Proverbial thoughts

Most people dream when they are sleeping. My dream starts the moment I wake up.

Community and Congregation

Community and Congregation

 

 

     One of the important things I’ve learned since we’ve moved to Bongalon is the big difference of seeing the church as a community and not only as a congregation.

IN DEFINITION
 CONGREGATION is defined as an “assembly or gathering of people for religious purposes” while COMMUNITY is defined as  “life in association with others” and “any body or group living together.”
Even in it’s definition you can see the difference between the two.  Both words portray the sense of coming together, but only community has the words “life” and “living” in it’s definition.
IN LEADING and PASTORING
There’s also a huge difference in leading or pastoring a congregation and a community.  For example, a congregation disperses  while a community remains.  In a congregation the people gather and then they go home, while in a community…the “community”  is your home.   As a leader you can be detached from a congregation, but in a community you have to attach and immerse yourself in living everyday with the people around you.  You cannot just preach a good sermon, you have to live out the sermon. 
IN BEING PART OF ONE
As a member of a congregation, it’s very easy to pretend and hide.  You can have a messed-up life and come to a congregational church and pretend that you’re okay.  You can fight with your family and when you come to church no one knows about it.  There are also a lot of shallow relationships in a congregational church since you only have to be with that person a few hours a week.
As a member of a community, things are very different.  It’s very hard to hide or pretend.  People see you everyday.  They know your family, they know your friends, and they know your neighbors.  They see the way you act in school, in your home, at work, and in the church.   Sometimes, they don’t even have to ask if you’re okay…because they already know you’re not.
I personally believe that you cannot live out all the teachings of Jesus if you are not a part of a community of believers.  His teachings on sharing possessions, being honest and open, forgiveness and love are mostly based on the context of Christians living together as a community.
  By the way, community doesn’t mean you have to live in the same village or house (although it would be easier).  It’s not limited to geographic location.  It’s how you see your brothers and sisters, it’s how you care and love them.  The church after all, is a community in it’s definition… a “body of people living together” for Jesus.

“Live in harmony with one another.”
Romans 12:16

Message for people in their 30's

A  message for people in their 30’s by someone in his 30’s

In this season of your life, you are starting to reap all the things you have been doing during your teen years…good and bad.  Procrastination during teen years have led to problems in your discipline in work, all the flirting during High School and College have led to unfaithfulness in your serious relationships now.  All the drugs, alcohol and smoking are also starting to take effect in your health.  Rebellion and anger against parents have led to entering in wrong relationships, unwanted pregnancy ,broken marriage, and broken families. A ll the wild  partying, and years of trying to fit in ,have ended up in a shallow life of emptiness and temporary happiness.  

A lot of people in their 30’s are slowly waking up to the reality of the decisions they have made about their life during their teen years. I call this a LIFE SLAP.  A life slap is not all bad. Most people who have been slapped usually wake up to reality…and waking up is a good thing. What to do once  you wake up to reality, is even more important!      

Every person reacts to a life slap differently. Some get depressed and blame themselves, some get angry and blame others, and some accept the consequences of their actions, takes responsibility for it,  makes the necessary changes in their life , and moves on to a bright future wiser and happier.   Which one are you?  (The first two usually wake up in their 40’s or 50’s with their life a mess and half wasted. )

The great thing about your life is that it does not end after 1 harvest.  You may have just reaped a lot of bad things from your teenage years but it does not mean that your whole life will be a mess.  It’s a new season.  You are much wiser than before. You can start sowing again for a better future.

Here are some things you should do:

·         Re-think your life and how you got here.

·         Re-dream the future that you want.

·         Re-define who you are.

·         Re-plan your approach to life and the future.

·         Re-fine it.

·         Re-adjust whatever needs to be adjusted and changed.

·         Release and let go of the people, attitudes, and other things that are holding you back.

·         Re-commit to your values, beliefs, and faith.

·         Redeem your life.

All of these things you should do with God’s help and guidance.

See (the better) you in the future!