Category: The church

  • Beyond Counting

    Muskrats and the state of the church

    muskrat swimming

    Some years back, when I was pastoring “the cowboy church” in  Sherwood Park, Alberta, I was blessed to receive a wonderful birthday gift from my wife. It is a custom-crafted, saddle-bag-style briefcase marked with my brand.

    We had to drive to a community a couple of hours away to pick it up, and that involved driving through an area with numerous pothole lakes and plenty of rough farmland.

    Since my birthday was in November, the little lakes were mostly frozen. The ice wasn’t thick yet, but it was definitely there. If I recall correctly, we saw several mule deer and whitetails. We likely saw some late migrating flocks of ducks and geese, as that would have been typical for the season.

    What I do recall clearly are muskrats. Now, muskrats are not rats at all. They are semi-aquatic mammals more closely related to voles than rats. An adult muskrat weighs about four pounds (a little under 2 kg), about half the size of your average house cat.

    Typically, on that particular roadway, we would see a few muskrats on or in the lakes on the drive down and back. Sometimes we would even see four or five on the same tiny lake, which seemed like a lot.

    On the return trip, I was astounded to see the population on several lakes. There were muskrats, for sure, but in incredible numbers. We were driving, and I couldn’t stop to count them, but I am a pretty fair estimator over small areas. There were several hundred muskrats basking in the sun on each of the lakes.

    That’s more than I would see in a typical year, all in one place. I had read about places up north where the fur trappers could harvest them by the hundreds in a day, way back when the north was being opened, but to see them was breathtaking.

    So, what does all that have to do with the Christian faith walk? Maybe nothing directly, but it does bring to mind a few thoughts.

    Sometimes, we get to thinking that, like the few muskrats I normally see, we are among the few faithful Christians left in the world.

    Elijah, the prophet, felt sorry for himself and complained to the Lord about being the last faithful one in Israel (See 1 Kings 18-19). God let him know in no uncertain terms that he was wrong.

    We can get into Elijah’s mindset at times.

    We get tired and defensive when the world seems to be spiraling out of control. We can start to doubt and whine. We forget the incredible power and presence of God. We begin to repine (to feel discontent and complain … sorry, I heard that word in a hymn recently, so I had to look it up and find a place to use it)

    Now, it is true that only a remnant of humanity will be saved. More will choose the darkness over the light than those who will be faithful. Even the so-called “church” has people who are not believers. It is easy to become discouraged and isolated, particularly if your little corner of the kingdom struggles.

    When we feel that way, we need to stop and remember that we are in God’s presence, and we need to consider His long-range plans.

    These words from the closing book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, through the Apostle John, encourage me.

    After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12 ESV

    There are multitudes of believers from all over the world. I also remember some encouraging words from the book of Hebrews.

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

    When you start to doubt and feel discouraged, hold fast. God is still in control. We are united with all the saints (past and present), and victory is ours through Jesus.

    When you are tempted to repine, remember that, like the Lord showed Elijah, He has a much bigger picture than we can see in the moment, and stay the course.

    Until next time,  remember that while battles are still to be fought, the victory is ours.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Some suggested reading

    Why everyone knows, even if they deny it.

    Moose Lake Ballet

    The gospel – the best news ever

  • Belonging brings responsibility

    I sat in the coffee shop, chatting with someone I just met. Somehow, the topic of conversation became faith and the church. My new friend adamantly informed me,  “I don’t need to go to church. I know Jesus, and that’s all that matters.”

    Knowing Jesus is ultimately what matters, but we are to attend worship with other believers. For those in isolated areas where it’s unsafe to worship, that might not be an option, but there is no excuse for the bulk of the people who read Gleanings.

    Lots of people have plenty of excuses not to attend. Here’s a partial list. I’m sure you’ve heard and likely used at least some of them.

    • The preaching is boring.
    • The preacher preaches too much/little from the Bible; is too academic/not academic enough; preaches too long/not long enough.
    • The music is too fast/slow/loud/old/new.
    • They are too formal/informal.
    • The people are too friendly/unfriendly.
    • They have/don’t have pews/organs/stained glass/pastoral robes.
    • The service is too long/short, too demonstrative/not demonstrative enough.
    • There is too much/not enough emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
    • They do/don’t ordain women.
    • They are too active/not active enough in outreach/missions/politics/social action.
    • They talk too much about money, or there isn’t enough emphasis on stewardship.
    • Services times are too early/too late.
    • The pastor is too young/old.
    • The congregation is too big/small.

    Have I hit a nerve yet? Have I stepped on your sacred cow? It’s time to recognize that these are simply excuses that hurt you and the local congregation.

    Why attend worship?

    Some surveys I’ve read show that more than 90% of professing Christians who attend church regularly go because a given church meets the needs of that individual and his/her family. Did you know that’s the wrong reason to attend church?

    First and foremost, the church is not primarily about you. Did you know that? Church isn’t about going and feeling good or about having your needs met. Those things can and do happen, but they aren’t the reason we go. We go to glorify God and to minister to others.

    For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts,yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 ESV

    All true believers belong to the family of God and the church. We are called to be active members. Membership isn’t a ticket to sit around; it is a privilege that comes with responsibility.

    When you don’t attend and take an active role, someone else in the body suffers for your absence. That someone might need your ministry. Conversely, that person might be deprived of their ministry to you.

    Not attending is a very selfish act. The whole body misses out when parts don’t show up to do their bit.

    Can you get to heaven without going to church? Yes! Salvation is by grace and not measured by how often we go. Will the body of Christ be poorer for your absence? Yes? Will you be missing out big time? Absolutely.

    Until next time, quit making excuses. It’s time to take an active role in the local congregation.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Some others you may enjoy

    Right belief or right living

    The local church needs YOU

    Simple or easy? Which is the Christian life?

    Avoiding Rabbit Trails