by Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Philippians 1:24-30<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. Periodically criticism is leveled at a church \u2013 not just this church, I\u2019ve heard it said against\nmany churches \u2013 \u201cThat church isn\u2019t doing anything!\u201d\n
A. I will admit that there is always room for improvement. <\/p>\n
1. There are many things I wish we had accomplished. <\/p>\n 2. I sure there are many things in any church where things could have been\ndone better.\n B. But when people are upset with a church, they rarely think about specifics which\nneed improving. Instead, they paint their condemnation with a broad brush.\n
II. By necessity, it is a statement founded on ignorance<\/p>\n
A. Only God is everywhere and knows everything – Psalm 139<\/p>\n
B. But we are not God. We aren\u2019t everywhere and we don\u2019t know everything.<\/p>\n
1. Job came to see this the hard way – Job 42:1-6<\/p>\n
2. We ought to have a proper view of our place – Psalm 131<\/p>\n C. Does any one of us know of everything this church and its members are doing for\nthe Lord?\n 1. It is impossible for a mortal man to have complete knowledge of every\ngood deed done by every Christian, even in this small congregation \n 2. If done properly, most of us should see only a tip of what is happening –\nMatthew 6:1-4\n
D. A person might not know …<\/p>\n 1. That a marriage was saved because a preacher or elder helped a couple\nwork through their problems in private\n
2. That a sister wrote an encouraging note to someone undergoing difficulties<\/p>\n 3. That a family is making sure that someone who doesn\u2019t have transportation\nhas a way to services\n
4. That sisters are bringing food to someone who is ill<\/p>\n 5. That a young person is visiting the elderly and reading the Bible for them\nbecause their eyesight isn\u2019t what it used to be\n 6. That a family is giving clothing and other items to another family that isn\u2019t\nwell off\n 7. That a brother or sister has taken on the task of helping another learn how\nto keep books, keep home, find a job, or countless other basic tasks.\n 8. That a brother or sister spends time visiting nursing homes to bring some\ncheer into their lives\n
9. That a brother is studying with someone weak in faith<\/p>\n 10. That teens are tackling hard issues and leaving their friends examples of\nhow to live like a Christian and not like the world\n
11. That someone shared the gospel message with a neighbor<\/p>\n
12. Or, all the prayers being lift up to the Almighty on behalf of the brethren<\/p>\n E. There are countless acts of love and service that people do day by day that are not\nbroadcast from the housetops, nor should they be.\nIII. The person making such a statement is often projecting his own lack of involvement onto\nthe church and his brethren\n
A. We tend to see the world around us in the way we behave – Titus 1:15<\/p>\n 1. William Thackery, an English novelist, wrote, \u201cThe world is a looking glass\nand gives back to every man the reflection of his own.\u201d\n 2. This is so often true of the critic who finds his brethren complacent or\ninactive. That brother is seldom involved in works of the church or\nopportunities for fellowship\n
B. It is judgment made without first examining self – Matthew 7:1-5<\/p>\nIV. Those making such complaints usually mean that the church as a collective isn\u2019t involved\nin something in a highly organized manner\n
A. Of necessity, large congregations do things with great orchestration. <\/p>\n
1. It is about the only way to make sure things don\u2019t slip through cracks<\/p>\n
2. It is necessary to keep people going in the same direction<\/p>\n
B. But organization for organization\u2019s sake is worthless<\/p>\n
1. We do need some basic level of organization<\/p>\n
2. But every Christian is a living stone – I Peter 2:5<\/p>\n 3. An individual doesn\u2019t have to be told when or even what to do in order for\nthings to be accomplished\n
C. The \u201corganized\u201d work is not the only work being accomplished – Matthew 5:13-16<\/p>\n
D. You may not know all that is going on, but God does – Hebrews 6:10-12<\/p>\n
V. Often people making this criticism is unjustly comparing congregation to congregation<\/p>\n
A. Commonly assumptions are made based on a single visit to a congregation<\/p>\n
1. The visitor may be impressed by the activities going on at that time<\/p>\n 2. Or he might be unimpressed because he doesn\u2019t see an activity happening\nat that moment.\n B. We have to realize that in a large congregation there will be many activities going\non \u2013 more than what a single person can attend\n C. The mixture of the group — youngsters, college age students, older folk \u2013 will\noften influence the type of activities going on\n D. It might appear that a large congregation with multiple things happening every\nweek is more active than a small rural congregation, but it might be percentage\nwise that a small congregation is doing more things with its limited members than a\nlarge congregation with its abundant members.\n
E. Each congregation has its own distinctive personality and variety of opportunities<\/p>\n
1. But we are to make use of the opportunities that we have – Galatians 6:10<\/p>\n
VI. Zeal is contagious<\/p>\n
