Embrace, Unite, Serve.

The early church is often romanticised and looked at as a perfect community that we all need to live up to. We look around at our church, or other local churches, and we see people we don't agree with, or we don't get along with, or who look different or have different ministry ideas or whatever, and then we have a tendency to criticize, to complain, and to leave in search of something better, something more like the early church.

But often what people don't realize is that that dysfunctional, messed-up, church-splitting type of church was the early church. And when we read the story of the early church, we see that they had a lot of things right, but it was made up of people, and people cause problems, and the early church was full of all kinds of messy problems of its own.

On Sunday we saw how in Acts 6 the church began to become more culturally diverse, and this caused problems. But the church resolved to unite and deal with the issue so that ministry wouldn't be hindered. What we see is that where there is criticism and complaint, ministry is hindered.

But within our diversity, when we resolve to be united in Christ, and let that unity govern us and engage in working together for the Kingdom, then ministry can flow and people's lives are changed!

So my prayer for our community is that we would be united in Christ over and above whatever diversity we see, whether it is diversity in ideas, diversity in culture, economics, or whatever. I pray that our diversity would drive us to praise God all the more because of the picture that diversity gives us of the nature of God (not everyone is a hand). God shines his light into our community, and it is refracted in a variety of colors.

So when you are here, look around at the people you see. They are gifts to you, and you are gifts to them. And collectively we are a picture of the nature and character of God. I also want to encourage you to get involved. God made you uniquely you, and when you unite with us, you give us a great gift, and ministry is able to happen all the more.

Much grace and peace to you all!

See you next Sunday at the Gathering!!!

In Him,
-Tim