Thu. Nov 7th, 2024

31 Reasons Why God Put You in a Church

A lady who read our blog commented that when she was widowed, her church did not minister to her. And no, she said, “I did not seek counsel from my pastor. I sought help from the Bible and the Lord alone.”

I’m thinking she was saying that somewhat pridefully. I may be reading it wrong.

I replied, “God never intended for you and me to handle life’s burdens ‘from the Bible and the Lord alone.’ That’s why He put us in a church when He saved us.”

We have to give the pastors and leaders a chance to help us. We should let them know we are in a crisis. Then, it’s their responsibility to respond appropriately. But if they do not know, they will do nothing and you will suffer needlessly.

I repeat: The Lord intends for us to help each other handle these critical passages in life. He does not intend for us to live our lives in isolation, just reading our Bible and trying to get sustenance from the Lord. He gives help through His people as well as by the Holy Spirit. And often, it’s through His people that the Holy Spirit ministers best.

“Love one another.” “Comfort one another.” “Encourage one another.”

Have you read that in Scripture? It’s all through the New Testament.

It was put there for a purpose. These are admonitions/instructions for God’s people to take care of each other.

Dan Crawford and Al Meredith searched the New Testament and came up with 31 “one anothers” for God’s people. They wrote a chapter on each in their little volume One Anothering, which is available from any online source. What are the 31 one-anothers?

  1. Pray for one another (James 5:16).
  2. Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50).
  3. Wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).
  4. Love one another (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17; Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:13; 1 Thess. 3:12, 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3:11-12, 4:7, 11-12; 2 John 5).
  5. Be members of one another ­(Rom. 12:5).
  6. Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
  7. Honor one another (Rom.12:10).
  8. Let us not judge one another ­(Rom. 14:13).
  9. Be of the same mind toward one another (Rom. 15:5).
  10. Receive one another (Rom. 15:7).
  11. Admonish one another (Rom. 15:14).
  12. Greet one another (Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor. 16:20, 1 Pet. 5:14).
  13. Wait for one another (1 Cor. 11:33).
  14. Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25).
  15. Serve one another (Gal. 5:13).
  16. Do not bite and devour lest you consume one another (Gal. 5:15).
  17. Do not provoke one another (Gal. 5:26).
  18. Do not envy one another (Gal. 5:26).
  19. Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
  20. Bear with one another (Eph. 4:2, Col. 3:13).
  21. Be kind to one another (Eph. 4:32).
  22. Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21, 1 Pet. 5:5).
  23. Do not lie to one another (Col. 3:9).
  24. Comfort one another (1 Thess. 4:18).
  25. Edify one another (1 Thess. 5:11).
  26. Consider one another (Heb. 10:24).
  27. Do not speak evil of one another (James 4:11).
  28. Do not grumble against one another (James 5:9).
  29. Confess to one another (James 5:16).
  30. Be hospitable to one another (1 Pet. 4:9).
  31. Fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7).

That’s the plan, for God’s people to hold on to one another, ministering and helping and encouraging and, if necessary, rebuking.

No church gets it right all the time. So, no one should use the list of 31 to grade their church. Rather, let us use it as a blueprint to make the congregation of which we are one member stronger, more faithful and more loving.

All of that will honor our Lord. {eoa}

Joe McKeever is retired from the pastorate but still active in preaching, writing and cartooning for Christian publications. He lives in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

For the original article, visit joemckeever.com.

Related Post

Leave a Reply

Related Podcasts

More News
When Was Hell Prepared?
When Was Hell Prepared?
What Is Spiritual Warfare?
What Is Spiritual Warfare?
The Greatest Spiritual War for the Future Is the Past, Present and Future
The Greatest Spiritual War for the Future Is the Past, Present and Future
Tucker Carlson Shares His Testimony: ‘I Was Mauled by a Demon’
Tucker Carlson Shares His Testimony: ‘I Was Mauled by a Demon’
Mike Signorelli Talks Demonic Possession, Oppression and Generational Curses
Mike Signorelli Talks Demonic Possession, Oppression and Generational Curses
A Night of Unity at Christ Church: Arabs and Jews Worship Jesus Together in Jerusalem
A Night of Unity at Christ Church: Arabs and Jews Worship Jesus Together in Jerusalem
Amanda Grace, Faith Leaders Host Prayer Night for the Trump Family
Amanda Grace, Faith Leaders Host Prayer Night for the Trump Family
Is Fear Stopping You from Fulfilling God’s Purpose in Your Life?
Is Fear Stopping You from Fulfilling God’s Purpose in Your Life?
Isaiah Saldivar’s Remarkable Message: ‘I Hear Chains Breaking’
Isaiah Saldivar’s Remarkable Message: ‘I Hear Chains Breaking’
Greg Locke: How Biblical Generosity Transforms Lives
Greg Locke: How Biblical Generosity Transforms Lives
previous arrow
next arrow
Shadow

Latest Videos
74.6K Subscribers
971 Videos
7.3M Views

Copy link