What do you say about Day of Purpose?

Years ago, our wise elders decided it was reasonable and necessary for us to use one Sunday afternoon a month to purposefully serve each other or our community. As each Day of Purpose rolls around, I want to encourage you to not see this as a “day off” or “free time”; look at it as an opportunity knocking on your proverbial door. After around 350+ of us worship together on Sunday morning, we should dismiss ourselves for lunch and serve others purposefully. We should purposely become the sermon that day.

Too often, I’m afraid people let this day come and say to themselves, “Oh good, look, we don’t have any church tonight. We can just stay home and relax”.

Too often, I’m afraid people let this day come and say to themselves, “Oh no, look, we forgot to purposefully plan to serve others. Let’s just not worry about it this time.”

Too often, I’m afraid people let this day come and say to themselves, “Oh wow,  it’s just a regular Sunday. We have already done church this morning. We’ve done what we had to do”.

First, “church” is not what you do; it’s who you are. You are the church. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” We have got to get away from thinking that we go to church. We go to worship, and we go to be with the people who make up the church. Sometimes we get together for worship, and other times we get to gather for service. There is a difference between those two. Whatever the church is getting together to do, you should be there. It’s not a time of relaxation. It’s a time of worship or service.

Second, your elders have asked you to plan with a purpose. They have asked you to think and adjust your schedules to serve each other. It’s irresponsible to let the Day of Purpose come, and you have not planned anything. It’s rebellious to say, “I don’t care what the elders have asked us to do; we’re gonna do what we want.” We are all subject to their oversight and if they have asked us to do something as simple as serving each other and our community, let’s do it. 1 Peter 5:5 says, “be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

Third, if coming to Sunday morning worship is all you can do, please do it with all you’ve got. If there is any more energy you can spend on a Sunday, give it to God in service to Him. Look for ways that you can purposefully spur one another to love and good works when these Days of Purpose roll around each month. Stop saying, “We’ve done what we had to do.” Instead, say, “We’ve done all we can do.” Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

I love you,

~ Alex