Monday, March 6, 2017

AMAZING BETHANY PART III

I want to brag again on the way that God blesses and uses our home church.  Bethany Holiness Church in Sand Springs, OK. Pastor Darrell Toliver and his wife Sister April.  The rigorous and growing schedule of ministry events taking place on and from this property never ceases to amaze me.  

Every week, every month, day in and day out it is non-stop and endless.  Just regular schedules involve Sundays of 9:30 am "Ministry Sharing", 10:00am Sunday School classes, 11:00am Worship service, 6:00pm prayer meeting, 6:30pm traditional service.  Then there is Wednesday night midweek service at 7:30pm.  There is Monday through Friday pre-K through 12th grade private Christian Education system going on.  Certain Monday nights of the month are designated for extra prayer meetings.  Secret Sisters women's group, work nights, work days, field trips, fund raisers, choir practices, board meetings and on and on and on.  AND I LOVE IT!!!

BUT, the activities, schedules and vigor that they are performed with are NOT the most amazing parts by far.  What is so incredible is the intended outcome that they produce in individuals to affect communities.  This highly intentional schedule of events that is ever morphing and ever evolving is supposed to AND IS equipping people that respond to it in a way that causes them to GO OUT, REACH OUT.....From the schedule of events that happens "At Church" flows a whole other schedule of events that happens "Away From Church".  

Weekly jail services, counseling sessions, piano lessons, sign language classes, grief recovery training, financial support events, women's and babies lifestyle support and housing volunteers, Court Appointed Special Advocates for children, Bid Brothers and Big Sisters!!!  If the on site schedule produces the off site schedule then there is proof of progress and that is what Bethany does.  

The opposite of this correct inside/out system of Christians gathering to strengthen and support and teach each other to go out, reach out and change the family, the town, the county, the state.......comes in two different and opposing forms.  There is a highly introverted version and a highly extroverted version.  One is more exciting than the other but they are both extreme failures.  One is the dying on site schedule where less and less people are involved so less and less people come so eventually a smaller and smaller schedule is needed until there is one or two services a week and a whole complex that was once dedicated for Christ and His gospel message is used maybe 3 to 5 hours a week and it basically sits and rots.  The other version is the thriving on site schedule that is all about itself.  More services, games, programs, dinners, teaching, banners and balloons than ever but the entire push for funds, push for bodies in seats, push for upgrades and designs is to promote THE PLACE.  The local church building with the local church name with the local church people going there and the local Pastor running it and........Sometimes it looks very similar to the right thing and even more active and creative than the right thing but never actually gets around to producing the right thing.  

The right thing is the active Christians going out into the streets, communities and whole world and changing it for Christ with their money, their votes, their time, their relationships, their ideas and their empowerment that they received at places like Bethany Holiness Church.  



This is part III of a random ongoing series that I just wake up one day and decide needs to be added to.  I remember after part II someone asked me, "Do you think you can brag on your church TOO much?"  I said, "Before I answer that let me ask you a couple of questions.  Do you go to church?  Where is it? and Do you like it?"  They said, "Those are strange questions to ask.  Why do you ask those questions?"  I said......."Because even though I have known you for a few years now, I don't know the answer to them."  He said, "Never mind."  In other words, I think that the far worse problem going on is not too much bragging on the Church, but not enough!  

Your humble servant, 
Rev. D. Todd Sloggett

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