Today I had the joy of joining Derby City Vision churches at a day of praying and fasting for my city - Derby! and what a privilege it was standing in unity with churches from across the city with one focus. . . seeing the name of Jesus proclaimed! It was great to share vision and to hold each other up in prayer. Reminding me that we, each local church, have to be working TOGETHER.
At one particular time, we turned our focus of prayer onto the church. I really felt challenged.
I am sure we all know people who have been hurt by the church, who have been judged, shunned, turned away from church, and I am sure that some of you have felt that way too.
You would think that the church would be the first place "sinners" would look to go for help, for acceptance, but more often we hear that this is not the case. Think back. . . when was the last time someone came walking in to your service smelling of alcohol? When was the last time someone walked into your service that was a prostitute? In fact when was the last person to walk into your church that was a non-believer?
What has Church become? Is it now a place for the middle class Christian to get there weekly top up of worship, word and fellowship? Is it now a place to get your weekly down-low on the local gossip column?
God help us if this is our experience of church!
We had a time of praying for the local churches represented, but before that we spent some time in deep repentance on behalf of the church. This was a powerful moment - understanding that the church is not perfect, understanding that we have missed the mark as the Bride of Christ. But also realizing the love that God has for the church - the forgiveness and the grace that is on offer to us!
Acts 2:42, 4:32
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.. . . All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
So let us not be a church that is a self-help to the Christian community, but let us ALWAYS be the church that is reaching out with compassion. Let us be the real church that God has called is to be, and let us begin to stand up! It is time to change the reputation of the church.
My prayer for us - the church - would be simple. That God would break our hearts for what breaks His, that we would see all people as He sees them, through love. That the church would welcome the lost with open arms. No longer would we be a people who judge by what we see because it is different, but that different would now become the norm!
Ask God to give you the lost! And then the REAL church can stand up!
