Geoff and Christine are thirty something churchgoers w - PDF document

Are you a Part Time Churchgoer? (adapted from a blog by Trevin Wax - TGC) Geoff and Christine are thirty - something churchgoers who love Jesus and love their three kids. They consider themselves faithful members of their Church. Their oldest is about to be in the youth group, and their youngest is finally out of nappies. Christine has been involved in various ministry through the years. Geoff is a deacon. But they are part - timers when it comes to church attendance, and they never set out to be. They are not alone. Recent statistics show that an increasing number of evangelicals who are firm in their faith are flabby in their practice of actually gathering with their brothers and sisters in worship. It ’ s the part - time syndrome, and it can sneak up on any of us. Let ’ s go back to Geoff and Christine. There are 52 Sundays a year, and last year, they attended a worship gathering on 29 of those Sundays. (That ’ s an average of about twice a month.) What happened? • Holidays : To maximize his allotted days off , Geoff took the family to the mountains during the kids ’ school holidays, stretching over two weekends (one of which happened to be Easter!). There was the summer beach vacation, another stretch of a week and two weekends, and then a win ter getaway. Total = 7 Sundays. • Sports: Their oldest son is on a travel soccer team. Many of the games are on weekends, and they believe it would be a better testimony to be among unbelievers on Sunday mornings rather than let down the team. Total = 9 S undays. • Sickness: With their youngest child going to preschool, the family seems more susceptible to illnesses than before, and sickness always seems to hit on the weekends. Total = 3 Sundays. • Visiting In - Laws: Christine ’ s parents come twice a year t o spend the weekend with the family. To maximize their time, they usually spend the weekends catching up and doing some shopping. Total = 2 Sundays. • Other Holidays : Australia Day, and the week in between Christmas and New Year ’ s, the family is traveling . Total = 2 Sundays. Geoff and Christine may be a fictional couple, but their situation is true for many of us. Recently, a church leader told me their most faithful attendees are only in church 2 - 3 times a month. They basically expect churchgoers to be “ hit or miss ” every week . 8 th March , 2 01 5 8 Riverhills Rd Middle Park, Q 4074 www.centenarybaptis t .org.au Service Times: Sundays, 9.30am & 6.00pm Prayer before the AM Service: 8.45am in Baby Room. (Access via hallway to bathrooms.) Pastoral Contact: Pastor David Hicks david.hicks@ centenarybaptist.org.au 0428 747 404 (07) 3279 5650 There will be a fellowship lunch after church on Sunday 15 th March. Please bring a plate to share! Now, there are two wrong ways church leaders might address this issue. (continued page 2) C hurch i s the people with whom we gather Page 2 8 th March , 2015 Centenary Baptist Church Are you a Part Time Churchgoer? (continued from page 1) Danger #1 – Guilt You Into Going The first is to go all Hebrews 10 on everyone and emphasise the importance of the worship gathering, so as to whip people into shape and guilt them into church attendance. Sorry, but this isn ’ t a gospel - centered approach. We should never take the command of Hebrews 10 about neglecting the church and isolate it fr om the preceding verses (about the privilege of coming before God in a community of faith that holds to a confession of hope). That ’ s giving the imperative ( “ Go to church! ” ) without the indicative ( “ You are welcomed into the throne room of grace with your family in Christ. ” ). This approach also stresses church as a place we go, rather than church as the people with whom we gather. It reinforces the idea that the church is a building and leads people to think holiness happens by being present every week. Lastly, this method could cause people to have a checklist mentality, where we pat ourselves on the back for being in church 48 weeks a year, while neglecting other important matters – like justice and love. Churchgoing isn ’ t necessarily a sign of spiritu al health. How many times do you think the Pharisees were absent from the temple? Danger #2 – Avoid the Issue The second danger is to be so concerned with the first that we fail to address the imperative in Hebrews 10 at all. In doing so, we ignore the importance of the church as the family of Christ, the people with whom we are to gather and hear the gospel. Because of our strong distaste for legalistic checklists, we might minimize the counterfeit gods that creep into our lives and vie for our free ti me. In the desire to avoid legalism, we never mention that a ball can become a Ba ’ al for some, or that leisure and comfort can become idols that keep us from worshipping the true God with other believers. In an effort to not guilt people into church atten dance, we never make people aware of the fact that grace is presented week after week. Guilt is the result of not going to church – not because you feel bad for not living up to God ’ s expectations, but because you ’ re not hearing the message of gospel grace pounded into you week after week. A renewed vision of worship The best way to respond is not with guilt or with a false grace, but with the reminder of the purpose of worship . You aren ’ t there to fill up at the gas station (after all, you can get some so rt of spiritual sustenance by reading