- fix the problem, not the person
- find the good qualities in a difficult co-worker
- refuse to let a toxic co-worker poison you
- make sure you're not the difficult co-worker
After a few days ... Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let's see how they're doing."The speaker really brought the story to life. Too bad he spent the first half of his time with the other stuff. He could have started the message with this story instead. Then could have showed us how it is the Kingdom of God and only that, that worked in Paul (or us) to effect this drastic change of heart. Or he could have used Scripture to reveal to us how God is glorified as He works within us to bring relational healing. Or any number of other spins.
Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn't have him; he wasn't about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia ... [Acts 15.36-41, The Message]
[Paul said] ... bring Mark with you; he'll be my right-hand man ... [2 Tim 4.11, The Message]
Net, we're not satisfied but we think we need to check out their small groups, seminars, youth ministries, etc.. I know a little of the history of this community and I want to believe that somewhere there is something that runs deeper than what we are seeing in the celebration services.
Technorati Tags:
5 comments:
Shouldn't the deeper already be evident in the service? Don't settle for less! If the worldly stuff is in the service, it's likely already in the other ministries.
We go to church to hear God's Word (which is where the real power is) and to hear how to be better Kingdom of God participants (servants), not to be entertained, patronized and patted on the back with 'feel good about yourself' teaching.
Okay I will stop before I dig a hole here!
The argument is that what happens on Sunday morning alone isn't "church".
But I'm with you anyway, it's still disappointing.
You wrote:
"Net, we're not satisfied but we think we need to check out their small groups, seminars, youth ministries, etc.. "
I taught on part of Eph. 6 this weekend--the armor of God. In MacArthur's commentary on the "breastplate of righteousness", he remarked that when people get poor teaching from the pulpit at a church, and the church focuses on programs and activities, the saints are given a paper breastplate to defend themselves.
I was talking to a pastor recently (not one of ours) and he said it is really frustrating when a prospective attendee calls and asks a lot of questions about programs and activities, but doesn't ask anything about what the church believes.
I know you are familiar with the doctrines of this church, but like k-fish said, the pulpit teaching may be an indicator of other things.
Randy B.
randy b may not have his own blog but we all can appreciate his comments, eh? i would agree with both k-fish and randy b.
were there any links made between the difficult co-workers stuff and the issues between Paul, Barnabas and John Mark? Did they re-do the secular tips and have 4 applications for believers? I would think that for a lot of people that would make the 'teaching of the apostles' come home...maybe say: 'hey, i think i can relate'. now, of course, teaching at a sunday service isn't all about 'hey, i can relate to that', especially if we believe the spirit is active in this piece and teaching people...forming people into Christlikeness. and again, isn't that the point?...walking out the journey of faith and good news of the Kingdom, which has more to do with developing 'essence' over against programmatic issues. i would hope that the programs are growths out of the essence of the community, thus they aren't the essence, but speak to what is important and essential in this community of faith.
peace
Post a Comment