***The following is an article from my good friend and brother Jack on how to be the church on days not named "Sunday". He is a preacher and a writer at Focus Press. Enjoy!***
Church between the Sundays
How do we make the church stronger? How do we help the church grow?
These questions occupy the thoughts of all of us who work in ministry and of countless other elders, deacons, and church members. Often the solutions suggested focus on improving our gatherings - better preaching, more class opportunities, livelier worship (sometimes crossing the line into entertainment), more age- and interest-segregated offerings, cooler facilities, and more.
What if the solution was found in everything but our corporate gatherings? When you think about the things the church (and by “the church” I mean the people and not the organization) was called to do, it would be incredibly difficult to get those done in our gatherings at the building.
Consider just a few of the commands we’ve been given:
“Preach the gospel to all creation.” You might disagree with my interpretation on the subsequent points, but there’s little room for debate here. If evangelism isn’t happening between the Sundays, then it likely isn’t happening at all. However, it’s easy to fall back into hoping that our building and our events will suffice in our duty to reach our communities.
“Serve one another.” Jesus’ powerful example and the subsequent command (John 13) can’t be carried out without involvement in each other’s lives and scenarios where each person is allowed to be a servant. Few opportunities to truly meet others’ needs through service are afforded in the church’s corporate gatherings.
“Encourage one another.” The Hebrews writer put the onus on each of us to look out for our brethren and make sure they aren’t hardened and led astray by the deceitfulness of sin. I think it’s fair to say that offering a mass invitation once per week qualifies as carrying out this commandment. Obeying this charge takes the kind of relationships that can only be developed outside of the church gathering, intentionally using our time to build each other up.
“Teach them to observe all that I’ve commanded you.” Paired with Paul’s words that we are to bring each to maturity (Colossians 1:28) and until they are equipped to serve each other (Ephesians 4:11-16), we have to understand that this won’t happen by 30 minute sermons and 45 minute classes. We can’t possibly meet every person where they are, we can’t possibly teach each of them at their own speed, and we can’t possibly answer all the questions and difficulties they have on their individual walk along the way. We need something more than Sunday gatherings and group classes.
With all of these commands it’s important we realize they don’t come with the addendum of “if the opportunity arises.” The opportunity is always there to serve, to encourage, to evangelize, and to disciple or be discipled. The key is to put ourselves in situations and develop the kind of culture where those opportunities arise.
The sooner we understand that all of this can’t fully take place on Sunday and can’t fully take place in any other corporate gathering the church puts on, the sooner we start putting emphasis on being the church between Sundays and start being the church God had in mind.
- Jack Wilkie
If you'd like to read more by Jack visit focuspress.org
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