Every Member Matters

The story deals with a rather old fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of weeks vacation in Florida. She also was quite delicate and elegant with her language. She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for reservations. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but didn’t know quite how to ask about the "toilet" facilities. She just couldn’t bring herself to write the word "toilet" in her letter. After much deliberation, she finally came up with the old fashioned term "Bathroom Commode," but when she wrote that down, she still thought she was being too forward. So she started all over again; rewrote the entire letter and referred to the Bathroom Commode" simply as the "B.C.". Does the campground have its own "B.C.?" is what she actually wrote.

Well, the campground owner wasn’t old fashioned at all, and when he got the letter, he couldn’t figure out what the lady was talking about. That "B.C." really stumped him. After worrying about it for several days, he showed the letter to other campers, but they couldn’t figure out what the lady meant either. The campground owner finally came to the conclusion that the lady was and must be asking about the location of the local Baptist Church. So he sat down and wrote the following reply: "Dear Madam: I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take pleasure of informing you that the "B.C." is located nine miles north of the camp site and is capable of seating 250 people at one time. I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along, and make a day of it..... They usually arrive early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats.....They plan to hold the supper in the middle of the B.C., so everyone can watch and talk about this great event.....I would like to say it pains me very much, not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely not for lack of desire on my part....As we grow older, it seems to be more and more of an effort, particularly in cold weather..... If you decide to come down to the campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go...sit with you...and introduce you to all the other folks in the B.C...... This is really a very friendly community.....

As I read that story immediately I could not help but to smile and to chuckle. But the more I thought about how casual, cavalier, and careless we have become toward our state and our standing in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ—the more it began to cause me sadness and spiritual grief. Our attitude and approach to our spiritual experience and relationship to Christ’s church has become nonchalant, flippant, indifferent, blasé, relaxed, laid-back and glib to the extent that if we were called upon the describe and explain our relationship with the church—our spiritual experience IN the church would justifiably and unquestionably be likened to a picnic, charade, a vacation or going to the potty.

However, I believe it is the will of God for the child of God to prioritize the House of God.

Paul states it very clearly in Romans 12:4-5: For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Paul there likens the church to a living body with Christ as it’s head. We are many members and spiritual organs making up the body of Christ.

Indeed, you and I were formed, fashioned, shaped and created to be a part of God’s very own family. At the moment and the instant that we place our faith in Jesus Christ, God becomes our Father, we become HIS children, other believers become our brothers and sisters, and the church becomes our spiritual family.

In a natural sense—if you are a family member it is important to attend the family reunion and the family meaning. It is mandatory and meaningful because it shows the family and reveals to others that your very existence is beyond just YOU. In a spiritual sense—if you are a child of God you are a part of the family of God to the extent that it is mandatory and meaningful to attend the family meeting and the family reunion on a weekly basis and to participate in the household of faith. Why? Because every believer who has accepted the gift of God’s Son, washed in the blood of the crucified lamb and born and adopted into the family of God—you are called not only to believe; you are called to BELONG.