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A church community
The prophet Haggai said, ‘You dwell in your panelled houses while My house lies in ruins’. Hag 1:4. When Haggai referred to ‘panelled houses’, he was not just inferring that they were in better condition than the Lord’s house. He was saying they were ‘concealed’ or ‘hidden’. Of course, this description could easily be applied to the society we live in. Wherever we go, we see six foot timber fences. People are hidden from each other and we live at a distance. It might be true to suggest that even in the church, people no longer want community. For many, the church is simply a place where we come from our ‘panelled houses’ to worship and then go home again. We may not want participation or commitment. But we cannot impose the condition of our ‘houses’ on the church.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul encouraged his readers to ‘have the same care one for the other’.
1 Cor 12:25. We read in the book of
Acts that the early church ‘continued steadfastly in fellowship’ which literally means ‘participation’.
Acts 2:42. It would be true to say that the characteristic that defined the church in the New Testament was community, so we cannot allow our society to impose ‘a panelled house’ mentality on the church. It is a ‘shepherding’ community. We are all called to gather, encourage and exhort one another. Even new Christians can encourage others with their illumination, motivation and inspiration. ‘Exhorting’ involves strong encouragement or consolation in difficult times. If we want to be a shepherding person, we must firstly open our homes to gather, encourage, and exhort those who come. After winning people’s trust, we might find the freedom to admonish. This involves a care for those who might be going ‘astray’ as the Scripture says. 1 Pet 2:25. We will then have the freedom to instruct those in our care; and eventually we will lead them. At any given time, and regardless of age or stage, there are those who are shepherding and those who being shepherded in a Christian community.
Helen Smith
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Feature Articles
October 2009
Grace to you
The trumpet of God
Ascending praise
The path of the just
A church community
No longer your own
Where is wisdom?
- Part 1
Asking and receiving
Our greatest support
Confidence to endure
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