A. If there is an opportunity that you see overlooked, do something!<\/p>\n B. For example, you really wish there could be time for your children to get together\nand play with other children in the church\n
1. But you just don\u2019t have the room to have people over<\/p>\n 2. Then ask around. \u201cWould you mind hosting an get together for the kids, if\nI did the organizing?\u201d I know there would be several here thrilled to have\nsuch an event at their home.\n C. Or, you wish there we could study a topic more in depth with other members, but\nyou don\u2019t want to do the teaching\n 1. Ask! There are a number of men here who would be honored to asked to\ndo a series of lessons on a topic\n 2. Focus on what you can do \u2013 inviting people, providing space \u2013 and recruit\npeople to do what isn\u2019t your talent\n
D. Instead of griping, so something and watch it spread – II Corinthians 9:1-2<\/p>\n
1. Not everything tried will take root<\/p>\n 2. But what is important is that you are opening your eyes to opportunities\nand getting involved!\n
3. And it will inspire others to do the same<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:24-30 I. Periodically criticism is leveled at a church \u2013 not just this church, I\u2019ve heard it said against many churches \u2013 \u201cThat church isn\u2019t doing anything!\u201d A. I will admit that there is always room for improvement. 1. There are many things I wish we had accomplished. 2. I sure there…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[448,794,713,635],"class_list":["post-63574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon","tag-church","tag-criticism","tag-judging-others","tag-zeal"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15203,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-nature-of-criticism\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":0},"title":"The Nature of Criticism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Judges 7:19-8:3\u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is hard to do much of anything without running into someone complaining about it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Clem Thurman tells this story: \u201cWhen I was a young lad on the farm in western Oklahoma, we had a team of mules. It fell my lot to work those mules quite\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42135,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-friends-are-not-content-with-the-church-what-can-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":1},"title":"My friends are not content with the church. What can I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read your questions and answers often, and find real, godly, and biblical solace in them. I trust your judgment and wanted to ask you several things. My family has been attending churches of Christ since before we are born, and I could not see myself anywhere else. I'm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14219,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-address-the-criticism-of-the-church-by-a-family-member\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":2},"title":"How do I address the criticism of the church by a family member?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I am a member of the body of Christ and it disturbs me greatly that people within my physical family, as well as my spiritual family, are saying that God never founded the church of Christ. Below you will find a few correspondences sent to me by a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":85222,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-woman-as-bishop\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":3},"title":"A Woman as Bishop","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Vance Trefethen via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 1, March 31, 1990 The recent elevation of Barbara Harris to the position of bishop in the Episcopal church stirred up a great deal of controversy within that denominational body and called the attention of the world at large to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68413,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-the-catholic-church-edit-matthew-2819\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":4},"title":"Did the Catholic Church edit Matthew 28:19?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What baptismal proclamation was used in your baptism? Probably you were baptized, \"In the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.\" Do you know that this Baptismal Proclamation is not the original text commanded by Jesus Christ as in Matthew 28:19? The Roman Catholic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":94646,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-you-fell-away-from-christs-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":63574,"position":5},"title":"If You Fell Away from Christ\u2019s Church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton It is easy to get caught up in a cycle of negativity and pull away from a scriptural church of Christ. It is also possible to go back and correct things both with God and His people. Jesus died for His church (Acts 20:28). He asks\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63574\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}