extreme group that wants to eliminate man-kind. I don't think that is true.

I see Earth Day, and even the whole 'green' movement as something different. While there are undoubtedly some out there who think the earth would be better off without humans on it,for me, this isn't what being green is really all about.

As a Christ-follower, I live by a biblical worldview. And because I have that worldview, I place a high value on anything God created. Human beings, animals, the oceans, the earth....anything God created.

In Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” We have a duty, as the keepers of creation, to be responsible with what God created. It's called being a good steward. We are to use what God gives us responsibly.

Ultimately, I will have to answer for anything I do as a believer. How I spent my time, my talents, and my treasure. How I used the things God gave me. And one of the greatest things He has given us is creation. It's His, just as it says in Psalms 24:1 "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." I just want to know I have done everything in my power to be a good steward of the blessings God gave me.