Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
As we gather together this morning in the presence of God I want you to look around at the other people sitting with you today. You are looking at the body of Christ. And yes there are many empty seats. Many of you can remember a time when this place was filled up. But over the last forty years times have changed and the membership of this church has fallen. You are not alone. The Presbyterian Church USA has lost nearly two million members since 1966. Every main line denomination has experienced the same thing.
I have to admit that I am part of the problem. You see I am part of the great Baby Boom generation. When we graduated from high school we saw no reason to go to church. And when we stopped going to church many of our parents stopped going to church too. Like many of my peers in the Baby Boom generation I eventually went back to church. But the church I attended was nothing like the church I grew up in. I went to a large church, filled with programs, ample parking, great music, good air conditioning, and I could remain anonymous if I wanted to. We Boomers filled the new mega churches and forgot all about the small neighborhood churches of our parents and grandparents.
For the last three years I have been attending Fuller Seminary. Fuller is filled with students in their 20s and early 30s. As I have met these young people I have found that they are searching for a different kind of church. The big mega church with a praise band playing soft rock may appeal to their parents, but to them it is a little old fashioned. Their lives revolve around computer screens, Ipods, text messages, and game consoles. In the midst of all this technology they often lead very lonely lives. Many grew up with both parents working and little time for family life. Many have experienced the pain of the disruption of family resulting from divorce. They long for a touch of human intimacy. You see young people today hunger and thirst for relationships. They want friends and mentors. Young families want grandparents to help raise the kids. Can you think of a better place for a young person to find an older mentor or for a young family to find grandparents for their kids than right here in a small neighborhood church? This is our great opportunity.
While in seminary I primarily worked in ministry for international students. Many international students come to LA for school. They are especially gifted people. They want to learn to speak English and to adapt to American culture. They would love to find a church with Americans who would help them just by being willing to talk with them in English. Can you think of a better place to find conversation partners than right here in a small neighborhood church? Another great opportunity!
In our scripture today we hear that Christ has provided the church with everything it needs to grow and replace its members, generation after generation. Christ gives to the church prophets, people who pray and meditate on scripture so that they can discern how Christ is leading the church. Christ also gives the church evangelists, people who are so enthusiastic about what God is doing in the world they just can’t wait to tell others the good news. And Christ gives the church pastors, people who can lead a diverse church so that people of different genders or different ethic groups can respect and learn to love one another. And Christ gives the church teachers so that God’s law regulating our behavior can richly bless our lives. It is the responsibility of the church to nurture these gifts so that the gifts given to each member can grow into maturity.
I am terrible with plants. I will buy a beautiful new plant at the florist, take it home and forget about it. After a few weeks of inattention I notice that the plant appears to be drooping a little. Sometimes I’ll throw a little water on it. After a few weeks I notice that the plant has died and I throw it away. My grandmother was quite different. She had African Violets in her window that had lasted for decades. She watered, pruned and fed them regularly. They were beautiful. What if the church nurtured its gifts the way my grandmother nurtured her plants?
The Apostle Paul knew that the gifts that Christ had provided to the church had to be nurtured by the church. And the way he nurtured gifts was with prayer. He prayed that prophets of the church would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. He prayed that the hearts of the evangelists would be enlightened by the great power of the Holy Spirit, with the knowledge of the hope of their calling and richness of their inheritance. Nurturing the gifts Christ provides the church always begins with prayer for the gifted people in the church. So a growing church is a praying church. I urge you to pray for each other. Pray for those of you with the gift of prophecy. Pray for those of you with gift of evangelism. Pray for those of you with gift of pastoral leadership. And pray for those of you with gift of teaching.
The Apostle Paul also knew that correct teaching was needed for the church to nurture Christ’s gifts. Proper teaching requires careful study of scripture to discern what God is saying to the church through his Word. We often substitute faddish ideas for studied discernment. Too often we accept whatever new ideas are presented on television or in the newspaper without reflecting on them through the lens of faith that comes from God. To protect itself from false teaching the church must nurture its gifts through the studied and careful preaching and teaching of the Word of God. This is why it is so important for the church to assemble together on Sunday mornings. Here we can listen as the Word of God is read and proclaimed. This empowers us to use our gifts for God’s glory.
