Church: Everybody>Somebody

Posted on January 8, 2014 by dkoop

encyclopedia britannicaDid you ever have a set of Encyclopedia Britannica?  It was a 1000 lb set of books that once graced many homes.  This year they will no longer be printing them!  Since1768 this Encyclopedia has been printed continuously, until now.[i]

Did you ever have an encyclopedia on CD? In the 90’s when the personal computer was starting to take off, Microsoft had an entire encyclopedia on a CD that you stuck in your computer.

encartaLike Britannica, Microsoft hired a small group of writers, supervisors and professors to write edit and verify the information.  People with Doctor’s and Masters Degrees carefully researched information, a team of writers compiled it, a group of editors corrected it and Microsoft published it.

With the CD you wouldn’t need to wrestle your way through 26 volumes to find what you’re looking for.  Now, you had all of the world’s information on one CD-ROM.  It quickly displaced the Britannica as the #1 encyclopedia in the world.  The encyclopedia was digital.

Then a few years later, the game changed again.  Encarta decreased in popularity, and was eclipsed by another encyclopedia.

Do you know what the most popular Encyclopedia in the world is today?  Not Britannica.  Not Encarta.

wikipedia2 It’s Wikipedia.

But here’s the interesting thing.  Wikipedia didn’t hire professors and editors to write the content.  They didn’t build a giant staff to make sure everything was correct.  Do you know who writes the articles at Wikipedia?  Everybody, not just a few somebody’s.  Regular people like you and me, not few professionals.

And you don’t have to pay for this software…it’s free.  Wikipedia, a free web-based encyclopedia, basically put Microsoft Encarta and Britannica out of business.

What’s the point?  Everybody can accomplish more than somebody.

 Like Wikipedia the church is a volunteer organization…it’s the power of everybody working together!

We are not a small collection of people doing God’s work.  We are a large army of many all with important parts to play.

We are not a bunch of spectators watching a few professionals.

We are people that believe in the mission and know that we were created to join Christ in fulfilling it.

We are not kicking back on cruise while a small crew does all the work.  We are all rowing the boat in the same direction.

We serve because it’s a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.  It’s the most fulfilling thing we do. We are changing the world one life at a time.

We don’t just go to church, we are the church.

We are a body, not one solitary member.

Everybody is greater than somebody.

Growth Groups are the best way to be connected with everybody!

Growth Group signups are going on now.  Will you join the movement?

 

Go to www.RidgeFellowship.com  to sign up.

 

[i] Fox News, March 2012

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Believers Are The Body Of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-27)

Posted on January 5, 2014 by dkoop

Bod4 God12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.NIV 

 LIFE APPLICATION – BODY LANGUAGE
Paul compares the body of Christ to a human body. Each part has a specific function that is necessary to the body as a whole. The parts are different for a purpose, and in their differences they must work together. Diversity can maintain unity as long as all submit to one Lord.

Christians must avoid two common errors: (1) being too proud of their abilities; and (2) thinking they have nothing to give to the body of believers. Instead of comparing ourselves to one another, we should use our different gifts, together, to spread the Good News of salvation. We speak Christ’s “body language” when we practice our unique gifts under his sole authority.

12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.NIV

What gives believers their unity is the one Spirit—the very same Spirit who also gives their diversity through the many and varied gifts.

LIFE APPLICATION  – BASIS FOR UNITY
The church is composed of many types of people from a variety of backgrounds with a multitude of gifts and abilities. It is easy for these differences to divide people. Despite the differences, however, all believers have one thing in common—faith in Christ. On this essential truth the church finds unity. All believers are baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body of believers, the church. We don’t lose our individual identities, but we have an overriding oneness in Christ. When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and that person is born into God’s family. As members of God’s family, we may have different interests and gifts, but let us pursue a common goal—deep unity in Christ.

12:14-15 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.NRSV

Having established that the church, the worldwide community of believers, is indeed one body—the body of Christ—Paul went on to show the necessary diversity in that body. A human body does not consist of one member but of many. For a body to function, such diversity is essential. Individual members cannot separate themselves without harming the body. Paul explains, through this metaphor, that all the different gifts given by the Spirit to believers must be utilized in order for the church to function well. Likewise, the gifts are interdependent. Like the body, they cannot function without each other.

