November 16, 2022 • 11 mins
When we forgo physically assembling ourselves with other believers for moments of corporate praise and teaching, I believe we miss out on having meaningful experiences with God, because whenever the body of Christ comes together and we praise in unison, God reveals another layer of Himself to give us an experience, somewhat like experiencing heaven on Earth, that draws us closer to Him, entices us to pursue a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
Welcome to the barber cast podcast.
I am your host,
Naomi K.
Thank you for listening for just as the body is one and yet has many parts and all the parts though many form only one body.
So it is with christ for by one holy Spirit.
We're all baptized into one body whether jews or gentiles slaves are free and we are all made to drink of one holy spirit.
(00:39):
Since the same holy Spirit fills each life,
God has placed and arranged the parts of the body,
each one of them just as he willed and soffit the I cannot say to the hand,
I have no need of you nor the head to the feet,
I have no need of you.
But quite the contrary.
The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are absolutely necessary and as for the parts of the body which we consider less honorable.
(01:07):
These we treat with greater honor and are less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty while are more presentable parts do not require it.
But God has combined the whole body given greater honor to that part which lacks it so that there will be no division or discord in the body,
but that parts may have the same concern for one another and if one member suffers all the parts share the suffering and if one member is honored all rejoice with it.
(01:40):
One thing that the pandemic reminded us all of is that human connection is vital to overall human survival basically we need people and we can multiply that statement 1000 times more as we consider the body of Christ you all know from previous podcasts that I like to read.
And some years ago I read an article from a well respected blog that discussed the top reasons young millennials and gen Z are leaving the church.
(02:11):
Some of the grievances mentioned were the church's traditional beliefs that some young people believe alienate young ideas from developing in the church.
Other grievances included pre marital intimacy,
not being widely accepted in the church and the fact that these generations are experiencing more economical wealth than their predecessors and have less desire to be a part of a faith based anything.
(02:36):
Now I've read these grievances objectively because I believe this information serves leaders in ministry well to know and understand how the minds of these younger generations work as it relates to God and his church.
However,
the first thing I thought about when I read this was do people honestly know who the church really is.
(02:59):
Within the past year,
more religious buildings have reopened their doors encouraging members to come back and be a part of the faith based services they provide.
Unfortunately,
people have become so comfortable attending online services that the idea of leaving the comforts of their own home to get dressed up to go here.
(03:20):
The same messages they can hear at home is bothersome to them,
especially since the opportunity to return your tithe and offering is available online as well.
Now let me say this,
I'm a fan of technology and I believe it helps ministries spread the gospel of salvation to parts of the world.
A plane or boat won't take an evangelist.
However,
(03:41):
it also has dangers and that it can make life so convenient for people that they become less mobile and less active when everything they need can be clicked on from a device within the palm of their hand and that includes online worship services for local believers.
First,
Corinthians 12 talks in detail about who the church really is and if you haven't read it,
(04:03):
read it,
it will surprise you.
Traditionally,
church is thought to be the buildings that we attend on the weekends and for midweek services.
However,
church is not a building.
The church is the body of christ,
it's the members of God's family who have chosen jesus christ to be their lord and personal savior.
(04:24):
Now,
some may hear that and say well if the church is the body of believers,
why do I need to go to a building?
What's the point?
And I understand where you're coming from.
But let me tell you what you're missing in romans 10 paul says,
let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works,
(04:51):
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves as the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching another translation says it this way,
let us seize and hold tightly the confession of hope without wavering for he who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful to his word.
(05:15):
And let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds,
not forsaking our meeting together as believers for worship and instruction as it is the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more faithfully as you see the day of christ's return approaching historically in the bible,
(05:40):
whenever the Israelites were called to assemble themselves together,
it was so that they could have an experience with God.
There was either instruction,
exhortation,
a display of worship or God speaking to or comforting his people through his profits.
Why do that in a building?
Because God was not against building a temple and dedicating it to him as a place where he could speak to his people through his priests,
(06:08):
the faith based buildings that we attend today for praise,
service,
teaching and instruction are considered places dedicated to God.
Of course they don't resemble Solomon's temple due to modernization but mature leadership,
Those who have been called by God to lead us know that these places are dedicated houses of prayer to usher the body of christ closer to God when we forsake to physically assemble ourselves with other believers for moments of corporate praise and teaching.
(06:37):
I believe,
we miss out on having meaningful experiences with God because whenever the body of christ comes together and we praise in unison,
God reveals another layer of himself to give us an experience somewhat like experiencing heaven on earth.
That draws us closer to him,
enticing us to pursue a deeper,
(06:59):
more intimate relationship with him.
Now.
Unfortunately,
immature leadership does make its way or their way into the pulpit every now and then and they abuse these moments and as a result,
members in the body of christ become spiritually injured and the injured leave the assembly trying to find God alone or whatever other way they can without having to go to a dedicated building because they fear being hurt again,
(07:28):
I've been there,
I know what that hurt feels like and I've literally after being hurt,
made declarations to never step back into a church building again.
