Yorba Linda Vineyard

Just this past week I was talking to the Lord about a situation I’ve found myself in. It’s one of those times where I’ve found in pastoring, it is very difficult to watch people make decisions that are so self-destructive. The decisions we make never just affect us; they always affect those around us as well. Over the years I've seen people come and people go in the church. We live in a society where commitment seems like an antique word that we don't often hear. Sadly it's more rarely seen.

We seem to have a buffet of churches, and it seems people travel from church to church, getting breakfast at one place and dinner at another. To actually plug in and be accountable isn’t something that’s talked about much. Unfortunately, many people feel like they are being controlled  if the leader talks about the importance of spiritual authority and being under a healthy shepherd.  This is not called "authority abuse", as I've heard some people say, but it is an "authority blessing" that we need to understand and benefit from.

One of the most frightening things I've seen in the last year is an attitude of entitlement raising its head more & more in the church. People feeling as if the church owes them. What's interesting is that I haven't seen this rise up in those that are newly saved; only those that have been in the church for some period of time. Somewhere along the way they have misunderstood the purpose of the church.

The church was meant to be a place to serve each other and our communities - Not a place to serve up entertainment.  The church is meant to be a place to encourage and to share. Isn't that what we "really" want to experience? We're called to come together corporately to get filled up - to recognize our King - to worship Him. The point is to gather so we can then scatter. It was never meant to be a 'buffet' for people to just get spiritually fat. One thing that is certain, is that this entitlement issue raises its head when there's only receiving. The destruction that entitlement leaves behind, cannot continue to survive in an environment where there is the understanding that we're called into giving it all away.

God doesn't owe you -- but He still gives to you. The enemy always gets the upper hand when he convinces us to look at ourselves.  When you turn from being someone that just comes to get with an attitude of what people should owe you--especially in the church; you then become a consumer. Most all consumers feel like they have the right to be a critic. No one is dying to be a part of any group of people where there's a lot of criticism going on.   

I've found that in places where people feel they have the right to criticize, there's not much room for the Holy Spirit to move. This makes people and their relationships self-destruct.  

Fortunately there is hope.  Where the Holy Spirit seems to thrive is an atmosphere where many servants with servant hearts are found.

Remembering what God has done for us should be enough. That alone should cause us to worship. And that alone should cause us to be thankful for being invited into His Family. Stick with your spiritual family. See where Gods called you and then give yourself to it!  Instead of looking at church as a place that can just bless & give to you--see where you can also in turn be a blessing!

I have found when i make a decision to see things that are wrong, it  is not hard to find. I have to make a conscious decision to set my will to be at the place God has called me to be and to be the best blessing I can to the others that are around me.

The church at its worst is still the Bride of Christ.  If its important enough to the Lord to die for, and what He’s coming back for; it must be important to us! The church family sure has to learn what "one bride" is supposed to look like.   I love it that we have so many great churches around us.  The potential is great.  However if people are uncommitted or feel entitled, the "bride" starts to become unattractive. when there’s no real commitment to a body or to each other, isolation usually creeps in; and every time a believer gets isolated; things start to get crazy.

Just this week I’ve encountered another person that just doesn’t know how to commit so they continue to move from church to church. One of the saddest things for me to see is watching parents pass this down to the kids and grandkids. People that are so critical about the church tend to pass that down as a heritage. The truth is that people don't grow in their relationships with God or others without the church; So what I see in the following generations is that church is not valued and understood as Christ intended it to be; I have personally never seen good fruit come from those choices.

No matter who you are... without the Body of Christ, you aren't growing the way Christ intended. Those who misunderstand the power of the church tend to isolate themselves. When we begin to isolate we begin to see things only from our perspective.  A part of the spiritual power of the church is a spiritual protection that comes when you're under the covering of the church. We all need a shepherd!  Isolation causes you to forfeit the covering of the church. 

Growth doesn’t happen unless you’re willing to put yourself in a place where you’re willing to “tell on yourself. It's most important that you choose to stick it out in relationships; choosing to get well and going forward...You must realize that you need Christ-loving believers around you to walk through life with.

One of fondest things I remember about the Friends Quaker Church we came out of was the families that were so committed to the church and to the life of the church. It was our church - not the pastors, not just those on stage, but the church was all of ours to preserve and protect. I want that heritage.

Church is one of the places God speaks to us. We hear His voice when we worship; we hear Him through the message; and we see Him in the people He loves. The bottom line is that we need to hear the voice of God through all the ways that help and lead us right. 

If you think about it, all day long we are bombarded by all sorts of things telling us how to live, what to drive, what to wear, and how to look.  By comparison, we often only take a few minutes to get Gods input. The first church in the Book of Acts met together everyday. They encouraged each other every day. They shared with those in need everyday. They worshipped and heard the Word together everyday. Should we then wonder why we struggle when we get together just once a week or maybe twice? Sure it's hard not to want to run away at times when you're with the same people everyday.. but its also the place where growth can really take place. You 

choose to grow when you are in a place where people can know your 'stuff' yet you choose to stay.

One of the best things John Wimber used to say is, "Lord, help me grow up before I grow old."  I also remember John saying towards the end of his life that he realized the most important thing around him was his relationships - His love for his family and friends. One day you too will need to call upon people.  Whoever you give your life to now will most likely be the ones you can call upon later... Giving to others ends up being one of the greatest rewards in life!  Your church family should be one of the best places to experience that reward.

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