Is Church ‘Out for the Summer’?

Catechism & Bible studies are postponed until the fall and Council will probably meet with less frequency. Many of us will be out and about for the summer: visiting friends and family abroad and the like.

Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that the church follows the worldly pattern of taking a summer break from her usual education schedule. Did the priests of Israel said to the people: ‘okay we need some time off this summer because the heat is really getting to us’? Or maybe the Old Testament kings would think: I should really go vacation to the Mediterranean Sea because these people are a real headache. Perhaps the apostles of the early church should have been able to go to the Roman baths once in awhile because they were so tired from bringing the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles.

In all seriousness, however, we see that some people really got into a lot of trouble when they were not attentive to their work (think of David, 2 Samuel 11:1ff. or the parable of the lazy servant, Matthew 25:26)

In contrast, Timothy was called to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2) If any man had reason to complain about his work schedule it would be Paul who traveled thousands of miles for the sake of Christ, bringing the gospel to the nations. (1 Timothy 4:10) The only break he ever had, as far as we know, was when he was in prison.

When we read Romans 16 we may be struck by the work of the many Christians who ‘labored’ (meaning that they worked hard even to the point of weariness) in the Lord. Indeed every one of us through the victory in Christ may conclude that we are “always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:57ff.)

So is it wrong to, as it were, ‘take a break’ from church activities? Not necessarily; recreation and fellowship can also be a form of worship and labor for Christ (see 1 Corinthians 10:31) But there is a important reminder in this of which we must be aware. What such a break should do is make us see the many other things that we have either neglected or perhaps not had an opportunity to do during the rest of the year. Whether it be to visit a church member, get involved in community evangelism or projects, or mow the lawn on the church property (hint, hint) we can be busy at this time of the year to serve the Lord.

You see it is not just a matter of church attendance that suffers because people are off camping or traveling. It is not simply a matter of money that we may lack in our offerings because we may be spending it doing some big yard project at home, or because we are finally taking that vacation to Hawaii for which we have been planning so long. No, the most prevalent issue for the Christian at this time of the year (if not all the time) is we that we must never become weary in doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Furthermore, we should not think that the summer is time to stop learning. Some grow weary of study and need a summer break from writing and reading (see Ecclesiastes 12:12). And yet others, according to Paul, are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7) So let us not sleep now but be wide awake. Let us hear the word of God, believe it and rejoice for He delights to feed us (Psalm 81:10) Summer worship is like fall or winter worship, just a little warmer. The same law is declared, the same gospel is preached, the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ still speaks for He does not change for any season but is the same yesterday, today and forever. Indeed this is why ‘various and strange doctrines’ come about: because people want novelty and change (Hebrews 13:8ff.) But God will do all the changing we need (Genesis 8:22).

So is church ‘out for the summer’? God’s promises cannot fail and thus no less can God’s people strive to always be active in the things of the Lord. For in reality there is no ‘me time’ or even ‘family time’. It is all God’s time. He is sovereign and He is Lord: He gave it to you not to do as you please but to please Him. Ponder these truths this summer as you serve Him in all that you do.

This Lord’s Day

We welcome Rev. Joel Vander Kooi to our pulpit as part of an Alberta wide URC exchange. Rev. Vander Kooi is pastor of the Bethel United Reformed Church of Calgary. Their website is here.

This Lord’s Day

We welcome Rev. Reaves of the Kelowna Orthodox Christian Reformed Church to our pulpit.

The OCRC shares a very similar history with the URC, having left the CRC over issues of biblical authority and confessional integrity. As of now they have five congregations: 1 in Washington State, 1 in British Columbia and 3 in Ontario.

At the last URCNA Synod (2007), the body decided to re-invite the OCRC to federative unity without following the usual 3 step process. This decision was ratified by a majority of churches in January 2008. In response to our invitation the OCRC Synod of 2007 passed an overture which reads:

The OCRC churches we have once again been graciously invited by the URC to federate with them. Although the invitation still requires ratification by a majority of URC churches, it is moved that we assume that ratification will occur, and become prepared to respond. It is moved that each of the OCRC churches conduct investigation and develop relationships (beyond the work of the OCRC Ecumenical Relations committee) with the URC as necessary to be able to respond to the expected invitation at the OCRC Synod 2008. Further, the OCRC churches shall aim to give one consolidated answer to the URC following the OCRC Synod 2008. It is further moved that each consistory actively seek to share the information gathered with the other churches of the federation through written correspondence.

(as amended from the minutes of that Synod which are available here)

Psalm 133:1-3 “A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing — Life forevermore.”

How to Listen to a Sermon

There is some danger in a pastor recommending guidelines on how to listen to a sermon. Is he trying to avoid criticism or, worse, setting an agenda for the congregation to follow? I believe these are valid concerns but not so weighty that they should overthrow good counsel from a godly Puritan!

The following statements were originally written by Christopher Love (1618-1651). Pastor Shane Lems of the Sunnyside URC posted these “seven practical directions for listening to the preaching of the gospel”.

1) Take heed that you hear the Word of God preparedly. As the preacher must take care to find acceptable words, so the people should labor to bring acceptable affections to the work - when we come to the service of God we should hear with all attention and pray with affection.

2) Hear the Word attentively, as those did in Acts 8.6. Those who hear the Word with gazing eyes, wandering thoughts, and sleepy bodies cannot hear it attentively, but are to be reproved.

3) Hear the Word of God retentively. Labor to keep in your memory what you hear, that you may put it into practice for your life. Hearing is for practice’s sake. This also has to do with treasuring the Word, so it will have a continual impression upon your hearts.

4) Hear the Word understandingly. Christ called the multitude and bade them hear and understand. This is what the Bereans did.

5) Hear the Word applicatively. If a patient has never such excellent counsel given him, never so powerful a medicine prescribed, if he does not apply it, it will do him no more good than if he had never known it.

6) Hear the Word of God reverentially. Many people represent God to themselves in such familiar notions that they ultimately breed a contempt of God which we ought not to have. We must demean ourselves with a humble reverence in His presence.

7) Hear the Word of God obediently. Come…ready, prepared, and disposed to stoop and submit to all the instructions, corrections, and reproofs of the Word of God, like those spoken of in Acts 10.33.

To see the original post click here.

Official URC website

After many years of planning and work, our federation now has an official website. Click here.

Please note that the site is still being updated. For example if you look at Grace’s entry under the church directory you will find some errors. Hopefully this will be changed/updated in the next few months.

Another Review of ‘Expelled’

This time from a Reformed pastor. Click here.

HT: The Heidelblog

N.B. June 28, 2008 - The link above is now dead. Please go here to read the article.

Just a Thought

As I was preparing for tonight’s sermon on the Ascension of Christ I came across an interesting thought from J.A. Alexander’s commentary on Acts (which is an excellent commentary by the way - it is part of the Geneva Series of Commentaries published by the Banner of Truth).

Many commentators state that the “two men” of Acts 1:10 are angels, which of course, is a fair assumption to make. However, Mr. Alexander tells us:

a still more striking supposition, which I owe to the suggestion of a friend, is that these two men were Moses and Elijah, who had been present at the transfiguration, and there talked with Jesus of his exodus about to be accomplished at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31.) There is something sublime in the idea, that the great prophetic Legislator and Reformer, who had come from heaven to be present at the momentary anticipation of the Mediator’s glory, now appeared again as witnesses of his departure to take final and perpetual possession of it.”

He notes that this should be regarded as mere conjecture but I believe it to be worthy of some meditation.