Got Problems

My grandparents have a sign hung in their kitchen that says “If all our problems were hung on a line, you’d take yours and I’d take mine”. I used to walk around saying that just because it rhymed, but it is a great saying. There is not one person who is reading this article that does not have their own problems, in many cases their own very personal problems. God has promised that the Christian life does not exempt us from problems, letting us know that “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. “ (Matt 4:45).

The church is not exempt from problems, look at the church at Corinth, and the issues that the faced, from issues with those who sexually immoral (2 Cor. 12:21), and those who were using the Lord’s Supper as a common meal. (1 Cor 11:21). Nearly every church Paul writes to in the New Testament he addresses some type of problem.

I have thought many times about what God would say about the Logan Martin church of Christ, about the church that Jesus died for that is working and growing here in Pell City AL. Would our problems be any different from any other congregation, would they be unique to only us? With that in mind and in preparation for our upcoming friend’s day, what are some problems that the Lord would want the church here at Pell City to have?

The Lord would want us to have a “seating problem”. I used to hear that it was all in the numbers, and that is partially true. Concerning church growth, it truly is in the numbers, we are either growing, or we are dying. We are either doing the work God has sent given us to do, or we are not, there is no middle ground. God expects our first commitment to be to His work (Matt 6:33). One of our responsibilities is to go out and to talk to others about God, about Jesus, about the church that was built, about how others can be saved (Mark 16:15-16). God has also promised that if we plant the seed, the increase will come (1 Cor 3:6-7).

Everyone will not come, and it will take us asking over, and over in some cases to get someone to commit to being here, but if we do our part, God has promised He will do His part. One problem God would truly want us to have is a “seating problem”. Why? Because each person in this building each time we are assembled represents one soul, and we know from the scriptures that God is concerned about each and every soul (Matt 16:26).

The Lord would want us to have an “attendance issue” I don’t k now how your workday normally goes, but there is no room for error in many work places and school houses when it comes to our attendance. Missing a day of work or school many times requires a note from the doctor to be able to go back. I am convinced that God would want the church here at Logan Martin to have a “attendance problem”. Let me explain, our attendance at church services and activities are a direct reflection on our love for God. How do I know this? Because Jesus said “if you love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and the Hebrew writer, inspired of God gave a command to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb 10:25). So what do I mean by an attendance problem? God would want each member of the Lord’s church to be in attendance at each service of the Lord’s church on each Lord’s day, and be present for each activity possible. An attendance issue – each member here each time the doors are open.

Remember to be mindful and prayerful for our upcoming Friend’s Day on May 17^th – This will be a great day for each of us! It is my prayer that much good will come from this day!

Ande Z