True Religion

“Why did I do that?” seems to be a question I ask my self on a pretty consistent basis. So often I make dumb decisions and in hindsight I realize the effects and lunacy of my previous thought pattern. Yet on the rare occasion, I get to do things that are so clear in scripture, that they are completely idiot proof. In the book of James, chapter 1 verse 27, it explains what “religion” is really supposed to look like. It says, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
Three weeks ago a fire burnt through an apartment building in downtown Goodrich, leaving many families in need. Specifically, though, what caught my attention was an 80 year old lady who had no husband or children. Immediately I thought about what James said. So I called Bernadette Jacobs who, besides knowing everybody and everything, has a real love for people and asked how we could help. From that point, she and our staff began to coordinate our efforts to really take care of this lady. We started by paying her hotel bill, where she stayed during the transition.
Yesterday she moved into her new apartment in Grand Blanc. The sad fact was that she had nothing, but by the time we had left, it was taken care of. People from our church helped with just about everything, beginning with her kitchen, which is now totally stocked with food and all that a kitchen needs, all the way to her clothes and stocking the bathroom. When I arrived at the apartment to find it bustling with action, Jean, our widow, was overwhelmed to the point of tears. I introduced myself and explained that if she needed anything to just call us. Nothing dramatic happened, other than the fact that God’s people came together to be truly religious.
Most of the things that a Pastor does on a daily basis are design to get more people into “his” church. But the real things that God calls all of us to do, including myself, are usually invisible to the world around us.

Here's the church...here's the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people.

Church…what does it mean? I’m sure many of you know the little hand motion, where you explain, “Here’s the church…here’s steeple, open the doors see all the people.” But the truth is that the church is so much more than a building, a denomination, a Sunday gathering place, or much of what we call church today. The church is a called out group of people…the true followers of Jesus Christ. When the church “opened it’s doors” in Acts 2, things were truly different than they are today in most “churches.” I often wonder throughout the course of a week if what we are doing is God’s ideas or some man’s. The truth is, often traditions dictate more of what we do than the word of God. So to be true to Christ intended for the church, we must go back to the beginning.
Here are some things that you find the church doing:
Learning doctrine (Word of God)
Praying together
Living in unity
Selling possessions and giving to those in need
Eating together at each others homes
Praising God
Seeing people saved

Each time I read this list, I am forced into a serious self examination. You see, church is more than just a Sunday morning “thing,” or a building. The church is a group of people who together prompt each other to deepen their commitment to Christ and encourage one another in difficult times. Maybe you have said, “I love God, but “church” just isn’t for me.” If so, read Acts 2 and 1 John this week and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Honestly, if we claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, we must be learning the word of God together, fellowshipping together, caring for one another, praying together, and praising God in music, words, and deeds.
So this week, make time for the Point Institute on Wednesday night and a get connected to a Small Group. You can find all the details and information on hispoint.net. Have a great week!

Faith?

Love, peace, joy, worship, praise? You ever wonder what is the most important to God? What is the most essential? What if I told you faith? Faith is so important, so much so that without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The Bible defines faith as the substance of things we hope for and tangible evidence of what we can’t see. But how to we get faith or better yet, how do we grow our faith? Or keep the faith? One of the misunderstandings about faith, is that it is an object to be gained and is always the same. But faith is more of an organism, growing and changing throughout life. The Bible teaches us in Romans 10:17 that “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” In the middle of difficult circumstances or when life poses tough questions, faith is what propels us through. Faith holds us steady to the Rock, which is Jesus Christ. But we must take the responsibility to grow our faith, otherwise tough questions and difficult times will get the best of us. Tonight at the Point we have the Point Institute, a place specifically designed to grow our faith through the teaching of the word of God. We have classes for everyone, wherever you are in the journey of faith. All the classes are list at hispoint.net. Remember, the only way to grow our faith is through the word of God and without faith it’s impossible to please God. See you tonight!

Welcome to The Point!

Hello!

We want to take a moment and welcome you to the new blog for The Point. It is our desire and hope to keep you connected with everything that is happening in and around The Point. Please check us out at hispoint.net for a complete list of everything going on this week!

If you have any questions, or we can serve you and your family better, please feel free to contact us by email (info@hispoint.net) or by calling our office at (810)636-7775, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.

In Christ,
The Point Staff