Fully Assembled
Entering into the Exuberance
by Troy Gronseth
I Corinthians 12 (The Message): The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as the church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t. If one hurts, every other is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
God also says those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (indispensable!), and the parts that we think are less honorable we are to treat with special honor. The problem is we’re just not understanding our spiritual anatomy! It’s naive to think, in light of Scripture, that we as the body of Christ are complete unless ALL people are part of the Church. This means the hands and feet, the shoulders, mouths.
And so is it possible we’ve simply been missing out on the full blessing, the exuberance of BEING the CHURCH as God creatively intended it to be?
Over 80 EFCA churches around the country and world are experiencing a richer spiritual reality by welcoming and embracing those with special needs. They need us, and we desperately need them.
Accessible churches are a part of the solution, but true growth comes when we experience a heart renaissance. That’s when we, as the church, will be able to heal and celebrate—as the WHOLE church. Fully, completely and truly ALL people.
Prayer: “Lord, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts that are larger… to embrace, welcome and know, those ‘indispensable’ in our midst we have overlooked. … To welcome the entire body of Christ. Amen.”
Be part of assembling the entire church.
Learn more about ReachGlobal’s partnership with Joni and Friends.
Fully Assembled
I Corinthians 12 (The Message): The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as the church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t. If one hurts, every other is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
God also says those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (indispensable!), and the parts that we think are less honorable we are to treat with special honor. The problem is we’re just not understanding our spiritual anatomy! It’s naive to think, in light of Scripture, that we as the body of Christ are complete unless ALL people are part of the Church. This means the hands and feet, the shoulders, mouths.
And so is it possible we’ve simply been missing out on the full blessing, the exuberance of BEING the CHURCH as God creatively intended it to be?
Over 80 EFCA churches around the country and world are experiencing a richer spiritual reality by welcoming and embracing those with special needs. They need us, and we desperately need them.
Accessible churches are a part of the solution, but true growth comes when we experience a heart renaissance. That’s when we, as the church, will be able to heal and celebrate—as the WHOLE church. Fully, completely and truly ALL people.
Prayer: “Lord, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts that are larger… to embrace, welcome and know, those ‘indispensable’ in our midst we have overlooked. … To welcome the entire body of Christ. Amen.”
Be part of assembling the entire church.
Learn more about ReachGlobal’s partnership with Joni and Friends.