When someone or something doesn't grow physically
we become concerned and call the doctor, the vet, the gardener or someone
who might be able to tell us why growth is not happening. We understand
growth is an important part of life… we measure all types of growth:
schools send out report cards to indicate whether the student is
progressing or not. We want our teachers, physicians to be up on the latest
techniques. Which one of us would want our doctor to still be using the
techniques of the 1900's?
Our vision statement calls for us to be
"growing believers." In the first of the three calls for action we
acknowledge: we are to be growing believers who are growing in prayer,
worship and Biblical knowledge. We are to offer ourselves to God's service
and to nurture congregational leaders for growth in service. We are a
team working and growing together. We acknowledge that growth, all types of growth, is
an important part of who we are and our vision for the future.
We begin with a glimpse at the Proverbs. Proverbs are
nuggets for daily living, sort of a Poor Richard's Almanac, little gems of advice for
daily survival. Here we have a father passing on what he has learned from his father to
this son. He teaches his son to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Here are some examples
for daily living to help in your relationships with others. Practical advice to help
you survive each day and improve your life. Here are the dangers that a father sees for
his son growing up in the world of his day.
The Today Show on Wednesday had a feature on "roller
sneakers" and how they are keeping emergency rooms busy. It featured a ten-year old
girl who proudly displayed her two broken wrists. They talked about how those who use
the roller sneakers need to use the helmet, pads, protection like skate boarders, etc.
use. They were trying to alert us to the dangers of this new fad. We grow in knowledge
for daily living.
Now there is no guarantee that our children will listen.
We have a friend who likes to say he is amazed at how much his father learned between
his (our friend's) 18th and 21st birthday. He wishes he had listened more to the wisdom
of his father during those years and less to his own wisdom. His father's insights to
what it meant to be alone, away from home in the service would have made his life a lot
easier had he listened! Although we have no guarantee our children will listen we do
have the mandate to tell them/teach them (Deut 6:7).
Let us now turn our attention to Paul's letter to the
Church in Ephesus. Paul is concerned about growth in the Church. Not only growth
physically but also in relationships, wisdom and knowledge. There are problems in the
Church. Paul is so concerned that he writes in verse three "bear one another in
love making every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of
peace." Learn to live together. It is not going to be easy. It is a process not
an instant action. Here are some of the problems the church is facing.
There is a struggle of cultures. Gentiles and Jews trying
to live, worship and work together. It is never easy when two diverse cultures come
together. It is sometimes difficult when people from the same culture try to work
together. Imagine two cultures who have had little to do with one another, treat one
another with suspicion and who have been taught to almost hate one another now come
together as one!
There is the slavery issue. The relationship between
master and slaves is not an easy one. But when you add the possibility that in the
church the slave could hold a position of authority over the master problems may arise.
However, when worship is over and it is time to go home the slave is still the slave.
Tensions exist not only in the church but also in the household.
Along with the cultural issues there are the economic
issues. Rich and poor together in worship and service. Today we would call them
lifestyle issues. One group can afford to do anything they want while others exist in
near poverty. How are these people to interact together in the church?
Then there are the women! The women are now being told
they are equal in the church. They are able to pray in worship. They can serve, pray
and even lead in worship. They have a new freedom that exists nowhere else in the world
of their time.
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Now, Paul is affirming women and their ability to be involved and do
ministry (Paul gets a bad rap) but how does this play out in the wider community? More
potential problems!
And what about the gifts God has given? There are those
who say their gift is more important than another gift. Preaching is more important
than teaching and teaching is more important than service…and on and on and on. Some
are claiming the superiority of their particular gift and this is causing tension in
the church. Paul must be tearing the hair he has out. He reaches this conclusion in
verses 15/16 "…we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into
Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which
it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in
building itself up." Each person, each gift is given for the equipping and building
up of the body into a unity of oneness in Christ. We are growing into the family of
God. It is not a done deal but a process of our continued growth and knowledge. It is
not easy learning and growing together.
Our vision Statement has three calls to action and these
calls to action help us to see how our vision statement can be lived out in community:
How our garden grows.
First, we grow through becoming a people of prayer. We
pray one for another. We need to pray for one another not only when there is a need but
also when others are involved in action or service. Do you stop on Monday mornings and
pray for those cooking and working at the Senior Center? Do you stop on Wednesday
evenings and pray for Karen and the choir as they rehearse? If not, why not? It is
through prayer that we grow. Prayer for one another in all aspects of living and
serving is an indication of growth. I was preaching at Faith Baptist Church in Manila
and as I was about to get up and start the sermon the pastor pointed to a man in the
front row. He told me not to be concerned when the man got down on his knees. He was
simply praying for the preacher and the sermon and would pray through the entire
service. Whenever I glanced to my right I would see him there on his knees…I think I
preached a little better that day!
Second, we grow through worship. Being together does
something good for our spirit. Yes, we can worship alone in the back yard or other
places. However there is something about being assembled together. Hearing voices
lifted together in song, prayer and worship. It is an affirmation that we are part of a
larger family and there is growth potential in our assembling ourselves together in
worship.
Third, we grow through the study of God's Word. We are
less likely to be led astray… "tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of
doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming" (14). I
recall being in a worship service in the Philippines and the preacher kept referring to
a passage in Isaiah (he referred to it enough times so that I could write it down). It
did not sound like Isaiah but I noted most everyone in the congregation nodded in
agreement. When I got home I searched for the verse. I could not find it in any
translation (he was preaching in English so it was not my not understanding the
language). No one in the congregation doubted… they didn't know.
If we are to be the people called of God we must be a
people who are continually growing in wisdom and knowledge. We must also be a people
who offer opportunities for others to learn, serve and grow in their faith. Now,
remember Moses was 80 when he was called to go to Egypt – no excuses! Paul
admonishes the church that it MUST grow. I recall a pastor friend telling of a baptism.
He was baptizing a man who was known for his colorful language. When he came up out of
the water he used some of those colorful words and then immediately put his hand over
his mouth. The next day several confronted our pastor friend that maybe the man's
baptism should be invalidated. Our friend said, NO! He is growing. I will tell you how
I know—a few months ago he would not have known he had said anything wrong.
Growth is a process not an immediate result but as Paul and our vision statement
says, "We must grow up in every way into him who is the head, the Christ."
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