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It's not about us.
It's all about Him.

Richness in Christ

Words That Burn in My Heart

Richness in Christ and Church Pure and Holy

When it comes to experiencing richness in Christ, I don't know that there is anything more beautiful, precious and wonderful than church pure and holy watched over, nurtured, breathed upon and loved upon by God's Holy Spirit, who is also pure and holy. I am talking here about church in all its purity and simplicity.

"Ekklesia" (translated "church"), was a familiar word in Jesus' day. It was not a religious term. From the 5th Century BC onwards it referred to the regular assembly of citizens in a city to decide matters affecting their welfare* (Acts 19:32,39,41 are excellent examples). Ekkelsia (Church) usually meant "gathering", community or congregation. People of Jesus' day, especially the Greeks, were familiar with the term. It was used to describe people getting together at a multitude of places during their daily lives. Again, it was not a religious term; it was a secular term.

Jesus said, "I will build my church," meaning congregation or community, a gathering of followers. He further stated that wherever two or three were gathered in his name he would be among them. He told the disciples that after he left the earth his Spirit would be with them. His physical presence would be missing but his Spirit would be there in the fullness of his love, power, forgiveness, compassion and all else about him.

For example, two of Jesus' followers were walking along the road to Emmaus and suddenly Jesus was there with them. As they traveled together, sought truth together and were in community with one another they experienced "church"-a wonderfully rich and blessed community of spirits together in the presence of Jesus.

The number one place where Barb and I experience church, the beauty and the simplicity of the pure and holy, is right here in our own home. And that is as it should be. Home is the foundation of our daily lives, it is where the Lord nurtures us as he prepares us to go into the world, and it is where his love is first made known more fully and deeply.

God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, for each other, gave them to each other and then provided a most beautiful home setting that they might live together in that setting for eternity. And everyday, in the cool of the day, God came walking by that they might have fellowship with him and know him more fully. Church. Pure and holy.

Barb and I experience church pure and holy in our home 24/7 because what goes on here is done in an atmosphere of love and holiness, seeking always to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We seek to live a lifestyle of worship.

Sin does not reign in our lives; we are not in bondage to the evil one. Our purity and holiness are a gift from God through the soul cleansing blood of the "Sacrificial Lamb", Jesus Christ, who has washed us and made us clean through his everlasting blood covenant. There are days and moments when every bit of the fruit of the Spirit (love , peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, and all the rest) is challenged fiercely by the one who seeks always to steal, kill and destroy. But, the cleansing and the forgiveness are there should we for whatever reason fall into sin.

But even then, even in the midst of the stressful and destructive, Barb and I are still gathered in his name and it is his Spirit that always prevails. I John 5:4,5 tells us that those who win the battle against the world are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. All of that, too, is part of church-2 or 3 gathered in Jesus' name regardless of the surroundings.

Things that help church pure and holy to happen here in our home are simple. We have praise and worship music playing in the background almost all our waking hours. Satan finds it difficult to operate in an atmosphere of worship when the worship is not about him. We begin our day with prayer, scripture and devotions, and then pray with each other by phone sometimes during the day. Our offerings go to help support missionaries, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help the needy in whatever way the Spirit leads. We also at least weekly share communion together.

Sometimes others join us for simple church pure and holy. We laugh, play, cry, work, sing, pray, hike, bike, minister to the dying and the lonely and the desperate, help people move, eat, and more together, with the Spirit pure and holy among us. And that is church.

As I write this I just have received a phone call from the caregiver of a man who is dying. I will go there and we three will be there surrounded by the Holy Spirit and that will be church.

Tonight some of our children and grandchildren will be here for dinner. There will be joy and sharing around the table. There will be thanksgivings shared. That will be church.

Tomorrow morning I will meet with a group of guys at a restaurant for breakfast and we will share what God has done in our lives this past week, including time for accountability. We'll discuss scripture we have read during the week, and pray together. That is church.

Some night next week we will all get together and go Christmas Caroling. That will be Church pure and holy.

Church pure and holy begins in the home and moves into the world, teaching all nations what Jesus has taught us.

Caution: friends and others will sometimes be very cautious about church pure and holy (or "home churching" as they sometimes call it) . Fact: there are millions of people out there who are hungering and thirsting for the things Jesus has to offer but they will never find Jesus if they have to go through the doors of a traditional church to do so.

If your heart is hungry and searching for more, I encourage you to seek and nurture church pure and holy in all its preciousness and simplicity. It is indeed an essential part of your richness in Christ.