12:16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.NRSV As with the foot and the hand (12:15), so it is with the ear and the eye. The parts of the body should desire to perform only the functions for which they were made, not seeking other parts. The ear may prefer to be able to see, like the eye, but that does not mean that the ear is any less a part of the body. The ear will no more be changed into an eye or given the ability to see than a believer will be able to exchange one gift for another. Instead, each believer should discover his or her spiritual gift and then use it to its fullest capacity for the Lord.

12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?NIV Every spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit is vital to the functioning of the body. If everyone wanted to be an eye, then the body might see very well, but it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, there would be no sense of smell.

LIFE APPLICATION – EAR REVOLT
We respond to the mental picture of an ear’s declaration of independence from the rest of the body with a chuckle. A conference between body parts would make one thing laughably clear: As important as any one part might be to the whole, their reliance on the rest, even to accomplish their vital role, is far more crucial.
The idea that Christians can somehow function and flourish outside of the body of Christ sounds as ludicrous as a rebellious ear or foot. Solitary Christianity has no basis in God’s Word. We need the church, and we are needed by other Christians.

12:18-20 But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.NLT

As God created human bodies to function with their many parts working together, so the body of Christ—the church—needs all the various gifts working in harmony. The picture of a body with only one part illustrates the absurdity of a church with everyone trying to have the same gift. It would not be a body at all, and it would be unable to function. While there are many parts, there is only one body, because God ordained it that way, putting each part just where he wants it. All believers—those with the spectacular gifts and those with the quieter gifts—are placed right where God wants them so that they might serve effectively together. They are one body with many parts, because God made it that way.

12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”NIV Not only should each individual part realize its own importance, but all the other parts should realize their interdependence as well. One part of the body cannot say it doesn’t need another part. Those in the church who have the more spectacular gifts should not look down on or dismiss those with other gifts because, in reality, all are needed.

12:22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.NRSV The more honored members must not look down on the more humble members (12:21); in fact, those who seem to be weaker are indispensable. These “weaker” members are those who appear to be less important in the body. These people may not be always visible, always up front exercising their gifts, but they are in the background. If they are using their God-given gifts, they are actually indispensable to the body. Those with the visible gifts could not function to their full capacity without the other indispensable members utilizing their gifts. The pastor in a church may be well versed and eloquent, but he will not be effective if the other members are not utilizing their gifts to greet newcomers warmly, to make sure the building is maintained and clean, to plan the worship service, to make sure equipment is working properly, to follow up on people with needs, or to pray faithfully for the ministry. The church needs the visible members, but it needs everyone. In reality, the less-visible members are the “indispensable” ones.

 LIFE APPLICATION  – DISCOUNTS
Paul argued for diversity of gifts and acceptance of the full range of gifts that God gives to his people. No one should feel superior about his or her gift; instead, all should use their gifts to willingly serve. Too often the “up-front” gifts, like speaking or teaching, are more highly regarded than the “behind-the-scenes” gifts, like helping and serving. No one should discount the contribution of another person, no matter how insignificant it may seem. We should not be dissatisfied with the gift God has given us but be eager to serve. Nor should we envy those who seem to have more gifts than we do. In love, treat everyone’s gift, yours included, as valuable to God.

12:23-24 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.NLT “The parts we regard as less honorable” refers to the sexual parts of the body, the parts that we carefully protect from the eyes of others. The point of this verse is that appearances are deceiving; all parts of the body are necessary, even the ones that should not be seen and the parts that have less dignity. No one should dismiss anyone else as unimportant in the body of Christ; neither should undue prominence be given to anyone. The reason for this is explained in 12:25.

LIFE APPLICATION-   CONNECTED
What is your response when a fellow Christian is honored? How do you respond when someone is suffering? We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). Too often, unfortunately, we are jealous of those who rejoice and apathetic toward those who weep. When that happens, we have overlooked our connection with them in Christ.
Believers are in the world together—there is no such thing as private Christianity. Christ makes us one, even when we wish otherwise. When we follow Christ, we find ourselves in mixed company. We shouldn’t stop with enjoying only our own relationship with God; we need to get involved in the lives of others. That’s also the best way to break through our mere human reactions to them.

12:25-26 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.NLT

 The harmony Paul wanted among the members had already been discussed in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “Let there be real harmony so there won’t be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” NLT. Such harmony happens only when all the members—the weak and the strong, the flamboyant and the quiet, the up-front and the behind-the-scenes—use their gifts, appreciate one another, and care for each other equally. Such caring is demonstrated as they share in one another’s joys and sorrows. As with the physical, human body, one part’s suffering causes every part to suffer.

