Hammer on Anvil '

Have any of you been raised as I was, in a church that was solely a place to go on Sunday mornings, and the rest of the week it didn't really matter how you lived? Whatever we may have learned in church was never discussed throughout the week -- so of course we never learned to apply what we had learned.

I'm not saying this was everyone's experience, but it sure seemed to be true in my family. During the week, we stayed pretty isolated from the rest of the parishioners. Seeing them on Sundays was enough, thank you very much.

Fast forward to today. Recently we got a new pastor at our church. Adam is all about meeting together throughout the week in various venues. Everyone is encouraged to be part of a community group, which is a wonderful way for people to get to know each other better in a small group setting. Our present group is discussing Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage. We exhort one another to be the husbands and wives God intends for us to be. We talk about our struggles and pray for one another.

Even our elder meetings are much more interactive than they once were. Instead of just the pastor and elders meeting at the church, Adam includes the wives, and we take turns meeting in each other's homes. We share a meal and then discuss church business.

Beyond these church-oriented gatherings, though, Adam is thoroughly engaged in community life. He jumps on every opportunity to reach the people who live in close proximity to our church. In other words, he is a firm believer in the church leaving the building.

I confess that in some ways this is new for me, and at first I wasn't sure I liked it. I am rather a homebody, and would prefer to be home reading than attending this or that gathering. But why is that? Because I am selfish and I am lazy. For so many years I wore a mask and it was exhausting to go to any function, because that meant I had to be "on." Now, thanks to the atmosphere of grace and transparency in our fellowship, I am crawling out of my shell. I realize I do not have to let my past dictate who I am today.

My friends, church is not meant to be a country club, where you only have to associate with those you like. Jesus calls us to so much more than that. Oswald Chambers says, "The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality." That means I am to love whomever God places in my sphere of influence, regardless of whether I am naturally drawn to them or not.

Sunday worship shouldn't be where our faith starts and ends. It should be the springboard that launches us out into service in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and families. The love of God should compel us to serve tirelessly, responding to every opportunity He presents to us.