Believing and Belonging VI

VI PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY

Psalm 119:9-16

We learned in our study of the Christian life that growth depends upon our seeking God’s wisdom through prayer and Bible study.

Prayer

To be a Christian without praying is like trying to live without breathing. Christ left to His Church no form of organization; but He left it with something far more important – an experience of power through prayer.

There are certain things that should accompany each approach to God in prayer. These are set forth in Isaiah’s vision of the glory of the Lord. The following combination Bible study will help you to understand what these things are.

A STUDY OF PRAYER

Isaiah 6:1-8

What aspects of prayer do we find in this story of the calling of the prophet Isaiah?

1. An experience of awe in the presence of God (vs. 1-4).

2. A sense of sin, and confession of that sin (v.5).

3. An experience of forgiveness (vs.6,7).

4. An experience of complete dedication of self in the service of God (v.8).

It is of tremendous value in your growth as a Christian if you will enter into the spiritual discipline of prayer. Find a quiet place where, physically at rest and as free as possible from the noise and distractions of the world round about you, you can take your Bible in your hand and experience prayer for yourself. Many Christians find it best to begin the day with personal devotions. Often, a devotional booklet will prove useful.

There are three elements in what is called the prayer of petition: the request itself, the answer, and the acceptance of the answer. The first two are sure, the last depends upon you. You should pray knowing that you will be heard and that the Father will answer; but you must also be prepared to accept His answer. In the Bible, the story is told of a man with a withered hand who had often prayed for healing. Jesus said to him, ‘“Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.’[1]Christians should pray with hands outstretched, as it were, with minds alert, and with hearts eager for the blessing that He is eager to give.

Bible Study

“The word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). In addition, there are two other reasons why Christians should read their Bibles. The Westminster Shorter Catechism is also clear about these: “The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.”

1. Christians should make time to read the Bible each day. There are many plans available to help with this. It is better not to try to read the Bible from beginning to end, but to follow a program. This type of devotional reading schedule is designed to help us to learn “what man is to believe concerning God.”

2. There are various ways in which Christians have sought to find, through the Bible, “what duty God requires of man.” Some have opened the Bible randomly, expecting to find guidance. A much better way is to read with the aid of a devotional aid or Bible study booklet, such as “The Upper Room” or “These Days.” Find a quiet place; begin in prayer, thanking God for the blessings of this life. You could use the Psalms to help you to adore God for who He is. Then, read the assigned Scripture text. Don’t read the commentary immediately; instead, ask what the passage means to you. Does a particular phrase stand out? Jot it down in a journal or notebook. Then, read the devotional guide. Add any insights you glean to our own. Then, close your Bible and think for a moment what it would mean that day for you to follow what you have read. Pray again, commending the coming hours to God, asking for His guidance, mentioning any who have asked for prayer, or whose names are on your heart.

“Thy will be done”[2]is a prayer often to be found on the lips of Christians; but with that prayer there must be the realization that, if His will is to be done, it must be done by every one of us in our homes or at school, at work or at play, on the streets of our busy cities or the quiet country roads. Christ’s followers must prepare themselves to accept the answer to their prayer. If you really want to do God’s will then you must take the trouble to discern it, through prayer and the study of God’s Word; and then you must seek the courage to live out what you have learned.

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[1] Matthew 12:13

[2] Matthew 6:10 (KJV)

What Works?

What do people want – and need – from the Church?

If you had to choose only one or two things for your church to do well, what would they be? What drives church satisfaction as well as spiritual growth? In this first section of FOCUS, the authors, Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson, examine the evidence and reach surprising conclusions. Their aim is to identify the key to meeting both wants and needs.

FOCUS begins with three hypotheses:

What people need from the church is spiritual guidance, but what they want is something different.

What people need from the senior pastor is spiritual challenge, but what they want is great preaching.

What people need from the church is spiritual guidance, and what they need from the senior pastor is spiritual challenge, but what they want is a great weekend service.