When the head aches, the whole body suffers. When a thumb is hit with a hammer, the whole body knows it. In the body of believers, therefore, if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it. Believers should share one another’s burdens in order to help lighten them. Likewise, if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. There is no room for jealousy or strife when one person receives praise; instead, all should be glad.

Believers need to be able to empathize with others—to join in with their feelings as if they were experiencing the feelings themselves. Christians should rejoice with others, with no hint of jealousy; and they should suffer with them, offering kindness, concern, compassion, and a shoulder to cry on if needed. Following Jesus will mean that believers will have a wide variety of experiences. Christianity neither denies life’s hardships nor dulls life’s excitements. Both laughter and tears are appropriate before God. Identifying with the joys and heartaches of others is an important way for believers to show love and unity.

12:27 Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.NLT The words “all of you together” refer to all believers across the world. All believers together are Christ’s body. As new believers come to salvation in Jesus Christ, they join that body, receive a gift from the Holy Spirit, and are used by God. Therefore, each and every believer in the body of Christ is a separate and necessary part of that body. No believer is unimportant—each one has a gift to share in order to make the body function that much more effectively.

www.RidgeFellowship.com

Source— Life Application Bible Commentary

 

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2013 Ridge Blog in Review

Posted on January 3, 2014 by dkoop

Did you ever think our church could reach people in Saudia Arabia?  We are. At The Ridge we are SHOWING Christ to our world. Our vision is being fulfilled in many ways.  One way is through our blog, read on to see how many people.

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. The Ridge Blog was viewed about 17,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

The busiest day of the year was February 15th with 2,940 views.

Where did they come from?

People from 133 countries visited The Ridge Blog!
Here’s a break down:

  • The US – 13,568 people
  • Canada- 452 people
  • United Kingdom – 427 people
  • Australia – 228 people
  • South Africa 211 people
  • India 161 people
  • Germany 62 people
  • Nigeria 60 people
  • France 47 people
  • Kenya 45 people
  • Indonesia 41 people
  • Mexico 24 people
  • Italy 23 people
  • Thailand 22 people
  • Brazil 21 people
  • Saudi Arabia 20 people
  • Egypt 12 people
  • Turkey 6 people
  • For more see complete report below

Thanks for helping SHOW Christ to our World!

Darrell

Click here to see the complete report.

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How do I Pray?

Posted on December 31, 2013 by dkoop

7 Dec Livin on PrayerMaybe you’ve heard prayer is important. But how do you start?

Do you remember learning how to read? Most of us learned by first identifying letters and their sounds, then combining those letters to form words, and later stringing words into phrases and sentences. We moved from picture books to chapter books as our ability grew. But we started simply—with an alphabet and a desire to learn.

Learning to pray is not so different from this.

Prayer, the act of conveying a message to God, can seem intimidating—and the thought of praying publicly can be almost paralyzing!1 It helps to remember that when you pray, you are addressing a God who loves you and wants to hear what you have to say.

Just Begin

Praying, at its most basic, is simply talking to God. So get to talking.

Your prayers won’t be graded or compared to anyone else’s. You don’t have to sound “spiritual” or quote Bible verses back to God. You can just speak to God as if talking to a friend.

If you feel like you have no idea how to “just begin” or that you’re uncomfortable with talking to God, you’re in luck. The Bible is a great resource for learning how to pray. The entire book of Psalms is comprised of all types of prayers—prayers of praise, petition, and lamentation. You can even read the prayers of Jesus himself in the Gospel of John.2

Prepare for Challenges

But know that when you do begin to pray, you will face opposition.

C. S. Lewis’s book The Screwtape Letters is written as a series of letters from a senior devil, Screwtape, to a junior devil-in-training, Wormwood. Screwtape’s letters instruct Wormwood in how to thwart a new believer.

He quickly advises Wormwood about the “danger” of prayer: “The best thing, where it is possible, is to keep the patient from the serious intention of praying altogether. Whenever they are attending to the Enemy Himself [God] we are defeated, but there are ways of preventing them from doing so. The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him toward themselves. Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills.”3

You will surely find resistance to prayer when you begin. Any number of distractions may hinder your efforts—from phone calls to sleepiness to self-consciousness. But begin anyway.

