Hi. So, last night was a little uncharacteristic of me. I don’t normally do responses quite like that, but I really felt led to do so based on the message and content of 1&2 Timothy (plus, in retrospect, I think I have a bit of a habit to do something quite bold to introduce myself, lol).
If you weren’t there, at the end of the message I asked all those present who has taken hold of eternal life and publicly proclaimed Christ to stand together. After that I asked those who were still seated if they wanted to take hold of the eternal life that they are, indeed, called to stand with us.
And while it WAS powerful to stand in unison in the name of Jesus like that, I also realised that doing something like that has the real potential to single people out and make others feel really uncomfortable.
What I didn’t do, that I really should have, was to preface that I didn’t want to pressure anyone in this exercise. I also failed to frame the whole exercise in love, stating that if anyone didn’t feel like now was the time to stand it’s okay, and that it’s the job of the church to make them feel comfortable while fostering and nurturing them along, and perhaps, down the road sometime, they will want to take that stand on their own.
I didn’t do that, and I’ve been kicking myself for it. There’s the potential, with having quite a lot of new faces and semi-regular people last night, that I might have scared some off. While I don’t make concessions for the bold proclamation I prompted, I am sorry that I got caught up and forgot to closely consider anyone who may have felt uncomfortable or unwelcome – which totally goes against one of my points last night; that the church, especially the Living Room, is designed to make everyone feel at home, like part of the family.
So, whether you are reading this for personal reasons, or if you’re using this for a group discussion, here’s some things to consider:
1. How did the response time make you feel? Did it enhance the message and overall worship, or did you feel that it detracted from the service and make you feel uncomfortable?
2. Did you notice anyone around you not standing, and did you feel able to talk with them?
3. Have you ever felt singled out at church or another Christian function? If so, what happened, and how did you feel then?
Other things to reflect upon and consider from the message of 1&2 Timothy:
1. What do you make of this notion of “church family?” Where do you see others treated as father, mother, brother, and sister figures?
2. Do you agree that this is a good way to revere each other? If not, why and how would you describe the relationship between others at church?
3.Think of a time when you felt ashamed of something. What helped relieve that shame? Are you still ashamed of it?
4. Have you ever felt the same way about your Christian faith?
5. What does it look like to “Fight the good fight of the faith (1 Tim 6:12)?”
6. How do you interpret ‘taking hold of the eternal life, which you were called to’ to mean?
I think it’s awesome to do that… I mean in acts when Peter and John were released from prison, the first thing the believers did in acts 4 was pray for boldness.
This is an awesome prayer.
Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[d] said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’[e]—
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”