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Lesson 9- January 26, 2020 - Unit II: Dedicating the Temple of God (Commitment to Success)

By: TAMMY SMITH

Devotional Reading: Psalm 136:1-16, 23-25 Background Scripture: 1 Kings …Read More

Lesson 8 - January 19, 2020 - Unit II: Dedicating the Temple of God - A Bright Future

By: Tammy Smith

Devotional Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-6 Background Scripture: 1 Kings 8:22 - 53; …Read More

Lesson 7 - January 12, 2020 Unit II: Dedicating the Temple of God - I PROMISE!

By: TAMMY D SMITH

***SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTS AT 9:00 A.M. AT REVELATION MISSIONARY BAPTIST …Read More

 
 

About Us


11/23/15
I Am A Church Member---I will be a Functioning Church Member
CHURCH IS NOT A COUNTRY CLUB…I REPEAT, CHURCH IS NOT A COUNTRY CLUB!
Now that I have your attention, allow me to impose upon you a very important question! What does it mean to you to be a functioning church member? The unfortunate reality is that many people look at the church as a private enterprise. They view membership to the local church as having perks, privileges, and, prestige. Have you ever heard any of these statements? “This is my church, so you have to play the music just the way I want it.” Look pastor, you need to remember who pays your salary!” “If you don’t do this program, I’ll withhold my check the church.” “I’ve been a member for over thirty years, so I have the right to get what I want!” And of course I am sure that there are more.

When we focus on the term Functioning Church Member; that entails a lot of important components. For instance; membership means that we are all necessary parts of the whole! Notice what I said…NECESSARY PARTS OF THE WHOLE! In other words, you are not the whole thing by yourself. My grandmother would often make the statement “I need you, you need me, and we all need the Lord”.

We are different but we all WORK TOGETHER! Wow!! When you are part of a country club you pay for others to do the work for you. Church membership, everyone has a role. It is imperative that everyone KNOW their role and operate in it. God did not call everyone to do everything but He did call everyone to do something!

Everything we say and do is based on a biblical foundation of love. I am reminded what the Apostle Paul wrote in First Corinthians 13. The Holy Spirit had to him write the following:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ~1st Corinthians 13:1 NIV

Jesus put it like this—“They (the world) will know that you are my disciples because you love one another. Being a functioning church member is more than showing up on Sunday morning. It is a 7 day a week, 365 day a year job. As well, there is a difference in being a ‘Member’ versus a Disciple! ‘Members’ want to be served while Disciples are serving!

In closing, I would encourage us to take a deeper look at ourselves and ask the questions; Am I a Functioning Church Member? Am I clear on a where I should be in HIS church? If your answer is no, I encourage you to pray and seek divine guidance.  Trust in the Lord with all of your heart do not lean to your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths!
 
The world has need of willing men
who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


The Church has need of helping hands,
And hearts that know and feel.
The work to do is here for you;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.
 

Then don’t stand idly looking on;
The fight with sin is real.
It will be long but must go on;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


Then work and watch and fight and pray
with all your might and zeal.
Push ev’ry worthy work along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.
 
In His Service,
Rev. Zack
 
 

Here today and then gone today James 4:14 KJV [14]

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. As I ponder this passage; there is much truth packed in this verse. Each day I realize that we are only here but for a moment. I have seen the day where a person was here today and then gone today. No man knows the day nor the hour when we will have to unrobe this mortal flesh and re-robe in the robe of immortality. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Hell is a prepared place for an unprepared people. Are you prepared to answer when He calls your name? In the words of the old church prayer hymn: “If you don’t see me in the morning everything is alright—-if you don’t see me in the morning everything is alright” “I didn’t do no writing but my name been signed—I didn’t do know writing but my name been signed”

I Am a Church Member---I Will Be a Unifying Church Member

I Am a Church Member---I Will Be a Unifying Church Member
“One finger won't make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow. Now, this family has got to be that fist.” ~Mama Joe—Soul Food


Growing up I would often times here my grandmother say “I need you, you need me, and we all need the Lord!” How true this is. God desires for His children to get along with one another. As a matter of fact, He is very emphatic about that point. Listen at what He says in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, If you have love for one another”.

In this chapter (Chapter 2), the author discusses this matter of unity in the church. He points out that unity is critically important. Paul cuts in and adds his input to the matter.
 
Ephesians 4:1-3: I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
 
In order for the Church to be all that God has called her to be, there must be UNITY! We have a responsibility as a church member. We are to be a source of unity. We are never to be a divisive force. We are to love our fellow church members unconditionally. Now it doesn’t mean you agree with everyone all the time, but it does mean that you are willing to sacrifice your own preferences to keep unity in the church.

You may ask yourself what are some things that can cause dis-unity in the church! You ask so many great questions…let’s see what the Word says:
 
Romans 1:29-31: 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[d] unmerciful;
DE-PRESS-ING!!!!
There must be forgiveness and unity. It has been stated that the Christian Army is the only Army that will kill its wounded! This shouldn’t be! We must learn to forgive our brothers and sisters if there is to be unity in the church. Unity in the church WILL NOT happen if members have unforgiving hearts. Too many times members have anger and hurt because of something another member has said or done. Some members are angry and hurt at the pastor and staff because of something they said or did or failed to do. Remember, each local church is made up of imperfect members and imperfect pastors. There is no such thing as a ‘Perfect Church’. If you find one don’t join it!! The moment you join it will no longer be perfect.

