A New Church Experience

MON., SEPT. 5, 1983, 5:33 AM
FARM, STUDY

A commitment made is a commitment to keep, o son, particularly when you have made it with Me. You read, yesterday morning, My first suggestion for this sabbatical experience, and, a few hours later, you began the commitment. It shall be worthwhile, partly because of that small congregation and partly because of what you and Lenore put into it. Remember that this latter is an important factor.

The experience was a new one, and yet was nor really new. It was worship, study, and fellowship among Christians, and this is not an unfamiliar relationship for you… and yet each instance is, also, fresh and new. You had a new experience yesterday and missed an old, familiar one at your home church… or you missed an equally new one. It is desirable that such experiences have both qualities, not one or the other.

The sermon was Scripture-based, as it should be. There shall be times when I would have you take the same Scripture text and see what you would do with it. At other times I may give you an exposition that shall supplement what you have heard and then thought, yourself. The sermon is a learning experience, but do not forget that it also is a part of worship, which is a different quality of experience than the learning one. Again, it need not be one or the other. Ideally, it should be both.

What qualities of the sermon make it a part of worship? Inspiration is one appropriate term. The sermon must include some inspiring thoughts or ideas… that lift your spirit and give it a challenge. Delivery can help with this, but it is mainly the quality of the thought. The inspiration need not be beautific. It can well be a hard challenge, as the one yesterday was. The Scripture becomes more than something to learn; it becomes something to feel. A Scripture that has been an integrated part of worship has been read, sung, and developed in such a way that you should never be able to read it again without a remembrance of the feelings developed.

You can never hear the name Barnabas without the recall of that marvelous sermon “Everybody needs a Barnabas”. Almost as memorable was “they shall walk and not faint” as an inspirational, feeling idea. Some preachers have a special talent for this task, but the responsibility is equally yours… that of each hearer.

You see that it shall be relatively easy to make acquaintances in this group. Go beyond superficiality. Find out about this congregation, person by person. You can make a contribution by truly requesting testimonies, asking about commitments. (Yes, that study you have envisioned and on which you have some notes would be a desirable one. Continue to develop that… and realize that this church experience could be helpful in getting you started and more comfortable with this kind of questioning.)

Do not neglect the notebook and the prompt recording of impressions and observations and evaluations. You know, certainly, that you have not utilized many notes taken in the past, about a variety of matters and experiences, but… do not rely on your memory. Keep this journal. It could be valuable. And you absolutely cannot use it if you don’t keep it committedly.