Like Clay
Our approach to Scripture makes all the difference.
It’s possible to read it every day, never miss a Sunday sermon, and discuss it in small groups… and not grow spiritually, at all. It all depends on our approach.
A major part of being a real disciple of Jesus is being teachable. In our approach to Scripture we need to come humbly and ready to be formed. Following Jesus means submitting to him not only as Savior, but as Teacher. A true disciple submits to the formation of the teacher like soft clay in the hands of a potter.
When we approach Scripture (whether through private reading, sermons, or discussion groups) the best way is to spiritually put ourselves on the potter’s wheel. A humble, teachable attitude keeps us soft. This means we are ready to obey, repent, rejoice, and respond to what we find in God’s word. The best way to approach Scripture is like clay.
Why Become A Member Of A Local Church?
Local church membership is implicit in the New Testament. While the Bible refers to the Church Universal which is made of all believers from all times and places, the predominant references to “churches” are local communities of faith (i.e. the churches at Galatia, Colossae, Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi, Sardis, Thyatira, etc.) under the leadership of a particular group of qualified elders. It was simply assumed that when someone became a believer they were “added to the church” (Acts 2:47). In other words, they were not saved without being added to the church, and they were not added to the church without being saved.
Many today do not see the importance of membership in a local church. Much of this thinking however is not rooted in Scripture, but rather the individualistic culture of our time. The language of “membership” comes from Romans 12:4-6 where the Apostle Paul says, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.”
Therefore, church membership is not like membership at a social club or YMCA. A church member is one who has gone from being a consumer to a contributor, one who shares the responsibility of the church’s health and growth. A church member is not primarily concerned with how their needs can be met as much as how they can be used by God to meet the needs of others. Additionally, we commend the following practical reasons for church membership:
1. Accountability
By committing to a local church family, a Christian is voluntarily inviting the accountability of the Elders and other members of the church. Members choose to submit to the leadership of the church and to the other members for accountability. By submitting to the leaders of a local church, we are inviting them to hold us accountable to live according to our faith. We invite their teaching to keep us doctrinally accurate, their loving guidance if we should waver in our faith, and their caring correction should we stray from holiness.
One of the greatest marks of Christian maturity is to invite accountability into our lives. The only reason someone would resist accountability would be to conceal sin. God places spiritual leaders in our lives for very important reasons. In the New Testament, all Christians were expected to seek, support, and submit to the leadership of their local church pastors. Hebrews 13:17 tells us, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
2. Care
The Christian life was simply not intended to be lived alone. As believers, we are meant to “do life together” in Christian community. One of the most important factors in our spiritual growth is the development of Christ-centered relationships. We need to be connected relationally with people who we know and who really know us.
Proverbs 18:1 says, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” Isolation is extremely dangerous to our spiritual development. A lamb that is isolated from the flock and away from the shepherd is extremely vulnerable to attack. By not committing to a church, we are isolating ourselves from the protection that the flock and the shepherds provide. If we live in community with one another we experience the care, encouragement, and support of our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we are down, they are there to lift us up. When they are down, we are there to lift them up. It is absolutely crucial that we be connected relationally with other believers.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Genuine, life-giving relationships with other Christians does not happen accidentally. It is something that must be intentionally cultivated. The best way to do so at Bridgeway Church is to start volunteering in a ministry and get plugged into a community group.
Furthermore, we are far more effective for the kindgom of God together than we are individually. We can accomplish more in terms of evangelism and impact as a team than as lone rangers.
3. Contribution
God has distributed various gifts to his children according to his will. These gifts are meant to be used to serve and build up the body (Rom. 12:3-6; 1 Pet. 4:10-11). The beauty of the body of Christ is that each of us is different! Because we are all different, we need the unique contributions of one another. When we are all contributing to the health, ministry, and support of the church the mission is advanced.
Each of us has a measure of time, talent, and treasure that God has entrusted to us. This means we are stewards of what he has given us. Our calling from God is to be faithful stewards who responsibly invest our time, talent, and treasure into the kingdom of God. We all have a contribution to make toward the effectiveness of our church in spreading the gospel. If we fail to invest our time, talent, and money, the church will not be what it could be if we were all faithful.
New Series Begins Sunday
When we become followers of Christ, we are regenerated by the power of God and given a new nature. The old is gone, the new has come. When this happens, it’s as if God rewrites our spiritual DNA. We once lived according to a sinful nature, but in him we are “born again” with a completely new nature, a new spiritual DNA.
In his famous Sermon on the Mount, it is as if Jesus is decoding for us the spiritual DNA of a true disciple. In other words, Jesus is making crystal clear what a true disciple looks like. In this series we will journey together through Matthew 5, 6, and 7 as we seek to grow as fully devoted disciples of Christ.
Elders, Deacons, & Church Leadership
At a basic level, the NT teaches two leadership offices in the local church: elders and deacons. Broadly speaking, the elders are the spiritual overseers and the deacons administrate the practical needs of the church.
The term “elder” in the NT is synonymous with “pastor” and “overseer” (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-2; Titus 5:1-7). When they are referenced in the Bible, they are always spoken of in plurality. In other words, churches are not to be led exclusively by a single pastor, but rather by a council of biblically qualified elders (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Within the council, the elders are led by one who serves as “first-among-equals,” usually the primary teaching elder, which in our case, is me (1 Tim. 5:17). At Bridgeway, our Deacons primarily oversee policy, property, and financial accountability in order to free the elders to practice spiritual leadership.
Many churches today practice variations of this form of leadership. Some consider their paid pastoral staff as their elders, others compose their eldership of exclusively volunteer laypersons. In our situation we have a combination of paid and unpaid elders. As the primary teaching pastor, I am currently the only paid elder at this time.
The primary responsibility of elders in the Bible is spiritual leadership (i.e. pastoring). Elders primarily do this through exercising oversight and teaching/preaching. Under Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, the elders serve as undershepherds who provide gentle, loving, caring, Christlike leadership to the people of God. As faithful shepherds, their activities often focus on:
- Feeding the flock (teaching the Word of God)
- Nurturing the flock (counseling, discipling, praying for the sick)
- Leading the flock (providing vision and direction to the church)
- Protecting against wolves (confronting false teachers, predatory people)
- Disciplining the flock (correcting wayward sheep in love)
We had a very special moment this past Sunday as we celebrated the installation of two new elders. After a long period of training and examination we commissioned Stan Philips and Jim Santistevan as elders. Both men, already functioning as spiritual leaders, are great assets to our church family. Until now, I have been the sole elder at Bridgeway. It is our conviction to follow Jesus’ humble example of servant leadership as we lead by serving and serve by leading.
Winter Membership Day
Looking forward to our winter Membership Day this coming up this Saturday. We are changing up the membership process a bit to make it a little more convenient for people who are interested/ready to join the Bridgeway family.
After this Sunday all 6 messages in our Foundations series (the basic membership curriculum) can be obtained and listened to at your convenience. The membership day is one 3-hour class that will cover our church’s history, vision, values, & opportunities for ministry involvement. There is still time to add your name to the list if you would like to attend this Saturday. Email us here to RSVP.
Lunch will be provided! When: Sat. Feb. 6 | Time: 10am-1pm | Location: 424 Duss Ave.