Each Sunday before the benediction is given; we (Revelation Missionary Baptist Church) sing:
 
“I need you. You need me. We’re all a part of God’s body. Stand with me, agree with me. We’re all a part of God’s body. It is His will that every need be supplied. You are important to me—I need you to survive!

I pray for you—you pray for me. I love you! I need you to survive. I won’t harm you with words from my mouth. I love you. I need you to survive. It is His will that every need be supplied. You are important to me—I need you to survive!”
 
My challenge is this:
  1. Possess what you confess as it relates to being a Unified Church
  2. Make a concerted effort to become more unified. As we do, watch what God can and will do through us!
 
In His Service!
Rev. Zack

I Am a Church Member--Functioning Church Member 11/23/15

11/23/15
I Am A Church Member---I will be a Functioning Church Member
CHURCH IS NOT A COUNTRY CLUB…I REPEAT, CHURCH IS NOT A COUNTRY CLUB!
Now that I have your attention, allow me to impose upon you a very important question! What does it mean to you to be a functioning church member? The unfortunate reality is that many people look at the church as a private enterprise. They view membership to the local church as having perks, privileges, and, prestige.

Have you ever heard any of these statements? “This is my church, so you have to play the music just the way I want it.” Look pastor, you need to remember who pays your salary!” “If you don’t do this program, I’ll withhold my check the church.” “I’ve been a member for over thirty years, so I have the right to get what I want!” And of course I am sure that there are more.

When we focus on the term Functioning Church Member; that entails a lot of important components. For instance; membership means that we are all necessary parts of the whole! Notice what I said…NECESSARY PARTS OF THE WHOLE! In other words, you are not the whole thing by yourself. My grandmother would often make the statement “I need you, you need me, and we all need the Lord”.

We are different but we all WORK TOGETHER! Wow!! When you are part of a country club you pay for others to do the work for you. Church membership, everyone has a role. It is imperative that everyone KNOW their role and operate in it. God did not call everyone to do everything but He did call everyone to do something!
 
Everything we say and do is based on a biblical foundation of love. I am reminded what the Apostle Paul wrote in First Corinthians 13. The Holy Spirit had to him write the following:
 
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ~1st Corinthians 13:1 NIV
 
Jesus put it like this—“They (the world) will know that you are my disciples because you love one another. Being a functioning church member is more than showing up on Sunday morning. It is a 7 day a week, 365 day a year job. As well, there is a difference in being a ‘Member’ versus a Disciple! ‘Members’ want to be served while Disciples are serving!

In closing, I would encourage us to take a deeper look at ourselves and ask the questions; Am I a Functioning Church Member? Am I clear on a where I should be in HIS church? If your answer is no, I encourage you to pray and seek divine guidance.  Trust in the Lord with all of your heart do not lean to your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths!
 
The world has need of willing men
who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


The Church has need of helping hands,
And hearts that know and feel.
The work to do is here for you;
Put your shoulder to the wheel. 

Then don’t stand idly looking on;
The fight with sin is real.
It will be long but must go on;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


Then work and watch and fight and pray
with all your might and zeal.
Push ev’ry worthy work along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.


Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.
 
In His Service,
Rev. Zack
 
 

I Am a Church Member 11/16/15

So why am I a ‘Church Member’? Am I a church member because I was raised in the church? Am I a church member because it is the culturally and/or socially right thing to do? All of these questions, and then some, are real thoughts and feelings of most if not all, ‘church people’. In the book I Am a Church Member, by Thom S. Rainer, he explores this very topic of what it means to be a ‘Church Member’.
 
In Rainer’s introduction, he gives readers the distinction between two different types of church members. Michael and his family are excited about the Word and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ; while Liam, who was originally excited, has now become critical of their church and the members in leadership. The author also makes a contrast between the Builder Generation (those born before 1946) and the Millennial Generation (those born between 1980 – 2000). 2/3 of the Builder Generation are Christian while only 15% of the Millennial Generation are Christian. But whose fault is it? Is it due to our current culture? Is it due to the removal of God in our Government and society as a whole? Can we even blame the church? OR should we just take a moment, stop, and look at the man in the mirror?
 
My favorite quote in the introduction of the book is ‘We don’t like the hypocrite in the church but we fail to see our own hypocrisies’. So that leads me back to my initial question…why am I (You) a church member? Am I there to serve or am I there to be served? Am I there to pray or am I there to PREY? As we journey through this book together; it is my prayer that we grow together. Not only grow in numbers but grow more in Grace. Not to just become better Revelation Church Members; but better UNIVERSAL Church Members.
At the end of each blog entry, I invite you to comment and join the conversation! Feel free to leave questions, personal testimonies, and relevant scriptures pertaining to the topic.
 
1st Corinthians 12:27: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

In His Service!
Rev. Zack