And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47
In the last few devotionals, I have been sharing about authentic faith which leads to authentic relationships. Another important element of authentic faith is established on worshipping God and keeping Him at the center of our attention. While this may be a simple concept, it is a very important one. Many get distracted from devotion to Christ by allowing people, ministries, or leadership roles to take the place that only belongs to the Lord. It is difficult not to get distracted with all the actions and activities that try to pretend to be urgent or important, that’s why worship is so important. It is through our time of worship that God rearranges our priorities and shows us what is really important to Him!
As the early church continued steadfastly in teaching, authentic fellowship, and worship, the Lord continued to send people to this church. God entrusted them with more people because they were doing it right. The new people were being saved and were added to the church on daily basis! This is the pattern of the New Testament church. There was no marketing formula or clever advertisement to draw people. Because the people were authentic in their faith and fellowship, it attracted those who were hungry for authenticity. All those who had been laboring in the desert of religious rules and burdensome obligations were drawn to the oasis of life, freedom, and healing.
If we are to draw people to our fellowship, we need authentic faith that is established on the word of God. We also need to develop healthy and authentic fellowships that are free from worldly ranking, and we need to worship the Lord and allow Him to prioritize our activities. Can the Lord entrust your community of believers with new people? While new members is not necessarily a Litmus test for a healthy church, it is a factor that should be considered.
Let’s pray and ask the Lord to show us on how we can live our lives authentically to impact our church and our community for His glory!
