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A site that publishes some brief articles and other teaching of Father Thomas Reeves, the Priest/Pastor at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bloomington, IL (stmattsblm.org) and author of "Was Jesus an Evangelical: Some Thoughts about the American Church and the Kingdom of God" released by eLectio Publishing (a traditional publisher - available on Amazon.com). For some of Father Tom's recent video sermons see https://www.youtube.com/@fathertomreeves2872.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Healthy Relationships or Divided Allegiance?


Thy Kingdom come...Matthew 6:10


As God is everywhere, so is His kingdom everywhere. But there are tracts and territories that are not under the domination of their rightful King, and that is what is meant by sin. Men are always trying to find satisfaction in creatures, but where they give their first allegiance to created beings the result is an inevitable disappointment, and that disappointment is a symptom of their disloyalty or their divided allegiance.

Fr Andrew - Meditations, pg. 298

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Do a Few Things and Do the Well (Part 2)




So what are those “few things” right now that God wants St. Peter and St. Paul to be (and DO!)? Well, in part this question still needs to be worked out together in tangible ways, however, I think that there are some things that we all need to think and pray about.


It is my belief that the scriptures teach that there are key characteristics that a healthy church will exhibit (making the main things, the main things). These identification markers should include:


ñ the worship of the triune God in discipline and sacramental mystery
ñ the effective communication of the Holy Scriptures
ñ the development of Biblical family
ñ the centrality of prayer (liturgy and free)
ñ the training of people in their ministry gifts
ñ a life-long approach to reaching out to others with the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ.


God calls the church to engage these things as a gathered “body” of Christ, and individually[1] out in the world.


As we have heard the Holy Scriptures preached and taught over the years, we have engaged each of the above listed characteristics (we will also continue to do so). If we as a church body want God to bless, and if we indeed want to encourage a real season of “growth” (spiritually and numerically) then what can we do to prepare for it?


While we are a family together, we are also unique individuals, given gifts by Christ to serve his church and thus, the world. How does God want to use you? Yes, I am talking to you (insert your name here:___________________________).


First of all, do you believe that he wants to use you? You are the one who has to believe that God wants to use you right where you are, at your age, in your circumstance, and in your financial situation. Do you believe it? We close off the power of the Holy Spirit when we lay aside God’s promises and callings due to our own inferiority or excuses.


Secondly, are you asking him to use you in any way that he chooses? We are not the lords of our own lives, HE is. So are you willing to submit to this? This might mean that you will be called by God to involve yourself in attempting things that you have never attempted before. This may mean that you may need to STOP doing other good things in the church (or in your life), so you can do what God is calling you to do FIRST OF ALL. Open your heart to him in regular prayer and ask HIM how he wants to use you. He promises to answer us.


Thirdly, are you praying for others in our body, that God would use them? Yep, more prayer (grin). Sometimes we are so busy doing, that we don't take the time to stop to listen and communicate with our Lord. Through the resurrection power of the Spirit, we can change this. Don't beat yourself up, or put unrealistic expectations on yourself, but make time during the week to pray for yourself and others so that we as a body will be truly led by him. It is his strength and guidance that we must have.


Fourthly, do you love those you know who are unchurched? Are you praying regularly for these same people? Who are those people in your life? Start (or continue) praying for them, that God would soften their hearts to the Gospel and use our church (starting with you [insert your name here:___________]) to lead them to Jesus Christ. You don’t need to be anybody else to lead someone to consider Jesus as their savior and Lord. The Lord wants to you use you with your gifts, personality, and background.


Lastly, prepare yourself through prayer and meditation for UNCOMFORTABLE CHANGE as our church grows. NO, this does not mean that the pastor has any crazy ideas that he is going to surprise you with...what it means is that if a church is going to choose to love one another and love the world outside, then we must embrace that there is no real love without sacrifice.


As a body grows numerically, the dynamics of that body will also change...the relationships and warmth don't have to change...but you might find God using you (or those you know now) to spend time with other newer people in our church that need to be served. He might call you to do different things...which means YOU (meaning all of us) may have to give up your control over what God wants to do in our church.


He might answer our prayers by bringing (who others may see as) “undesirables” to our church (remember Jesus and the Leper?). Embrace this pain, don't run away from it! Through prayer and seeking God with all your heart, prepare yourself now to be what he wants you (and all of us at SP & SP) to be.


Father Tom


Remember, the Lord is already in the future waiting for us. We have nothing to fear.


[1]    Individually, but never on our own...we are always a part of the one church of Jesus Christ

An Introduction to the Theology of Baptism of the Church Fathers


A Brief Interaction with the Church Fathers on Baptism