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======Calling and Mission III - Our Work in the Church.======
Wednesday, Sept 16, 2009. What is my calling within my church? Perhaps you are not
part of a church at all. Or you are part of it but you do not see how you as someone
who is not a pastor could be useful at all. The original Christian understanding
of church is the community of those who belong to Christ. That is much more than
some dry institution. It is the exciting live of humans who belong to an exciting
God. It is the daily exchange of encouragement, of criticism, of love and help,
of dedication and work, of solidarity, of patience etc etc.
We are called to live
together. God is a God of community. He is threefold in himself - father, son Jesus
and the Holy Spririt. And he choose to extend this community to everyone who
believes in Jesus. It is said that the spirit comes to everyone who believes in
him. He comes and creates a part of his home in us. Then we take part in his mission.
We take part in everything he does. We are part of his care for the church. We
are part of his care for mankind.
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There is a calling within the church. When we take part in God's own service, we
are given talents and gifts by him to carry out particular tasks. Some are gifted
as leaders, others are gifted as artists. Some know how to encourage others, some
know how to explain the gospel to others. There are many gifts and many different
ways how we can serve the Lord. We speak about his calling to our particular role
in the church.
There is a broad range of churches in the world today. Some have lost at least
partly God's view that the church is a body, where everyone is an important and
integral part. The church can only work when it is not run only by some lonely
professionals. It can only live as what it is (the body of Christ), when there is
a diverse and active team of people working together, living together, believing
together and carrying the load together.
What is your personal calling within the church? Do you know it already? Are you
taking part? Are you taking and giving? Often both is strongly linked. Only those
who give, will receive. Only those who joint the team of workers will be given
in abundance. If you try to take, but do not give, you will soon be disappointed.
You live together with truely human fellows, with all their mistakes, all their
lovely and all their difficult character features.
Try to discover your calling. There are many ways to explore what God has
prepared for you. One part of it will definitely be the step to try and go
ahead. If you are unclear, try it out. You will learn a lot if you start to
take part and prepare the service, if you start to clean the church, if you
joint the youth team or go and care for the elderly. There are many further
things which are needed. When people need help, someone shoud go and help
them. Some things are organized, others need personal dedication beyond the
official lines. Go ahead, the Lord is with you. He will teach you and fill you
with his spirit, when you walk in faith!
[R.W.E.P., jesusnetwork.eu]
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