Hawkins and Parkinson assume that there is a disconnect between what people want and what they need. The first part of the research examines the first hypothesis by seeking to determine what really does drive spiritual growth.

The authors identify sixteen sources of church satisfaction and spiritual growth. They call these ‘drivers.’ A driver is a strong force that creates significant energy and momentum.

Having found sixteen such drivers, the authors group them into five categories. Each category represents an element of the Christian life which people expect their church to provide.

In no particular order, these are:


SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE – the expectation that the church will provide leadership for personal spiritual development.
- Helps me to understand the Bible in greater depth.
- Helps me to develop a personal relationship with Christ.
- Encourages me to take personal responsibility for my own spiritual growth.
- Challenges me to grow and take next steps.
- Provides a clear pathway that helps guide my spiritual growth.
- Church leaders model and consistently reinforce how to grow spiritually.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND IMPACT – the development of intentional spiritual relationships that will help people to grow.
- Helps me to develop relationships that encourage accountability.
- Provides opportunities to grow spiritually through relationships with others.
- Empowers me to go out on my own to make a significant impact in the lives of others.

OWNERSHIP – a feeling of allegiance and identity, not in the passive sense of participating, but in the sense of “I am the church.”
- Sets clear expectations about what it means to be part of the church.
- Inspires such a sense of ownership that the church becomes an important part of who I am.

BELONGING – the desire to experience community and worship in a place where you fit in.
- Helps me to feel like I belong.
- Helps me in my time of emotional need.
- Provides compelling worship services.

SERVING – the expectation that the church will help those in need.
- Promotes a strong serving culture that is widely recognized by the local community.
- Provides opportunities to serve those in need.

All of these drivers are important. The question is: which have the greatest impact in terms of what people are looking for in a church? The answer to this question should be of great value to us in evaluating our ministries and increasing our effectiveness.

So,
WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT FROM THE CHURCH?
Here are the results from the survey:

1. Spiritual guidance has by far the biggest impact on people’s satisfaction with the church. At 54%, spiritual guidance dominates the other categories. These are the things that people want.
2. Belonging is also a powerful driver of satisfaction. Belonging accounts for almost one third of the responses as a primary expectation.
3. The influence of accountability/impact and ownership on church satisfaction is limited. These categories, though important, have far less impact than spiritual guidance and belonging.
4. Serving did not emerge as an influential category. Though important, the fact that the church provides opportunities to serve does not seem to influence people’s satisfaction with the church. The reason for this is that satisfaction is driven by what is important for personal spiritual growth.
5. The drivers of church satisfaction are the same for everyone, no matter how long they have been Christian. No matter where they are on the continuum of faith, spiritual guidance is equally important.

In conclusion, spiritual guidance is the primary driver of church satisfaction; belonging comes a strong second.

Now we must ask,
WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED FROM THE CHURCH?

The authors examine data from the churches that have experienced significant growth in order to determine what actually works. They then ask, “Is there a difference between what people want and what they need?”

Which of the sixteen drivers of growth is most needed in the life of a local church? Their findings are as follows:

1. Spiritual guidance and accountability/impact are the church’s most significant drivers of spiritual growth. Although the results vary slightly over the spiritual continuum, generally speaking, the desire for spiritual guidance predominates. It appears that people do, actually, want what they need! This is encouraging. People really do want to deepen their relationship with Christ. As they grow as Christians, accountability and impact become increasingly important.
2. Serving and ownership are important contributors to spiritual growth. Although not identified as a significant contributor to church satisfaction, serving does help Christians to grow. It is an example of something that people need from the church even if they don’t acknowledge it.
3. Belonging is not a driver of spiritual growth. This is an example of something that people want but don’t necessarily need in order to grow spiritually. It is important because it provides the environment in which growth can occur, even though it does not, itself, contribute to growth.

In conclusion, spiritual guidance is both what people want and what people need from the church. If we can only do one thing incredibly well, it should be to focus on spiritual guidance. If the budget will not allow us to do everything, this should still be our number one priority.