So what are the gifts that Christ provides the church?
Christ sends us prophets. Prophets somehow always seem to know what God wants. They see God at work in the world. This comes from years of prayer and meditation on scripture. John the Baptist had prepared himself as a prophet with years of training in the wilderness. So nurturing prophets entails encouraging them to live lives of prayer and prayerful meditation on scripture. If you think that you may have the gift of prophesy then I encourage you to set aside time every day for prayer and scripture reading. My wife Grace and I are coming to the church every morning from Tuesday to Saturday at
Christ sends us evangelists. Evangelists love to tell stories, and their favorite stories are about God. They tell stories about what God is doing through the church. Evangelists need prophets whose discernment is the source of many of their stories. And evangelists need to hear the stories of God interacting with his people in scripture. So if you think that you have the gift of evangelism then start a small group with your neighbors or the people you work with or go to school with. Study the scripture together, and uncover the great stories of what God is doing in the world. I love to teach the Bible in small groups. This is one of my gifts. Beginning in September I will be teaching a Community Bible Study on Sunday mornings which will teach you how to lead Bible studies yourselves. I will be available to help you start a small group of your friends and neighbors to study scripture. Just let me know how I can help.
Christ sends us leaders, pastors and elders. Pastors love to bring people into a relationship with God and with each other. They have a deep love and reverence for Christ and desire for others to have the same. So they work on developing harmony within the church patterned on the harmonious relationship that humanity has with God in Christ. They are like shepherds who bring the flock together and search for the lost sheep. If you think that you have the gift of leadership I urge you get involved with one of the committees of the church, or serve others as an officer of the church. And remember to pray and study God’s Word to discover spiritual and biblical ways for people to relate to God and with each other. My wife, Grace, has a passion for building a multicultural church. This is what she studied at San Francisco Theological Seminary. As people, from other countries and ethic groups come to this church I urge you to welcome them warmly. Help them to speak English and adapt to American culture. Be their friends and mentors. Help them to raise their children by being grandparents. Welcome people into your church family as warmly as you have welcomed Grace and me.
Christ sends us teachers. Teachers love to take the wisdom of the prophets and scripture and use it to help people live moral lives according to God’s will. They have a deep respect for God’s law and our need to respond to God’s gracious act of forgiveness with gratitude and obedience. So they study and meditate on God law. You may think you have the gift of teaching. If so study the Word of God diligently. And examine your own life because the example you set is the best encouragement others can receive. In the short time that I have been at Eagle Rock I have noticed how much you revere God’s Holy Word and apply it to your lives, and I have heard how you grieve over the sin that affects the world around us. Remember that we have a message of hope for a fallen world. Let us boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to world that badly needs it.
Gifts are wonderful things to have, and Christ has given to this church, gifts in abundance. I love the way Retreads take care of the building and grounds. I love the Women’s Bible Study on Wednesday. I love the way you handle the financial and administrative details. And I love the outstanding music that God has blessed this church with. These are all examples where gifts Christ has given to individuals are joined together for the benefit of the church.
The promise of scripture is that as the church nurtures the gifted people that Christ has provided those people will mature and benefit the whole body of Christ. As these gifts mature the church will unify erasing boundaries of ethnicity, gender, age, and class. Divisions will be healed, and the church will be united. Believers will mature into the image of Christ. Young families will start coming looking for spiritual mentors and god-parents for their kids. New immigrants will come looking for conversation partners and friends. They will find a church that prays, shares its stories, has places to get involved and demonstrates by example the benefits of living a Christian lifestyle. Who wouldn’t want to go to a church like that?
So what is needed in this church today?
Christ has provided us with gifts. So we should respond in gratitude. Let’s start by being a praying church. Set aside a few minutes every day to quietly read scripture and bow in prayer. Then let’s be an evangelistic church. Start a small group Bible study in your home or at work. Let’s be a pastoral church where new people regardless of age or ethnicity are welcomed and invited to participate in our fellowship, committees and programs. And let’s be a teaching church where we exhibit the blessing of God’s law in our actions as well as our words. Let’s be a gifted church where we nurture and use the gifts Christ has provided to us. And always remember that these gifts come from Christ, who empowers and equips us for the benefit of the church. Amen.
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