There is so much that is said these days about the Church. So many people trying to cast their two cents about music, ministry style, age demographic, building styles, etc., etc., etc. Honestly, it goes on adnosium! EVERYBODY has an opinion about EVERYTHING! Trends flare, fire, flicker, and often fade. The average stay of a church member in today's churches is about two years. Which isn't all that surprising because the average length of a Pasor's pastorate is three to five years. It seems as though we have become as addicted to finding "satisfaction" in church as we are addicted to finding "satisfaction" outside of church.
Here is a simple truth that was revealed to me right at a year ago... At that point in time it did little for me. But, as I have been meditating on this truth over the last number of days it has become alive to me! I pray that it will bless you as it has blessed me!
The old Sunday School song... "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'mmmmmmmm IN right! OUTRIGHT! UPRIGHT! DOWNRIGHT! Happy all the time..." You remember the song?! If you do... I apologize for sticking it in your head for the rest of today! LOL! However, this is the formula to be sure that you are "Happy (term used VERY LOOSELY!) all the time" in YOUR Church!
This must be prefaced with the truth that, "We ARE selfish people"! Unfortunately, the Church, to too many of us; has become all about me. I don't like the music! I don't like the style! I don't like the standards! I don't like! Etc. Of course, it is necessary for all of us to find a House of Worship that is Scripturally right, AND where we can feel at home. Once that has happened enact that little Sunday School formula! Here's how to do it!
The Church is God's living organism to fulfill the Great Commission, and storm the gates of Hell. As a result, EVERY church's PRIMARY focus should be OUTREACH and DOWNREACH! We are the Body of Christ! We are His hands and feet! The "outreach" and the "downreach" are ministries, or programs of the church that are constantly reaching out to those in "Jerusalem, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world". We should be touching our communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But, "outreach" alone isn't enough! There are MANY in our communities and our world who are so far away from God and His Church, and bound by the Devil that they require a "special reach"... They require a "downreach" or it could be put another way... "A hand up!". I could expound for hours on these two "reaches" alone, and at some point I may. BUT, if you long to be "HAPPY ALL THE TIME" at your place of worship you MUST reach "out" and "down"!
The next "reach" of the church should be the "inreach". Let me also stop right here to say, that God loves a good balance. He is a "balanced" God! The "inreach" of the church are those ministries or programs meant to strenghten the people who are "in". This includes services, activites, classes, Sunday School, Life Groups, Teen Departments, and a plethera of other programs. This is "The Body" caring for "The Body". And, the "inreach" is just as important as the "outreach" and "downreach"!
We've had whole "groups" of churches who are known by or for promoting one "reach" above other "reaches". This behavior exalts one strength and shadows many weaknesses. We MUST have a healthy balance in reaching!
Then, there is the "upreach". This is where everything goes vertically! Without a proper "upreach" as a church member, and as a church eventually you'll stop reaching down, then you'll stop reaching out, and eventually you'll stop reaching in. Eventually, leading to a complete falling away as a Believer, or the impending closing of another church. This "upreach" IS done corporately through the worship of music, sacrificial giving, and the Spoken Word. However, MANY Believers fall into the trap that Sunday morning, sometimes Sunday evening, and the occasional mid-week "upreach' is enough to maintain their upkeep, and output... It's not! And, tragically, what ends-up happening is either: church-hopping, falling away, or maybe even the worst of all... Self-righteous, critical "reaching". Still "reaching" in the Church, but reaching critically and in our own power! The majority of the Church member's "upreach" MUST BE DONE personally, and privatly through a personal, dynamic, love relationship with Christ... Who loved us so much that He "REACHED WAAAAAAY DOWN" for you and for me!
Struggling where you are currently attending? Seeing more negatives than positives? More labor than reaping? Take, as I have, an honest look at YOUR PERSONAL, "INREACH! OUTREACH! UPREACH! DOWNREACH!"... And, when you get involved with ALL FOUR in a healthy balance you will find that you will, for the most part, be... "HAPPY ALL THE TIME!"
From my heart,
-Richard Wallace
PS: Truth given by Steven Curington during lecture entitled "A Healthy RU Chapter"
Let me encourage our "Relevant" family to join the RU Crew on Saturday morning, April 16th at 8! We will be hosting our fourth RU RUn... This is an event to help raise community awareness about the dangers of addiction, and to raise necessary monies to combat those dangers!
