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Pastor Steve Hubbell
“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, NRSV).
I’m continuing through the book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Robert Schnase. For review, those five practices are as follows: radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. Last month I wrote about passionate worship. We now move on to intentional faith development.
In Acts, chapter 2 we find the community of faith coming into its own. The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost and the community of faith is modeled for all to see. That chapter ends with, “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
Those first Christians intentionally spent time together in fellowship, building relationships beyond what a nod at a one hour service of worship can ever achieve. They intentionally devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. I suspect these intentional and substantial endeavors impacted the way they looked at the purpose of their life together. Everything they did was impacted by the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of their Savior.
Teachers are often in short supply at churches, especially small membership congregations. I’ve seen it several times. I get to know somebody at a congregation. I see their spiritual gifts and recognize their devotion to Bible study and prayer. I approach them to see if they would be willing to take on a leadership role in an adult Bible study. The response is usually something like, “Oh pastor, I just couldn’t do that. I’m not qualified, surely there must be somebody better qualified.”
I understand this attitude. I felt the exact same way the first time anybody asked me to take on such a role. Unfortunately, we often look at the teaching function in the church based on our past teacher/student experience.
You need only look to our children to see what I mean. While some kids have a positive attitude toward education, most can’t wait for it to be over. Bring on summer vacation! The prospect of having to keep grades up and the tension of upcoming final exams leave little reason for excitement. Teachers are viewed, whether real or imagined, as authoritarian figures. Our schools mostly prepare our children for the cutthroat world of secular employment. At the recent Kee High graduation ceremony, the young people wore the outward signs of worldly pecking orders. Some had tassels in recognition of their academic achievement. Some had patches identifying themselves as National Honor Society members. The event’s program made note of those graduating summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude.
There is nothing wrong with recognizing our children’s successes, but we shouldn’t let such measuring sticks taint our attitudes within the congregation. Certainly everybody isn’t up to the task of teaching youth or adult Sunday school classes. Yet, at the same time, I’m certain that God has given us some individuals up to the task of leading other adults.
I suspect it is the labels we use that shy some people away from teaching in the church. Over the years that I’ve been a leader or teacher in Sunday school classes, I prefer the title facilitator over that of leader or teacher. I might guide the conversation, but if we all have prepared by doing our assignments and reading, I learn just as much or more from the other participants. The learning is never only one way. The Holy Spirit works within us all to serve kingdom purposes. Remember what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthian, chapter 1, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” Lord Jesus, let me be a fool for you!
We had a Crown Financial Concept Bible study in our home for several months. This course, by design, offers the opportunity for participants to take turns leading the group and everybody did just fine. This curriculum also dictated that during the course of the study we have two potluck meals together. We did as directed. I’m sure that everybody in the group would tell you that the fellowship that occurred was just as important as the learning. We grew closer to God and we grew closer to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
We had such a good time together as a group that we’ve decided to continue having periodic reunions for fellowship and study. Hebrews, chapter 10, tells us, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
In the passage above from 1 Corinthians that Schnase uses as the central scripture passage for his chapter on intentional faith development, we can see an element of fellowship as well. Yes, study the apostles teaching. Yes, spend time in prayer together. But also sit down together and break bread. Spend time with the Lord and also with each other. Get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ; they are, after all, family.
Schnase writes of the combination of learning and fellowship from our tradition. He writes, “Wesley was concerned for Christian disciples beyond the initial stages of engagement with the church, and he wanted Methodists to go on from grace to grace, spending time in the presence of God’s Word and God’s people so that Gods’ Spirit would create the heart anew” (p. 64).
Schnase also addresses the leadership of the church; all those people on the boards and committees of the church. He writes, “When church leaders take their own spiritual growth seriously and immerse themselves in the study of scripture, in prayer, and in fellowship, they understand the purpose of the church and the point of ministry differently…While church leaders should apply their knowledge of business, accounting, real estate, the law, and banking to enhance the church’s effectiveness and accountability, they cannot lose sight of the purpose of the church, which is derived from the life, teaching, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ” (p. 73).
As we look to the future, let us endeavor to truly be the community of faith that God has called us to be. Let us learn together as a community of God’s people. If you sense God calling you to “facilitate” a Bible study, let me know. I’m sure there are others looking for Christian friends to help them on their journeys of discipleship.
You are loved and prayed for.
In Christian Love and Affection,
Pastor Steve
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