Nov 12
26
Christian worldview progress requires strong commitment to the Church and Christian relationships
From ChristianGovernance eletter, November 23, 2012
Last year, NCFIC held a conference on “Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church.” The excellent line-up of speakers included home school leader, Kevin Swanson. In his first talk, he emphasized that relationships are just as important as theology and issues. In that context, he talked about the importance of building and nurturing relationships among Christians.
He strongly recommended Peacemaker Ministries, which takes a nouthetic approach to conflict resolution and conciliation. He said that Christian relationships are vital to mature faith, and that the church setting is an essential environment for developing strong relationships and successful conflict resolution skills. In that respect, he said that Christians who don’t participate in a congregation and Christians who move from congregation to congregation, instead of staying put, resolving disagreements and building deep relationships, have disqualified themselves from leadership. Since NCFIC emphasizes the importance of the family, some people think they have a low view of the church. Apparently not!
The importance of strengthening the relational reality and dynamic in the Church has become a much greater priority for me personally in the last couple of years. This is reflected in my different ministry involvements in the local church as well as ChristianGovernance’s young men’s and women’s camps and retreats. We see this priority of relationships in the early Church as well, including in the life of the Apostle Paul.
Christians rightly appeal to Paul’s writings, as part of the Scriptures, as vital and powerful teachings for orthodoxy and righteousness. We focus on the letters he wrote, and on his teaching that is recorded in Acts.
How much do we focus on his life example in Acts? Even in his letters (cf. Philippians 4:9 and 1 Corinthians 4:16), he repeatedly tells his readers to follow his example. I am at Acts 20 in my current reading through that book. The second half of that chapter (vs. 17-38) is Paul’s final comments to the elders of the church in Ephesus. He talks about his work among them, he talks about his reputation and he exhorts them to continue to protect the Church from wicked people. Right in the middle of his comments (v. 25), he mentions that this will be the last time they see him: “I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face.”
Once Paul had finished talking, what was the one comment that stood out in the minds of these elders? Remember, these were leaders of God’s Church so they were all men. They were doing what only men should have to do – fighting, defending, protecting – for those who were under their care. Shepherds had to have a robust ministry in that day (as is the case today too in some parts of the world). So, these were hardy men, not women, not young children, not those who might be associated more with emotionalism. But what stood out most to these men was Paul’s statement that they would never see him again (vs. 37-38): “And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again.”
Hmmm…