We had the privilege of hearing Elder Jon Koh speak to the Lifespring family. God has been stirring Jon & Brenda’s heart for many months now on how the church is to respond to a hurting world around us.
As Jon challenged the church family from Acts 6 there were important highlights I believe God wants to speak to the church about. In the midst of a growing and maturing church there was a quarrel. There were widows who were being overlooked and even though everyone loved Jesus – there was quarrel. Yet, in the midst of quarrel, instead of having a church split, they came up with a solution.
Whenever there is a disagreement there are often 2 paths. The first is to be offended and walk away. The second path is to make a way. Mature disciples did not allow the problem to break the people apart, rather they came together – relying on the Holy Spirit & wisdom to solve the problem. They worked together instead of breaking apart.
Family of Lifespring – as much as we do not want it, there will be quarrels, there will be challenges. There are so many ways to offend one another, maybe we missed something important (oversight), maybe we made an unpopular decision, maybe we have a way of thinking or saying something that can be offensive… My prayer for the church family is that our maturity will cause us to work together to solve rather than split.
In the days to come, God is setting us up to be a light in the darkness. Love God, Love Others. Blessed to be Blessing. All of these things ultimately lead to OTHERS. As we begin to hear and obey where God calls us – maybe it is with the Prenancy Care Centre, maybe the Food Banks, maybe the Homeless, maybe Refugees – no matter where God calls us let us extend the grace and unity we fight to have for one another to others.
Jon said it so well in his closing prayer: Only God can make the difference. Let our love for God compel us to move out in faith. Let strangers become friends so that friends can one day be part of the Family of God.