And my excuse was always God's people of the church,
not the building.
And while that's true,
God doesn't want us to go about this walk alone first.
(07:49):
Corinthians 12 also says God has placed and arranged the parts in the body,
each one of them just as he willed and saw fit.
That means he places each of us in the body of christ where and how he sees fit and just as the eyes can't say to the hands,
I don't need you and the head can't say to the feet,
(08:09):
I don't need you,
we can't say that to one another either.
God says that the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are absolutely necessary.
And as for those parts of the body which we consider less honorable,
these we treat with greater honor and are less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty while are more presentable parts do not require it.
(08:33):
But God has combined the whole body,
giving greater honor to the part that lacks it so that there will be no division or discord in the body but that the parts may have the same concern one for another.
And if one member suffers all the parts share in the suffering and if one member is honored,
(08:53):
all the members rejoice within.
Listen,
the body of christ can't fit into one dedicated building.
So don't let what happened to you in one building keep you from assembling with the body of christ altogether.
The part of the body,
the part that hurt you may be going through a season of weakness which could be due to immature leadership,
(09:17):
but there's still part of the body,
we have to pray for the parts of the body that are broken but still remain a part of the body because God speaks to the whole body.
And as I think of the six reasons why these younger generations are leaving the church,
they're not running away from God,
(09:37):
They're running away from responsibility because carrying the gospel of jesus christ on the inside of you requires you to be spiritually responsible.
You realize that once you give your life to jesus christ and you become a part of the family of God that everything or every part of your life becomes a ministry.
(09:59):
Unfortunately over the decades,
leaders and parents for that matter have been teaching rules instead of spiritual responsibility.
Rules are the nose that we put in our religious handbooks to make people behave holy and that's impossible because holiness is a heart issue and if someone doesn't have it in their heart to live a holy life,
(10:24):
you can't make them behave that way with rules.
Spiritual responsibility is believing and understanding the word of God to be a guidebook on how to establish and experience a relationship with God.
It's seeing corporate assembly as an opportunity to experience God and allow him to use what he put on the inside of you to help other saints in the body of christ,
(10:51):
let me encourage you to forgive what's been done to you in ministry and I know that may be saying a lot depending on the type of hurt that you've undergone and ministry,
but we are in a season where the Lord needs a healthy body,
the whole body of christ to come together in unity for the sake of reaching souls for the kingdom of God and this last hour that we're living in.
(11:16):
So ask the Lord to lead you to a healthy ministry a healthy part of the body of christ,
where you can assemble and experience the healing and growth that you need.
But most importantly,
where that experience can lead you to discovering your purpose.
Thank you for listening.
Welcome to the barber cast podcast.
I am your host,
Naomi K.
Thank you for listening for just as the body is one and yet has many parts and all the parts though many form only one body.
So it is with christ for by one holy Spirit.
We're all baptized into one body whether jews or gentiles slaves are free and we are all made to drink of one holy spirit.
(00:39):
Since the same holy Spirit fills each life,
God has placed and arranged the parts of the body,
each one of them just as he willed and soffit the I cannot say to the hand,
I have no need of you nor the head to the feet,
I have no need of you.
But quite the contrary.
The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are absolutely necessary and as for the parts of the body which we consider less honorable.
(01:07):
These we treat with greater honor and are less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty while are more presentable parts do not require it.
But God has combined the whole body given greater honor to that part which lacks it so that there will be no division or discord in the body,
but that parts may have the same concern for one another and if one member suffers all the parts share the suffering and if one member is honored all rejoice with it.
(01:40):
One thing that the pandemic reminded us all of is that human connection is vital to overall human survival basically we need people and we can multiply that statement 1000 times more as we consider the body of Christ you all know from previous podcasts that I like to read.
And some years ago I read an article from a well respected blog that discussed the top reasons young millennials and gen Z are leaving the church.
(02:11):
Some of the grievances mentioned were the church's traditional beliefs that some young people believe alienate young ideas from developing in the church.
Other grievances included pre marital intimacy,
not being widely accepted in the church and the fact that these generations are experiencing more economical wealth than their predecessors and have less desire to be a part of a faith based anything.
(02:36):
Now I've read these grievances objectively because I believe this information serves leaders in ministry well to know and understand how the minds of these younger generations work as it relates to God and his church.
However,
the first thing I thought about when I read this was do people honestly know who the church really is.
(02:59):
Within the past year,
more religious buildings have reopened their doors encouraging members to come back and be a part of the faith based services they provide.
Unfortunately,
people have become so comfortable attending online services that the idea of leaving the comforts of their own home to get dressed up to go here.
(03:20):
The same messages they can hear at home is bothersome to them,
especially since the opportunity to return your tithe and offering is available online as well.
Now let me say this,
I'm a fan of technology and I believe it helps ministries spread the gospel of salvation to parts of the world.
A plane or boat won't take an evangelist.
