“The
story behind SABBATH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP”
I
preached a sermon one time in Numbers 35 about the cities of refuge. That
sermon helped me to click into focus, a little clearer, something that I had
felt for quite some time: a conviction that the church of Jesus Christ is to
be a type of city of refuge, a “safe place,” for people to come to find,
worship and serve God.
As I look at the church in
general, not as a Christian or attendee looking from the inside out, but as
the world looking from the outside in; the church is not considered a “safe
place.” Don’t take my word on this. Take some time and spend it listening
(not defending, explaining or making excuses) to those who don’t believe in
Jesus. They will tell you they don’t find the church to be a “safe
place.”
Philip Yancey illustrates this in
his book “The Jesus I Never Knew,” while telling the true story of a drug
addicted prostitute who had finally sank to the point of renting out her two
year old daughter for sex:
“At last I asked if
she had ever thought of going to the church for help. I will never forget the
look of pure, naïve shock that crossed her face. “Church!” she cried. “Why
would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d
just make me feel worse.”
I find that inside many of those
that are outside the church share the same experiences and feelings regarding
the “church” of God. Their views, although admittedly subconsciously imposed,
are regularly confirmed in the majority of churches all the time. Interestingly
enough, with those that I’ve talked with, the following complaints against
Christians and the church are few yet common :
They feel like a number. Visitors from outside of the church get the
distinct notion that the church’s major concern for them is only to add
another notch in the membership stick. They sense there is an agenda for
them. Instead of feeling comfortable to check out the claims of the Bible and
Christianity, always there is pressure, both said and unsaid, to conform to
the pressures and ideals of those around them.
They are aware of the judgment and condemnation of the church. The
majority of us are already quite aware of our personal shortcomings and
faults; having others pull us off to the side and point them out to us is quite
unnecessary. Yet this happens all the time. Most of those outside the church
believe that they must “clean up before they show up” at church to begin
with. Because they are borderline convinced that they can’t make it, when
someone confirms it, why try? Most times they give up before even starting.
They are tired of each denomination being the “only ones who are right.”
Sooner or later everyone has run into the “denominationist” who tries to
convince everyone that if you’re not of the same church or denomination that
they are you’re going to hell.
They don’t get the connection between the Bible and “real life.” Many
unbelievers observe Christians role-playing and don’t quite understand what
church attendance and Bible quoting has to do with real life; especially when
they don’t see any difference between the character of the “Christian” and
themselves. (Was it Buddha who said that he would become a Christian if it
weren’t for the Christians?)
Plainly put: it has been our experience that, unfortunately, many times
“church” is the worse place a new Christian can be during their first year or
so. Well meaning but unbalanced members and/or pastors can distort, even
destroy the new faith of ungrounded believers.
So what IS the purpose of the Church?
If all this is in fact true, then we, as a church, regardless of the many
explanations and excuses we give, are failing to do what Jesus wants us to
do.
“God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into His favor and
be reconciled to Him. For God was in Christ, restoring the world to Himself,
no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the
wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s
ambassadors…”
(II Corinthians 5.18-20, LB)
OUR PURPOSE
For THIS purpose Sabbath Christian Fellowship has come into existence: It is
an attempt to be a CHRIST centered, interdenominational supplementary
ministry.
CHRIST centered means that we’re not out to promote or demote any
person, prophet, church, organization or denomination. We want only to
promote the Jesus Christ of Scripture. Only He has the power to change lives.
Only He has the ability to forgive us of our past, help us with our todays
and take care of our tomorrows. He is more than sufficient for us.
Interdenominational supplementary ministry because we don’t believe the world needs another
denomination. What is needed is a special setting where Christians
can:
Bring their lost friends to investigate the claims of Christianity and
Christ without the fear of
someone else’s agenda and without having to dispute extra-biblical claims.
Come and
learn how to survive and grow
spiritually, emotionally and mentally in today’s world.
A place where it’s safe
to laugh, to cry, to vent, to grow.
Somewhere to come to discover and use the gifts that God has given them.
A
sanctuary to express worship to God in a way that’s not necessarily
traditional but not out of control either.
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