Gather and Encourage
Speaker: Pastor Darin Browne
As Christians we are commanded to keep meeting together. We are not to be lone ranger Christians, but we are better together and we draw strength together. This is how the early church functioned; they pulled together…
Acts 2:41-47
So those who received his word were baptised, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
We live in a time where, despite being more connected by technology than ever before, isolation is increasing. You can have five hundred Facebook friends and still be the loneliest guy on the planet, because virtual is not real. And it wasn’t so long ago that we were told we had to isolate, to be 1.5 m apart, wear a mask and stay locked in our homes for our own safety.
Yet with all our modern communication, many feel more spiritually and emotionally alone, and depression and anxiety are at record levels.
WHY MEET TOGETHER?
You can be a Christian and not go to church, but you’d be a disobedient Christian. I have people say to me that they love God, but hate church, and it is almost always after they have been hurt in some way by church. No church is perfect, but if you find the perfect church, don’t join it, you’ll mess it up!
People attend church for a variety of reasons. Many do it out of obligation, (my wife wants me to go), or I need to tick the church box at least once a month to somehow appease my conscience. Some people go out of fear, worried that God will turn on them if they don’t attend church. Obligation is a lousy reason for church.
Many people attend church because they get a shot of faith for the upcoming week. Some churches major on tradition, and these days many churches offer big, attractive events where people can attend, be a part of the crowd and watch the show (and it’s a great show). They have the best music, better production, more lights, smoke and lasers, and the best preachers. There are many valid reasons to go to church, but most of these are not our calling here at Ignite. What does the Bible say about meeting together, and why should we bother?
1: IT WAS COMMANDED
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
If we don’t meet somehow, we don’t get to stir one another up to love and good works. The Bible is clear, until Jesus returns, we need to keep meeting together. It is a command.
2: IT WAS DEMONSTRATED
The early church did it. People tell me they want an Acts 2 church, and I say, fantastic, which property are you going to sell? OK, maybe we just want bits of the Acts church!
Acts 2:42
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
But where did the early church do it. In an organised church, in a public space, or in homes?
Acts 2:46
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
That’s why we love that you are here, but we’d also love you to join a Life Group. Let’s meet at church, the temple, but also outside of church. It’s not either/or, it’s and. In homes, in the Hub Café. What this passage is saying is that the early believers did life together, and so should we.
3: IT IS WHERE JESUS IS
We have the Holy Spirit with us always, but when we gather, something special happens, because Jesus promised us it would. Together we can love, support and connect in a way that can bring a special presence of the Lord. We can be the hands and feet of the Lord as we minister to each other, His body.
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
4: WE NEED IT
The church is the body of Christ, and every part of the body needs to be connected in for it all to work. Chop off your finger and see how functional it is. Take a coal out of a raging fire, and it goes out. We need each other, connected in, caring for one another, living life together. Yes, even you introverts!
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Full-service petrol stations are hard to find today. Most are self-service. Unfortunately, many attend church like a self-service station. They fill up on preaching and go home until they need more fuel. But God intends his church to be full service, with each member not just filling up, but also providing for the well-being of others. Maybe we should be pumping up each others’ tyres and cleaning each others’ windscreens? You are a receptor of grace, you ought to be a conduit for grace. So whatever your spiritual gift, it’s all about God – not you.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET TOGETHER?
Something amazing happens when people are in unity together. Arsenal fans like me are all celebrating because we won the Premier League, and it’s like being in a big family. I was once in London, and I saw groups of Arsenal fans getting on the tube, and I asked one what the score was. When he knew I was a fan from Australia, about twenty gathered around, me welcoming me like a long-lost brother. Church should be a scaled-up version of that. Gathering, sharing love, acceptance and togetherness. What happens when we experience togetherness?
1: TOGETHERNESS STRENGTHENS UNITY
Psalms 133:1
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Unity is not pleasant because of the absence of conflict; it is pleasant because when we have unity there is a supernatural outpouring of power. The Tower of Babel…
Genesis 11:6
And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
God knew that unity creates incredible energy, for good or for ill. Nazi Germany, Communist China, they had big rallies to unite people in a common cause, but it was an evil cause. When we gather together and have unity, the Spirit generates incredible supernatural power for good, for Kingdom purposes.
2: TOGETHERNESS EMPOWERS TEACHING
When we gather together, we can empower each other for service.
