Participation and unity

I meet with a group of evangelical pastors each Monday for fellowship, prayer and a great coffee at cafe Per Te in Church St Brighton, and it is one of the most encouraging, supportive and nurturing environments to be a part of. We care for each other deeply and strive to bring a genuine Christian love and strength to each other.

We also have great debates at times, and even though we hotly debate and disagree on the meaning and application in certain parts of the Bible, we always pray with each other, and agree to have minor disagreements. There is a great sense of unity and dedication to the Gospel.

One such discussion of late has been on the issues of baptism. Why did Jesus institute it, and how does it apply to the modern Christian life?

For example, if a person in their heart genuinely repents of their sin, seeks forgiveness from God through the merits of Christ, and invites the Holy Spirit to be the guiding influence in their life, hasn't faith brought this person the fullness of the Kingdom? What does baptism add? The same questions arise when discussing what happens when a Christian or Christians take the Lord's Supper.

Why must we participate in these "rituals" when the Bible clearly declares that "it is by faith you are saved"? Why did Jesus say to participate in these 2 ceremonies if all that is needed is faith? These are difficult questions to answer, and trying to figure them out can be very difficult, and if we are not careful, can also cause unnecessary divisions between Christians. 3 things must be said:

Obey the command to participate in these ceremonies as an act of obedience, as part of your holiness and not thinking that it has anything to do with salvation, apart from remembrance of how and why you are saved. To quote Mary Basilea Schlink "I love Him but I do not understand Him". Participate as an act of holy obedience because we are instructed to.

We must have faith while participating in these rituals, or the ritual means nothing. It is our changed heart, absolutely convinced of and filled with the body and blood of Christ, that causes something to change in us in terms of our spiritual life.

Do not argue with other Christians about this. It is one of the most central and unifying acts a Christian can participate in, and it should not cause anger, vitriol, or condemnation. Let the Holy spirit bring a sense of holiness, and to quote the Apostle Paul, "do not be condemned by what you approve of.

Where two or more are gathered

An elderly saint in our church approached me recently, saying she would like to conduct a weekly prayer meeting in her home. Although our church already has 5 opportunities for corporate praying not including Sunday worship, it was instantly decided that this would be a great endeavour. As a Christian fellowship we have a specific calling to prayer and take it both seriously and joyfully.

I announced to our people that this new prayer initiative would be beginning soon, and asked everyone to consider if they are able to participate. As of me writing this post today one person has indicated that they feel called to put their life and energy into this gathering.

So here is the situation. Two Christian women will meet together once a week and pray together for all those matters that the Holy Spirit lays on their heart, or to intercede as per requests made by individuals. Sounds small-time and low-key, doesn't it. Two people in a lounge room talking to the air in the hope that a God who is ever-distant will hear and take time away from important matters to respond?

This is so far from the truth. You see, there is no such thing as "small church". Where two people pray together, Jesus promises to be there with them also interceding, and this makes this gathering one of the most powerful entities in the universe; something way above human energy, wise counsel, political momentum or the will and mindset of an entire democracy; something intangibly spiritual that can affect people's lives and the turn of history.

Can you see this? Do you experience the power of God when faithful disciples of Christ pray? Catch the vision, join the chain, and unleash the power of God in and around you.