by William Woodson<\/p>\n
The statement made in the title is not only the desire of many in the religious world, but it is also becoming the philosophy of many Christians, as many of us are seeking a religion that “meets our needs.” The phrase itself has virtually become a new religious term. Many persons praise or blame a particular congregation because it is or is not “meeting my needs.”<\/p>\n
Let me hasten to say that if the phrase means that we need to satisfy spiritual hunger, then it is a good expression, for surely everyone ought to be in a Christian community where his or her deepest spiritual longings are being addressed. The voice of God needs to be heard through spiritual teaching, and we need opportunities to serve, love, and be called to repentance.<\/p>\n
However, for some, being part of the church means striving for goals of “self-actualization.” So if the church doesn’t fulfill certain expectations, wants, and preferences, they must move on to another emotional department store with different merchandise more appealing to their “tastes.”<\/p>\n
Sadly, and probably without realizing it, many congregations have come to believe that “we have to do all these things and plan all the activities to meet people’s needs so they won’t leave.” Consequently, well-meaning leaders have turned God’s church into a merchandising institution. So we promote this program and that program for this group and that group.<\/p>\n
But, in my judgment, the system has turned upside down from the way God intended it to be. Whatever happened to the attitude in a Christian’s heart of “I’d like to be a part of this congregation because of what I can do to meet its needs?” When are we most fulfilled? When our needs are met, or when we meet the needs of God’s church on this earth? We ought to be a part of a congregation not so our needs can be met, but rather so we may best meet the needs of God’s work.<\/p>\n
Christians need to recall the Truth of the scriptures that personal fulfillment is a great spiritual paradox. We are most filled when we empty ourselves and are filled serving others. Jesus taught us, “… whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister <\/em>(servant)…even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister<\/em> (serve)” (Matthew 20:26-28).<\/p>\n Paul said of his own heart, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me<\/em>” (Galatians 2:20). And again, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service<\/em>” (Romans 12:1). “Reasonable service” is not being served (having your needs met) but serving (meeting the needs of others). We need to relearn the axiom, “It is more blessed to give than to receive<\/em>” (Acts 20:35).<\/p>\n Let’s not demand that God’s church be a place where people (leadership or membership) cater to our desires and preferences. Let’s turn it right side up again and be a part of a congregation, not for what it can do for us, but for what we can do for it!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by William Woodson The statement made in the title is not only the desire of many in the religious world, but it is also becoming the philosophy of many Christians, as many of us are seeking a religion that “meets our needs.” The phrase itself has virtually become a new religious term. Many persons praise…<\/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":[27],"tags":[448,544],"class_list":["post-90696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-church","tag-membership"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21623,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-social-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":0},"title":"What is the Social Gospel?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Richard Thetford Have you ever asked yourself \"what is the social gospel?\" Most individuals that have been raised in the Lord's church have come to know and understand what the social gospel is. There are many, many individuals in churches of Christ around the country today that are actively\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/Street_Arabs_and_gutter_snipes._The_pathetic_and_humorous_side_of_young_vagabond_life_in_the_great_cities_with_records_of_work_for_their_reclamation_1884_14579159707-193x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":56869,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/helping-the-needy-in-our-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":1},"title":"Helping the Needy in Our Community","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 14, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew Allen \"My kingdom\u00a0is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not\u00a0of this realm\"\u00a0(John 18:36). I am convinced that the verse\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":27184,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-church-treasury\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":2},"title":"The Church Treasury","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry W. Benton Consider the following quote from a house-church denominationalist: It is true that the disciples were instructed to treasure up some things, \"And concerning the collection that [is] for the saints, as I directed to the assemblies of Galatia, so also ye -- do ye; on every\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":12670,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-home-page-took-me-aback\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":3},"title":"Your home page took me aback","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I don't remember the circumstances why I stumbled upon your web page. Upon reading the focus statement on your\u00a0home page, I decided I would pass something by you for your consumption. It is rather refreshing for a congregation to unabashedly profess that the true nature of Christ's Body and\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":47606,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-america-needs\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":4},"title":"What America Needs","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ken Weliever During the past couple of days, I've been listening to politicians, political pundits, and experts from various fields discuss the \"why\" of the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that snuffed out the lives of 19 innocent little children. This occurred just 10 days after a gunman\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":34658,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/on-supporting-women\/","url_meta":{"origin":90696,"position":5},"title":"On Supporting Women","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant Sentry Magazine, December 1999 I have not seen much discussion on the question of whether or not the church can have a part in supporting women who may go into a mission field to teach women or children's classes, or assist in individual and private teaching.\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\/90696","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=90696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90696\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}