Be the Church

I went to my newest grandson's baby dedication this Sunday at Whitten Memorial Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. I knew it was going to be an emotional service because I had already seen the Powerpoint presentation of Tommy and Kathy's testimony. But I NEVER expected what happened in that service.

The pastor gets up and announces that today we (the members of Whitten) were going to BE the church. Well, my ears perked up and he certainly had my attention.

Right after that announcement, there was the baptism of a new believer. Okay, score one for the pastor because in speaking to the church in Ephesus Paul tells them to *"lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you were called. With all humility and gentleness, and patience, support each other in love. Take care to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all." (1b-6)

Next in the service was the testimony of the sweetest older woman. She testified to how God changed her and her husband from grudging givers to cheerful givers. Okay preacher. That is one more way of being the church. In fact, Paul writes to the church in Corinth, "Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7).

So now there has been one testimony to the church. As the third point to the pastor's sermon, my son and his wife presented a Powerpoint testimony of how God sustained them through two miscarriages and the death of Kathy's father before God blessed them with Max. Both my son and his wife and that sweet lady have given testimony to the church just like John writes, "If we accept the testimony of human witnesses, God's testimony is greater, for this is God's testimony which He gave about His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him..." (I John 5: 9-10b)

Then there was the Max's dedication. It was a lovely ceremony where the family professes to know Christ and to help raise Max in the knowledge of Christ. THEN, the church promises to do all they can do to help in that task. Paul again addresses the church in their responsibility, "to knit together God's holy people for the work of service to build up the Body of Christ, until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12b-13)

As happens in all churches, then they took up the offering. Yes, that also is being the church. Paul continues in II Corinthians 9: 12-13, "For the help provided by this contribution not only satisfies the needs of God's holy people, but also overflows into widespread thanksgiving to God; because when you have proved your quality by this help, they will give glory to God for the obedience which you show in professing the gospel of Christ, as well as for the generosity of your fellowship towards them and towards all."

Finally the pastor sent the people out into the world to be a witness for Christ, "Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes to the end of time." (Matthew 28: 19-20).

Now that the church had BEEN the church, to borrow from the title of the pastor's sermon, the church left the building. Godspeed Whitten Memorial Church!

*all scripture quotes from "The New Jerusalem Bible"