A Church That Doesn’t JudgeSýnishorn

If we’re aware of everyone’s identity, as we talked about yesterday, and the fact that it is God who has designated a place for each of us, we’ll also become more aware of the fact that everyone within the congregation has a unique place and destination. God has given us each other to reflect more of Jesus together! Only together can we understand the length, height and depth of His love which transcends knowledge, as we read in Ephesians 3.

So ... only together. We’ve all received a puzzle piece; each of us has experienced or learned something personal from the Lord which is valuable to share with each other. We have all received gifts and talents that help the church blossom. There aren’t a select few people suited to counsel the church. No, the norm should be that we can all contribute. Only then can we reflect Jesus for the world.

Many churches struggle with the question of how they can ensure that more people become active in the congregation. It begins with recognizing that everyone is unique and that everyone’s contribution counts. Then you find a place where each one can help in the congregation. We call this shared responsibility.

When you start leading with shared responsibility as we find it in Romans 12, you start to look at things differently. The chapter begins with conditions, some of which we also brought up in this reading plan:

• Dedicating your body as a living sacrifice
• Renewing your thinking
• Not thinking highly of yourself, but humbly
• Realising that you are part of a body and, as such, dependent on other parts

From that serving position, with an understanding of equity and a focus on the recovery of your own thinking and heart, you will be able to take up the position in the church that God has destined for you. And you’ll extend to others the same courtesy. Once you’ve dealt with the log in your own eye, you’ll judge your brothers and sisters less harshly, but help them with love.