Participation
Sound Doctrine
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…”
2 Timothy 4:3 (NASB)
The first word that gets my attention in this statement from 2 Timothy 4:3 is the English translation of the Greek word which means to endure (anecho). Why? Because the word endure means to “hold oneself up,” “to strengthen,” “bear with,” “sustain an unpleasant or difficult process,” “to suffer.”
Paul’s larger focus is on the prophetic Truth that the day will come when many will not endure the Truth of God’s revelation of His Word. Instead, many will choose the easy, less challenging, route: living a life of ease and going at it their own way, without respecting God’s ordinances or His Truth. Paul writes further that they will “accumulate” (episureo) teachers that, in effect, preach what the crowd wants to hear and not what God wants them to understand.
Thankfully, Fellowship Church doesn’t have this problem! Instead, we believe, girded in God’s Truth, that if we preach and teach the Word of God in Truth, we can trust the Holy Spirit to send those He is calling to us. And we rejoice that God has given us growth.
Paving the Way underscores this vision! Our purpose is not to throw bricks at any other congregation or group but to care for the responsibilities that God has given us: To glorify Jesus Christ through the written instruction of God’s divine Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and to trust in His work to grow our fellowship. As we increase our parking capacity we are reaffirming the Truth that God knows best and will lead those to a particular body of Christ, like Fellowship Church, at the appropriate time where His Word is taught and where each believer can enjoy fellowship with like-minded persons of common faith.
This is a terrific opportunity that He has given us to contribute. If you have not done so yet, this is another invitation to join God in this powerful, potentially, life-changing, work.
Prayer
Father, the word “awesome” is often overused nowadays. The truth is you are more than awesome! That You would give the folks within this Body the incredible privilege of joining You in Your work of representing Christ to the world is absolutely overwhelming for us to take in. The reality that the Supreme Creator of everything would use us to accomplish an eternal purpose with a simple parking lot is even more incredible. Help us in this important task! Holy Spirit, please continue to work in the hearts of those who have not yet determined how to give or what to give. We are trusting you to get this project done because ultimately we believe this project is Your leading.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.