Get in the Huddle

November, 2006

by: Tim Carns

I don’t think it would be hard to convince you of the far reaching influence that entertainment has had in our culture. Not only is our culture infatuated with being entertained through things such as music, movies, sports, or recreation but people often order their lives around these activities. The negative impact that much of this entertainment has had on the morality of our culture is readily apparent. However, its influence does not stop there. Entertainment has also had a tremendous impact within the church as well. The “seeker sensitive” movement has hit the shores of the American church like a full scale tidal wave. These churches rely on our culture’s love for entertainment to lure the unchurched within the doors so that they can hear the Gospel. But, before we point the finger at those who just go to church to be entertained we need to ask ourselves if we have the same mindset. You see, just attending a conservative Bible teaching church does not mean that the desire to be entertained, to spectate, or to passively attend is not within your heart as well. I have known many people who see the Church as the place where one goes on Sunday morning to sing, hear a good sermon, and then go home. Is that how you view the Church? How many activities outside of the Sunday morning service do you attend? What other ministries are you involved in at Calvary on a regular basis? Do you consistently head for the doors right after the closing prayer of the service? How much time do you spend with others in this body? If you were gone for a month, would anyone at Calvary notice?

Now, I am not saying that every time the church doors open you need to be first in line. I understand that we are all in different phases of life with important responsibilities such as a full-time job, children, health problems, or extended family needs. In fact, these are only a partial list of what can present a significant challenge to getting more involved in the body. But, the truth of the matter is, everybody else has responsibilities as well. God has given all of us specific duties in our lives that He wants us to do for His glory. In the midst of these obligations we can tend to view church as yet another responsibility that we need to take care of. But, brothers and sisters, that type of thinking is missing the purpose of the Church. God has formed the Church as a means to help us honor God as we seek to fulfill these responsibilities. We are all commanded to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). If we are neglecting our call to help other believers in their walk with Christ because of our own duties then we are sinning. The early church clearly recognized their responsibility to one another: “and all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45). There is someone else in this body that needs you. In fact, we all need one another to help us be more obedient to Christ’s commandments (Matt. 28:20). If you reduce your interaction with the body of Calvary to Sunday morning attendance alone you are failing to help that other person. Others in this church are struggling in their relationship with Christ, in raising their kids, with loving their spouse, in reaching out to the lost, with being disciplined in their devotional life, with health problems, with financial problems, and many other needs. How are you coming alongside of them? Who in the body is coming alongside of you to help you?

You have probably heard the sermon illustration of the Church being compared to a football game. There are those who are playing on the field and those who sit in the stands and watch. Which one are you? Elders or others gifted to lead are not the only ones required to be in the game. God wants us all actively participating. In order to be able to stimulate others to love and good deeds you need to be in the huddle of players on the field. God has given you a spiritual gift (As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God [1 Pet. 4:10]) as well as a list of over fifty “one another’s” to fulfill in helping your fellow brother or sister in Christ to be more like Him. Make a commitment this week to get plugged into a ministry at Calvary. If your present situation only allows you to have time on Sundays then start attending a Sunday morning fellowship group or help out in the children’s or youth ministries. These will allow you many opportunities to identify another person or family that you can get to know and minister to as well as be ministered to by them. If you have time during the week then become a part of one of the many weekly ministries at Calvary which include MOM’s, men’s small groups, women’s Bible studies, AWANA, singles ministry—the opportunities are endless! So, for those of you who have slipped into being a Sunday morning spectator, let me challenge you: “Get in the Huddle!”