Whenever you move to a new location, it takes a while to adjust and finally settle down. As soon as you move,you check around to make sure that you have the best of what you need.
Assuming one is a church goer, then he or she goes around checking many different churches to see which one will meet the individual or family needs. After a while, an individual settles on one that be calls a home church!
Once you settle on one, the church not only welcomes you, but also expects you as a new church family member to help it reach its stipulated goals. While every church has got different expectations, there are two that are very basic to all-faithful attendance and financial support.
Since there is no single church member who has free money to dish around, each church member is expected to do her/his little part. The tithing system, say in the Seventh day –Adventist church is clear. Each one is expected to return 10 % of whatever he or she earns. Besides, each one is expected to give a systematic contribution towards other church programs. A failure on any one member to do his or her part affects a church in many ways than many church members realize.
Equally true is the attendance. It’s this attendance that determines the success or failure of any given church! Here is how!
1.When a visitor goes to a church for the first time, his or her return will depend on many things one of them is attendance. The more the people, the better the feelings.
2.A lot of the church activities depend on volunteers. When one fails to turn up, it kind of leaves everyone in a mess.
3.A failure to attend leaves a big question as to whether everything is fine. Just think about this. How will a mother/wife feel if her children/husband prefers to eat out! Yes, once in a while, a church member needs to visit other churches to see how programs are conducted or meet friends but when this becomes a regular trend, then it really doesn’t help the church to grow.
Whichever countries you visit, or regardless of which church you attend, these expectations are the same!
If you are a member of any church, it might be helpful to take a few minutes and ask this thought provoking question, “What kind of a church member Am I?� Or better still, “Have I contributed to the success of my church or the failure of my church?� Will you please do that!
Just a thought!
Pr Birai
612-386-4608
www.themaranathasdachurch.org
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Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:25:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: Absalom Birai
Subject: Re: Every church’s expectation!