1 Corinthians 14:26
When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation (prophecy), a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
We can teach, admonish, guide and encourage others when we meet. It’s not just me at the front; it is all of us who can encourage and teach each other. You may say, Pastor Darin, you’re not as good a preacher as Joyce Meyer or TD Jakes, and that’s true. But they don’t know who you are. Internet teaching is fine, but it is not fellowship and it is not church. When a pastor who knows you and cares for you speaks, something special happens.
3: TOGETHERNESS PROVIDES ENCOURAGEMENT
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
With this little thing called a tongue, we can encourage or discourage, we can speak life or death, blessings or cursing. When we gather, we must take care what we say, and how we say it.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk (Greek, SAPROS, putrid, rotten) come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Does your speech give grace to those who hear? I hear some pretty ungracious, putrid words from people at times, and we need to season what we speak with truth, not just opinion, but also with grace and kindness.
4: TOGETHERNESS STRENGTHENS FAITH
Maybe you don’t have all the faith in the world, but together we are stronger! If my faith is weak, yours might be strong. I have a lot of faith for finances, but perhaps not as much in other areas. When we pull together, when we join our faith together, we are stronger.
Ephesians 6:16
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
In the armour of God, faith is the shield, the shield that brings protection from the enemy’s attacks. We need to understand how ancient soldiers used their shields. If you are by yourself, even with a shield, the enemy will pick you off. The strength comes when we join our shields together, called the “tortoise”. Locking our shields together can only happen when we are connected, and that’s what meeting together does.
5: TOGETHERNESS EQUIPS AND PROVIDES ACCOUNTABILITY
If we meet and eyeball each other, we can encourage one another and speak words of life. Plus, we can hold each other accountable, and the closer your friendships at church and in Life Groups, the better your accountability. Proverbs says…
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
I have people here in church who often sharpen me up, and I hope you do too.
GATHERING AND ENCOURAGING
There are many different models for growing a church, and while all of them are valid, we have to pursue the one God wants us to pursue. Some provide rituals and history, some provide amazing entertainment, some focus on youth, others major on families or the elderly. None of these models are wrong, it’s just that a pastor needs to seek God and pursue the model that God has called him to, that suits him, his people and his calling best. Sometimes there is disagreement with the direction and function of the church, even among leaders.
Amos 3:3
“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?
At the end of last year this happened to us, where I strongly felt led by God to pursue discipleship and Life Groups, but the rest of my leadership did not. I tried to accommodate alternative views, but I could not escape the repeated direction towards our emphasis of community. Sadly, this caused many to abandoned our church and find another that suited their desires more, but mercifully God has since raised up leaders who agree with our direction, and we are now United with a Kingdom vision, to reach our community for Jesus, to disciple them, and mature them in God.
GATHER AND ENCOURAGE
My original vision for Ignite has not changed. Our target has not changed. We want to be real people sharing a real God with our real community. I specifically tailor what we do to target disenfranchised Christians, ones who have been disconnected for whatever reason, and families. We are to be a community, the body of Christ, reaching out into a world that desperately needs Jesus.
Yes, we will make mistakes. I have made mistakes. Ultimately, I trust that God is growing our community the way He chooses, and my job is to be obedient to Him. Our mission is to win souls, disciple them and care for people, ministering the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not just down to me, it is all of us, the body caring for the body, loving and supporting each other.
We have been developing a specific way to do this. We are on the verge of our model exploding across not only this community, but around the globe. There are things that are coming that will empower Ignite towards what God has for us. Stick around and stay tuned, because God is about to take this commandment of gathering and encouraging to a new level.
LONELY AND DISCONNECTED?
But as we finish today, I want to speak to those who are feeling lonely and disconnected. The church is open for those who are feeling lonely, disconnected, perhaps not part of things here, not part of things anywhere. If you feel a bit isolated, even if you smile on the outside but are hurting within, I want to take the time right now to care for you and let Jesus wrap His beautiful arms around you.
Psalm 34:18
Psalm 34:8
1 Thessalonians 5:15-17 (do good)
Colossians 3:2
Psalm 126:5-6 (sow with tears, reap with joy)
Hebrews 4:16 (approach throne)
Philippians 4:5-6
Philippians 4:8
Isaiah 40:31, (eagles)
Joshua 1:8 (meditate)
Psalm 91:5-7 (you will not fear)
Psalm 139:7-10 (where can I flee)