It's just my junk

There is no I in team…

If you are like me, you have heard this phrase being used from time to time in various settings. There is no I in team!.. I have heard it in the work place, sports field, once in the classroom (admittedly that one confused me), and even in the house. We are better than just one. I am sure you could add some unique places or settings you have heard the term but what about the church?

I was reading out of my new “Jesus Centered Bible” brought to you by Group Publishing. The New Testament book of John Chapter 17 verse23. Jesus was talking to people. He said in short.. If you want them to know me, they need to know you, by how you treat one another. Those words simply stung tonight as I read them, in fact the reading caused me to draft this blog.

So how does the church do in getting along to show the world or those outside of your building who Jesus is?

1. We disagree about worship style. Check
2. We disagree about budgets. Check
3. We disagree about rooms being used. Check
4. We disagree about the right time to do communion or baptism or even who can minister those things. Check
5. We point fingers at each other. Check
6. We talk about our leaders behind their back. Along with not supporting them. Check
7. We sit in our pew, comfy as they are, and think so and so should hear this sermon. Check
8. and I could go on and on… but what good would it do?

It doesn’t do what God has called us to do or be.

Matthew talks about going out in pairs to reach others so grow them and baptize them and disciple them in the way to go..
John talks about showing your love for Jesus and reflecting that love through our actions with other believers…

What would our churches be like if we ….

1. We worshiped in spirit and in truth, no matter what the service style or flow was… Check
2. We worked on a balanced God focussed budget and celebrated God’s generosity… Check
3. We shared rooms.. after all they are just bricks and drywall and will be there when we die… Check
4. We celebrate Jesus life, death and resurrection with our hearts in appreciation.. Check
5. We look within to grow before we offer help to others… Check
6. We support the leaders God has put in our churches and pray for them… maybe even join them in leading.. Check
7. We begin to apply the sermons to our lives outside of the building we call church and people see Jesus… Check
8. and I could go on and on… What good would it do…? Well it would be a reminder of two simple things….

We are representing Jesus in all we say, do and think and we might be the ONLY Jesus the people we interact with will see.

Finally think about it… if we continue to do the first list, why would anyone in the world want to come into our church and worship, grow or serve? I know I wouldn’t want to be a part of something that is that negative especially the church.

I will spend some time this week doing a couple of things:

1. Digging deeper into God’s word to grow my love for Jesus and His church.
2. Trying to move from the first list of actions to the second one. Not allowing myself to complain.
3. be a change agent for myself, family, church, community and God.

I understand from a life of serving God in different states, denominations, church sizes, styles and shapes that it can be a challenge to stay focused on the goal and to avoid Satan (the king of all lies) tempting us to look to the left or the right of the goal. I also admit to struggling from time to time with being a change agent in my own heart and life. But I am working on it.

I pray you can see through the offensive nature in the blog to the heart of the message.. God can’t use us if all we do is think of the I in team that doesn’t exist.

Faithful Journey to each of you.