Just Following the Pattern

     We had another great Sunday up in the country this week.  There is absolutely no better way to start the week.  I usually sleep in a little longer than usual on Sunday, then get up to a light breakfast, maybe a bowl of oats with fresh fruit and a piece of toast or possibly a delicious fruit smoothie made right at home or something else that I particularly enjoy.  I always spend a little time in prayer and then a few minutes going back over my sermons for the day.  We leave for Bible study at the Enola Church of Christ so we have plenty of time for visiting and lively fellowship.  Bible study begins at 10:00 a.m. and worship begins at 11:00.  We usually dismiss at Noon, but I have to admit that sometimes our preacher (me) gets a little “long-winded.”  I am so very thankful for the patience and support of the church and our guests when some sermons take a few minutes longer than others.

     At Enola we have an adult Bible study in the main auditorium, a young adult Bible class in the Annex Building, a teenage class, and classes for children and babies.  Our teachers are the best.  They love God and make the Bible come alive to their students.  The adults are studying Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.  Wow!  What a sermon the Savior preached, still just as alive and practical today as it was when He preached it almost 2,000 years ago.  I hear that our young adult class is really growing and very interesting.  If you visited with us up in the country you would be very surprised at the number of young families, teenagers, and children we have in addition to older Christians who serve as examples of faith, hope, and love.  Bible study dismisses at 9:45 on Sunday morning which gives everyone 15 minutes to move into the main building for worship.

      I love the pattern of our worship at Enola.  We follow the pattern laid out in the New Testament with plenty of prayer, congregational singing, the Lord’s Supper, the offering, and of course a lesson from the Bible that challenges and encourages.  We begin with an opening hymn lead by one of our gifted song leaders.  One of our three elders extends a hardly welcome to our members and guests followed by a prayer to God.  We sing a song or two then remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper.  We do this every Sunday because the church of Christ in Acts met on the first day of the week to “break bread” (Acts 20:7).  Some churches eat communion together only when the preacher decides to, or when the religious calendar they follow says to.  We choose to follow the example we find in the Bible.  I’m not passing judgment, just saying.  Paul wrote about taking the Lord’s Supper “often” in 1 Corinthians 11 and when we share in the Lord’s Supper we show the Lord’s death until He comes.  After the Lord’s Supper we offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for all the physical and spiritual blessings we enjoy every day.  Every Christian and guest has the opportunity to give as we have been prospered, cheerfully, and generously.  We do not “tithe.”  Tithing is an Old Testament law.  We are no longer under the authority of the Old Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2).  One of our young men always reads a Scripture text in preparation for the sermon.  After another prayer I get to preach the gospel that is so very vital to life and living.  After the sermon we extend an invitation to anyone whose heart might have been touched by the living powerful word of God.  A song of invitation is sung by the church to encourage anyone who is not yet a Christian to make the decision immediately and without further delay.  Our baptistery is always clean and ready when someone confesses Christ as Savior.  We baptize those who believe in Christ Jesus immediately upon their confession.  We are not special, just following the pattern of the New Testament.  If a Christian has sinned or has special needs, that Christian may walk up the aisle to rededicate their lives to Christ or to request the prayers of the church.  After another prayer we dismiss for the afternoon.  At Enola our members and guests always stay a few minutes after worship just to visit a little bit more.

     Sometimes we have lunch together as a church.  Sometimes my wife and I enjoy lunch at the home of one of our Christian friends.  Sometimes we have some of our Christian friends over for lunch at our house.  Sometimes we go out for lunch.  After lunch we are free to enjoy a few hours with family or maybe a few hours enjoying a Sunday drive or maybe a few hours watching a race (I am so glad that NASCAR is back in session) or a ball game or maybe taking some time visiting someone who is in the hospital…I just love Sunday’s.  Many churches have given up on coming back together for an evening of worship and fellowship.  At Enola we have an evening service at 5:00 every Sunday.

     We are not large in number, only about 160 members.  We are large in love, heart, and soul and we have a God who is large in every way.  If you are not a Christian, you certainly are missing out on so many wonderful blessings that only come to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.  If you are a Christian and are not faithful in your Christian life, how about coming home?  I would love to talk to you about beginning again.  If you have questions, I would consider it an honor to open the Bible with you to see God’s answers to your questions.  Come and see.