Author Tim Challies says, “If I want to know how to pray, I just need to pray. No book, no classroom, no course, no instructor can teach me so much about prayer that I can avoid the hard work of learning on my knees. Ultimately prayer itself is the classroom.”4

Don’t Stop

But once you begin to pray, don’t stop. The apostle Paul instructed believers in the church at Thessalonica to “pray continually [and] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”5

Praying continually doesn’t mean kneeling all day or reciting prayer after prayer after prayer. It is rather a continual turning of the heart toward God; a submission; an eagerness to be near him, to hear him, and to share life with him. It is a continual recognition of God’s presence in your life.

Any ordinary moment can be an opportune time to communicate with God. You might pray on the move as you walk, jog, or commute. Let landmarks that you routinely pass serve as prompts to thank God, praise him, or offer quick prayers for family members or friends.

Check in with God throughout the day as you do routine chores like cooking or cleaning. You might incorporate music into your prayers, too, by singing along to hymns or songs of praise.

You can also pray as you work. For example, you can thank God for providing a job for you. Ask him for wisdom in dealing with colleagues, clients, superiors, and subordinates. You may ask him for creativity in problem solving or for the courage to act ethically and fairly.

And yes, you could even ask him to bless your work and bring you success. Christians who do their work with excellence—whatever their work may be—glorify God in the process.

Pray with Others

Praying with others one-on-one, in small groups, and in corporate worship can also strengthen our prayer practice. “For where two or three gather in my name,” Jesus said, “there am I with them.”6

Hearing the prayers of fellow believers (and joining our prayers with theirs) is an encouraging, instructive, and powerful experience. We learn by imitating others. If you are hesitant to pray aloud, just pray along silently. You’ll learn by listening!

As mentioned earlier, the pages of the Bible are full of potential “prayer partners” for us too. Read the prayers of Moses, David, Daniel, and Solomon recorded in the Old Testament and of Jesus, Peter, Timothy, and Paul in the New Testament, just to name a few.

Many books contain the prayers of passionate men and women of faith. Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, George Muller, Amy Carmichael, Charles Spurgeon, Jim Elliot, and others can stretch your understanding of prayer and refresh your mind and heart when your own words feel stale and weak.7

Finally, remember that when words fail you altogether, you have another “partner”—the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”8 When we can’t even think straight, the Holy Spirit knows what we need and “speaks” to God for us.

Be Authentic

Keep your prayers authentic. Strive to remain honest and transparent before God. Don’t pretend to be someone or something you’re not. God invites us to come as we are when we pray—flaws and all.

C. S. Lewis wrote, “We want to know not how we should pray if we were perfect, but how we should pray being as we now are. It is no use to ask God with factitious earnestness for A when our whole mind is in reality filled with the desire for B. We must lay before him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.”9

How to Pray

So you want to know how to pray? Just begin where you are. God is waiting. He longs to hear from his own.

Begin, and then keep on praying—through your ordinary days and in every circumstance. Pray not just alone, but in the company of other believers—past and present—whose prayers can strengthen your own. Come to God as you are, not as you think you should be.

Acrostics and formulas for “effective praying” abound, but we learn to pray—and to love spending time in God’s presence—simply by praying. Are you ready?

For more about the series, Livin’ on Prayer, got to www.RidgeFellowship.com

Footnotes
  1. John Piper, “Pray Like This: Hallowed be Thy Name” (sermon on Matthew 6:5–18, December 30, 2007). Available at http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/pray-like-this-hallowed-be-your-name, accessed February 27, 2013.
  2. See The Holy Bible, New International Version © 2011, John 17.
  3. C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, (San Francisco, CA: Harper One, 1996), 15–16.
  4. Tim Challies, “The School of Prayer” Challies.com, February 6, 2013, http://www.challies.com/christian-living/the-school-of-prayer.
  5. The Holy Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18.
  6. Ibid., Matthew 18:20.
  7. See Letters and Papers from Prison by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; The Journals of Jim Elliot by Jim Elliot and Elisabeth Elliot; Answers to Prayer from George Muller’s Narratives by A. E. C. Brooks; A Simple Way to Pray by Martin Luther; Spurgeon on Prayer: How to Converse With God, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
  8. The Holy Bible, Romans 8:26.
  9. C. S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer, (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1964), 22.
Written by Leigh McLeroy
For more great articles like this, check out www.ExploreGod.com
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