Babies Don't Stay Babies Series

Babies Don’t Stay Babies

Everything grows up and becomes mature.

And usually they aren’t as cute! Babies become teenagers. Kittens become cats. Puppies become dogs. Tadpoles become frogs. Baby Alligators become really big Alligators. Mice become rats – no wait that isn’t right. Well, you get what I mean.

Churches are different. Churches grow up to become the beautiful bride of Jesus. At least that is the plan and that is what the church can be. But sometimes churches become… well churches are interesting because they have the potential of becoming a lot of different things. And the fact is that they do become a lot of different things – which leaves a lot of confusion about what the church is and what it is supposed to be.

Some people see the church as a second-rate religious organization when compared to other groups. For them the church is a bunch of old people singing old songs in an old building with old paint flaking off the old entrance in an old part of town.

For others the church is a loose confederation of the like-minded. What they believe isn’t very important. What is important is that they believe – so we call them “people of faith”. The church is just another

subset of society that works together from time to time. They run preschool’s, sponsor community events, hold musical programs, and organize youth events.

Many more see the church as a private club (for members only) where the programs are by and for the people who are already present. It’s kind of a privileged class of those who hang out together on Sunday mornings and who don’t really care about others. They say they want to reach out and grow but when visitors show up they are given a very careful looking over.

Some see the church as a vehicle for social change – kind of a spiritual political action committee. They want to fix all of the social problems in our culture by passing laws and challenging the norms. They are involved in demonstrations, protests, marches, and are constantly pushing to vote on resolutions demanding change – some conservative; some liberal – depending on the political views of the people involved.

Finally, some see the church as a fortress of security where the pious people separate themselves from a world of sin. They see themselves like innocent little bunnies hiding in their safe burrows while the fields above are plowed into dangerous rows of materialism and self-gratification. The only reason they leave their safe rabbit holes is to run and dive into a friends safe rabbit hole. Then they sit around congratulating themselves for making it for making it through the world and it’s dangerous temptations.

None of this is remotely close the church Jesus Christ died to establish. None of these images picture the church described in Acts 2:43-47 and none of these views are what we are about at the Meridian Christian Church. Come this Sunday and learn what a real, authentic, and prevailing church is like...

The Church is…

The Prevailing Power of God

Acts 2:43-47

Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!

The church is not a second class religious organization

No one really wants to stay in a two star hotel. When I went to India I traveled by train to a small city in the southern part called Kotoyam. There I taught about 30 Indian ministers in a seminar about building a small group based on cell church concepts. I was housed in a hotel called the “Green Lawn Hotel” which proudly proclaimed itself a two-star facility.

Let me tell you about this hotel. First, there wasn’t a green bit of vegetation for 200 yards in any direction so I don’t have a clue where they got their name – maybe it was a hope and a dream. Second, I was there three days and there was hot water one day. Third, the air conditioner made lots of noise but didn’t do much in the way of conditioning the air. Fourth, the restaurant only had one person eating in it – me. And I got sick.

I repeat. No one wants to stay in a two-star hotel – especially if they know what five-star service is like!

So, why do some people look at the church and see a two-star organization? Could it be that we have presented it that way? Could it be that we have lost sight of the need to be excellent in all that we do – especially considering the fact that we are the five-star kingdom of God!

The Church is a Place of God’s Prevailing Power

This doesn’t mean we are to be glitzy and glamorous.

It does mean that we are to be and to do God’s work with excellence – we are to do our very best!