However,
(03:41):
it also has dangers and that it can make life so convenient for people that they become less mobile and less active when everything they need can be clicked on from a device within the palm of their hand and that includes online worship services for local believers.
First,
Corinthians 12 talks in detail about who the church really is and if you haven't read it,
(04:03):
read it,
it will surprise you.
Traditionally,
church is thought to be the buildings that we attend on the weekends and for midweek services.
However,
church is not a building.
The church is the body of christ,
it's the members of God's family who have chosen jesus christ to be their lord and personal savior.
(04:24):
Now,
some may hear that and say well if the church is the body of believers,
why do I need to go to a building?
What's the point?
And I understand where you're coming from.
But let me tell you what you're missing in romans 10 paul says,
let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works,
(04:51):
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves as the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching another translation says it this way,
let us seize and hold tightly the confession of hope without wavering for he who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful to his word.
(05:15):
And let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds,
not forsaking our meeting together as believers for worship and instruction as it is the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more faithfully as you see the day of christ's return approaching historically in the bible,
(05:40):
whenever the Israelites were called to assemble themselves together,
it was so that they could have an experience with God.
There was either instruction,
exhortation,
a display of worship or God speaking to or comforting his people through his profits.
Why do that in a building?
Because God was not against building a temple and dedicating it to him as a place where he could speak to his people through his priests,
(06:08):
the faith based buildings that we attend today for praise,
service,
teaching and instruction are considered places dedicated to God.
Of course they don't resemble Solomon's temple due to modernization but mature leadership,
Those who have been called by God to lead us know that these places are dedicated houses of prayer to usher the body of christ closer to God when we forsake to physically assemble ourselves with other believers for moments of corporate praise and teaching.
(06:37):
I believe,
we miss out on having meaningful experiences with God because whenever the body of christ comes together and we praise in unison,
God reveals another layer of himself to give us an experience somewhat like experiencing heaven on earth.
That draws us closer to him,
enticing us to pursue a deeper,
(06:59):
more intimate relationship with him.
Now.
Unfortunately,
immature leadership does make its way or their way into the pulpit every now and then and they abuse these moments and as a result,
members in the body of christ become spiritually injured and the injured leave the assembly trying to find God alone or whatever other way they can without having to go to a dedicated building because they fear being hurt again,
(07:28):
I've been there,
I know what that hurt feels like and I've literally after being hurt,
made declarations to never step back into a church building again.
And my excuse was always God's people of the church,
not the building.
And while that's true,
God doesn't want us to go about this walk alone first.
(07:49):
Corinthians 12 also says God has placed and arranged the parts in the body,
each one of them just as he willed and saw fit.
That means he places each of us in the body of christ where and how he sees fit and just as the eyes can't say to the hands,
I don't need you and the head can't say to the feet,
(08:09):
I don't need you,
we can't say that to one another either.
God says that the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are absolutely necessary.
And as for those parts of the body which we consider less honorable,
these we treat with greater honor and are less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty while are more presentable parts do not require it.
(08:33):
But God has combined the whole body,
giving greater honor to the part that lacks it so that there will be no division or discord in the body but that the parts may have the same concern one for another.
And if one member suffers all the parts share in the suffering and if one member is honored,
(08:53):
all the members rejoice within.
Listen,
the body of christ can't fit into one dedicated building.
So don't let what happened to you in one building keep you from assembling with the body of christ altogether.
The part of the body,
the part that hurt you may be going through a season of weakness which could be due to immature leadership,
(09:17):
but there's still part of the body,
we have to pray for the parts of the body that are broken but still remain a part of the body because God speaks to the whole body.
And as I think of the six reasons why these younger generations are leaving the church,
they're not running away from God,
(09:37):
They're running away from responsibility because carrying the gospel of jesus christ on the inside of you requires you to be spiritually responsible.
You realize that once you give your life to jesus christ and you become a part of the family of God that everything or every part of your life becomes a ministry.
(09:59):
Unfortunately over the decades,
leaders and parents for that matter have been teaching rules instead of spiritual responsibility.
Rules are the nose that we put in our religious handbooks to make people behave holy and that's impossible because holiness is a heart issue and if someone doesn't have it in their heart to live a holy life,
(10:24):
you can't make them behave that way with rules.
Spiritual responsibility is believing and understanding the word of God to be a guidebook on how to establish and experience a relationship with God.
It's seeing corporate assembly as an opportunity to experience God and allow him to use what he put on the inside of you to help other saints in the body of christ,
(10:51):
let me encourage you to forgive what's been done to you in ministry and I know that may be saying a lot depending on the type of hurt that you've undergone and ministry,
but we are in a season where the Lord needs a healthy body,
the whole body of christ to come together in unity for the sake of reaching souls for the kingdom of God and this last hour that we're living in.
(11:16):
So ask the Lord to lead you to a healthy ministry a healthy part of the body of christ,
where you can assemble and experience the healing and growth that you need.
But most importantly,
where that experience can lead you to discovering your purpose.
Thank you for listening.
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