Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

This is a slight diversion from my normal weekly devotional, in fact, other than the opening verse, this one is light on biblical study and high on application or example. In our Elder meetings we have been discussing our local church body, how to reach, how to invest, and how to nurture those that God has entrusted to us. Yes, we provide a place of worship and teaching from God's word... so we meet the first part of the subject verse.... Devoted to teaching, But how are we doing on fellowship and the breaking of bread together??

Last night on the way home from an Elder meeting, part of our discussion made me remember something that I had heard recently. While at a conference, I was speaking to a retired VP of a major company. In our conversation regarding "how things work at the church where he serves as an Elder at an Elder led church", our conversation edged towards the life of the church body and what "they" do during the week when not at church, and how they are accountable in such a huge church family. One of the things he pointed out that he had read was that increasingly one's place of employment is taking on a place of influence surpassing that of the family and church. Although he certainly was not seeing this as a positive trend, we all are only fooling ourselves if we think that this is not realistically the world we live in. People are less and less connected with the traditional, God-ordained institutions that nourish and support, namely the family and church. Sunday meals in the home are replaced by the ease of a restaurant... after all it limits the time you have to spend with people. I would venture to say that if your kids are in sports, you have more of the "sports family" in your home or spend more time with them, than the people in who you sit by in church. By not having people in your home, they will never know who you are, and conversely, without you being open to them knowing you, you will never know them. Broken marriages and homes are taking their predictable toll. And now, after almost 40 years of moving from the personal, to the "practical" so many are only casually connected to a church. I challenge each of you, reach out side of your self. Find the uncomfortable, invite them home. Serve them a home cooked meal... invest in them... nurture a relationship that they don't have with you or others in your church. While I don't necessarily always subscribe to Barna research in all areas, I have recently read that George Barna notes that in America some 10 million who claim to be Christian are unchurched. 10 MILLION.

That means that they don't know what being a Christian is all about, they don't understand the command to forsake not the gathering of believers, or quite possibly, they are not even really Christians in the true sense of the word. I think that this primary root level lack of connectedness that so many experience is both a tremendous obstacle and a great opportunity in sharing our faith with our fellow believers and slaves for Christ. We have been strategically planted to bear witness to God's plan and love for them. So what does this have to do with our witness and ministry in our homes or in the workplace?

It is imperative that we strengthen our own home and church life. These God-ordained institutions are not going to be replaced, although so many are disconnected from them in the complete crumbling of society as we know it. I guarantee that we will be weak and ineffective in our local church ministry if we are not receiving the support at home and at church. We must in both active and passive in ways we demonstrate our love for God, our family and our involvement in our local church. Without pride we must recognize the emptiness that they are experiencing (perhaps unknowingly) as they seek to find the fulfillment that only God offers in other ways. You my friends are truly instruments of God's work in our local church.

Open your heart, open your door, and seat someone you don't really know at your table. If we want to grow the ministry of our church, those "legacy" members need to have the same attention that we give to the new folks walking through the door for the first time. They need our love and concern expressed in a genuine friendship.

The legacy of a broken home is devastating, and in some ways a person never recovers fully, it changes them forever. This is the same for our church family. We all come from different places, times, experiences of "church". This spiritual home life is often "broken" just like a divorce or wrecked home life. There are trust issues, pesky sin issues, relationship issues in our church, just like in a home. Now I am certainly aware that some reading this are from a broken home themselves, either in your personal home life or spiritually. Be assured that God can use you in a very amazing way as you express your experience in the reconciliation process that only God can manage. Make yourself vulnerable, let people see the real you. Don't hide from the relationships, embrace the accountability.

As you read this, I know that some of you excel at having people over. Don't just eat and run, don't just fulfill this obligation I am pointing out to each of us (yes the finger points back at me as well!). Invest in the Kingdom of God by investing in his people. The rewards will be huge, I guarantee it!

Lunch is over, so have a great week,

Paul