Learning to Encourage

If we want to grow the fellowship of the church, then we need to learn to encourage.

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thess 5:10-11

We have had many people come to stay with us, people from all over our country and the world. When other people stay in our house – it’s actually quite difficult. Sure it’s awesome to have people staying with us, but it means adapting to them in our house. They put things away differently in the kitchen, they leave toothpaste on the inside of the basin, they leave their clothes lying in the lounge, they don’t wash the bath out properly. And my biggest one, they use dirty coffee spoons in the sugar… ever had that! Living with other people is not always so easy.

God’s plan for fellowship – Introduction to Encouragement

"If there is a beacon of life – it should be the church. If there is a place of hope – it should be the church. If there is a place of sanctuary of healing – it should be the church. We stand here and preach that God can meet all our needs. We go into the world and say that God can meet their needs. But then why, why are so many people discouraged by church?"

There is an old-cowboy song – "Home, home, home on the range, Where the deer and the antelope play, Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day."

As we grow up, as we start to experience life, from about the age of 5, we realise that the other kids in the playground don’t always have nice things to say. The people around us don’t always give us a fair chance. The people who often promise to help us, pull the rug from beneath our feet as soon as they get a good grip. The sky is often cloudy and words are often nasty.

What is the place we call church? God tells us in His Word, and let me tell you, the design of the church is not decided by the Pope. God’s design and plan for His church is this – beautiful, majestic, Christ’s bride, an attractive place. I believe that if there is anywhere people would want to be or go visit – it should be the church!

We make malls, play centres, movie houses, restaurants, theme parks, golf courses, spa’s, game lodges. When we want a break, when we want fun – this is where we go. But why can’t church cater for these things. Why can’t the club house at Eagle Canyon be a church? Why can’t the coffee shop at Garden World be a church? Why can’t NuMetro bioscope at Monte Casino be a church?

If there is a beacon of life – it should be the church. If there is a place of hope – it should be the church. If there is a place of sanctuary of healing – it should be the church. We stand here and preach that God can meet all our needs. We go into the world and say that God can meet their needs. But then why, why are so many people discouraged by church?

Here’s why, because most churches don’t encourage enough. We cannot call ourselves followers of Christ if we are not encouragers! Jesus Christ walked this earth and to those who came seeking forgiveness, HE freely gave it.

He told the blind that they could see, He told the lame that they could walk, He told the prostitutes that they were good enough, He told the adulterers that they could hold their heads up high again, He told the last that they would be first, He told the children that they were examples, He told the poor that they would be rich, He told the oppressed that they would be set free.

Now that's encouragement! That is a man so divine in character that even when He was cross (and on the cross), He encouraged!  The message of Grace is encouragement - build into others as Christ built into you!