or listening to your preacher ’ s podcasts apart from the body of Christ). This is a distorted view of the purpose of gathering. The author of Hebrews clues us in. Being with your brothers and sisters is where you are able to stir one another up to love and good deeds. It ’ s the place where the confession of hope is celebrated and put before you and where you are urged to cling to it tightly. It ’ s not just the content you receive every week that is so formative; it ’ s th e act of being together and making the Lord ’ s family your priority. It ’ s similar to a family that gathers every evening for a meal. The value is not in the specifics of your conversation, but the very act of demonstrating your love for each other. We don ’ t go to church because of guilt. We are the church because of grace. That ’ s what Geoff and Christine, along with you and I, need to remembe r. Centenary Baptist Church 8 th March , 2015 Page 3 m ainly music was great fun on Friday. We got hold of a lot of big cardboard boxes and had a ball making cubbies. We ’ d love some extra hands setting up and packing up on Friday. If you are able to come along at 8.30am or 11.30am we ’ d love to have you! V icki PAR Groups What is a PAR Group? It is a group of 3 - 4 people who meet on a regular basis for the purpose of deepening their connection with others and as an aid to growing in their walk with the Lord. There will be groups for both men and women, but no mixed groups. What Am I Committing to When I Join a PAR Group? You are committing yourself to the people within your group -- to journey with them, to find ways to encourage and help each other, to pray with and for e ach other, and to help each other to be accountable in spiritual growth. You are committing to reading a chapter a day from a book in the Bible. Each group can decide when they meet and how often. How Can I Join a PAR Group? There is a brochure at the front door. Fill it out and hand i t to Pastor David, Coralie or Elaine. You may choose who you want in your group, or we can place you into a group. News from the Callows Please pray for Belinda and Jeff as they hopefully begin to foster Stephen this coming week. P ray that everything goes smoothly with the transition from Orphanage full of little Thai children, to a quiet, but busy home of Australians . Please Pray: Pray for those Christians across the globe who are being persecuted for their faith. Pray for courage. Pray for our church in the Centenary Suburbs. Pray that we would be absolutely consumed by the need to tell our neighbours, our friends, our workmates etc about the Good News, the saving power of the blood of Christ! For God does not want ANY to perish. Pray for th ose among us who are not well - for Margaret Jones, Keith Palethorpe, Mandy Gillson , Tom and Pauline Goode and Catherine Casey who struggle with long term health issues. Particularly pray for Tom who has managed to break a few ribs! Remember workers Darren & Yun Stone, Mark & Anne, Belinda and Jeff Callow, and our local Scripture Union Chaplains. Pray for renewed energy, for accuracy in their work, for their technology to function without any problems or interruptions, for safety in travel and in life , and for fruit to come from the work they are involved in. Pray for Noelene Kidd, Chaplain at RBWH . Continue to pray for patient A , who has asked for prayer as she battles cancer. Pray for Pastor David, for good health and good rest. Pray for those travelling . For Rebekah Boyle in Germany and Katie Woolston in London. Youth Group for years 7 to 12 is on today 4.15pm at the church. Dinner is provided. Please contact Pastor David for more information. “Women of Purpose” day at City North Baptist Church on 14th March from 9am till 3.30pm . More information on www.citynorthbaptist.com or from Coralie Sexton . P rayer A ccountability R elationships Page 4 8 th March , 2015 Centenary Baptist Church For Sunday: 8 th Mar 15 th Mar Worship Leader: AM Eloise Luke PM Jeremy Eloise Welcome Thelma & Gordon Lynn & Wayne M.Tea Wendy & Di Karen & Tim For the week: 9 th – 14 th Mar 16 th – 21 st Mar Cleaning Joy & Alan R Jean & Coralie Mowing Luke C & Wayne Alan F & Annette Ladies Coordinator: Coralie Sexton 3712 0952 Mainly Music: Vicki Woolston 0466 812 469 Property: Wayne Porritt 3375 3580 Missions, Prayer: Alan Roberts 3376 2503 Sunday School: Rachel Carr 3279 2197 Worship Roster: Anne Taylor 3279 5219 Forward Bulletin items to Vicki before 7pm on Thursdays. Email: grantvicki@ g mail.co m Phone: 0466 812 469 You can subscribe yourself to the bulletin email list by emailing cbc - notices+subscr i be@googlegro u ps.com or unsubscribe by emailing cbc - notices+unsub c ribe@googleg r o ups.co m If you would like to access recordings of the sermons , you are free to download them from the website http://www.c e ntenarybaptist . org.au/ . We try to put them up as regularly as we can! Communion: First Sunday morning and Third Sunday evening of each month. T ime O ut O n T uesdays I f you enjoy craft then plea se come along to our craft morning. What to bring: Your knitting, embroidery, sewing, crochet, beading, quilting, card making, et c... Your own cup for morning tea. 50 cents (towards morning tea) When: 2 nd and 4 th Tuesday of the month. 9.30am until noon. Where: At the home of Lynelle Cowan, 267 Horizon Dve, Westlake Home (07)3376 5306 Mobile 0417 754 411 Please contact Lynelle if you ’ re interested in coming. A small devotion will usually be shared.