Six points for Six Points

For almost two years now, everyone entering the sanctuary here at St A’s have had these six banners laid out before them.

 

DOORS

 

COMMUNION TABLE

Based on the description of the early church in Acts 2.42-47, they’re there as a physical reminder of what we’re called to do as the church:

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching [growing] and to fellowship [connecting], to the breaking of bread [worshiping] and to prayer [praying]. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common [connecting]. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need [serving]. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts [worshiping]. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts [connecting], ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved [reaching].
 

We have arranged them as they are not because that’s the order they appear in the text, but because there’s a logical progression as we move into and out of the sanctuary. As the arrow, above, indicates, there is a progression from out to in and from left to right.

REACHING – Before we even approach the sanctuary on a Sunday morning for worship, we are called to be reaching out to our neighbours, friends, and family. As Jesus speaks of it in his Sermon on the Mount, we are to be the salt and light of the world, extending the invitation to one and all to come and experience the life of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 5.13-16). We hope and pray that these efforts, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will lead people to come and join us.
 

CONNECTING – Contrary to the language of going-to-church, we are actually gathering-as-church. All who belong to Christ also belong to one another (1 Corinthians 12.27). We gather not merely to receive content, but to express this deeper connection. We also look to extend the circle of belonging through the practice of radical grace and hospitality. We seek to connect with guests and newcomers, helping them to see and experience the power of transformative community.

WORSHIPING – As we enter in further, our gaze collectively turns away from ourselves and towards God. We express this weekly through the reading of scripture, prayer, music, singing, silence, and preaching. Every other month or so, we share the bread and wine of communion. These actions express our praise to and awe of the One and only True God. Through them, declare our collective and individual desire to put Him first in our hearts and lives (Psalm 25.1).

PRAYING – Though it could be seen as one of the elements of our celebrations of worship, prayer is also much more than that. Yes, we lift our hearts together in worship and prayer. But we are also called to a deeper experience of the power of prayer. Everything we do as the church must be centred in and surrounded by prayer. Prayer is not a mechanism, a vending machine by which we get all our desires fulfilled if we only have the right currency. It is a mystery in which the All Powerful God of the universe asks us to participate with Him in His rule. “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” (Matthew 6.10). This is the heart of all prayer.

GROWING – As we begin to move out of the sanctuary, we go out into the world as disciples (apprentices) of the Master, Jesus. The Master has much to teach us that can only be learned as we walk with Him in His “easy yoke” (Matthew 11.29-30). Our “work” is not done at the close of the service of worship. It is just beginning.

SERVING – Our personal growth as disciples of Jesus is crucial, but it naturally leads outwards to the growth of others. Jesus “did not come be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20.28). As his apprentices in the way of the Kingdom, we also are called to serve others as Jesus did. This may take some rather mundane forms as we serve our families and neighbours in practical ways. It may mean putting ourselves forward to serve God’s church in areas of need and leadership. It might lead us to direct our careers in new ways as we heed God’s call to fulltime service in ministry or missions. Whatever the case may be, we are sent in the name of Jesus, the one who came to show us the Master’s loving, servant heart, and so we go ourselves as servants to one and all.

 

These six key practices of the church aren’t unique to this congregation. They’re what God looks for from His church in all its many forms. But we like to think of them as “six points for us here at Six Points.” We’ll explore in more detail over the next few weeks.