Priorities God, Church, Job and Family

[O2blikehim]

I will put my thoughts in another post.

In Christ, Stephen

[John Atkinson]

My thoughts: Sister in Law from out of state passing through is absolutely welcome to come to CHURCH!

As far as the Job, my office is in the CHURCH :D

[John Atkinson]

It is relevant, because my wife's family always schedules their get togethers for Church days or church nights. And I always ask; Why can't they do that on Saturday? or Wednesday?

So I am known as the invisible husband. Because I won't show up at one of thier get togethers if it interferes with Church. Church is who and what I am, if anyone outside of that can't accept that be it boss, family, friends whoever; too bad.

When I go home to Texas to be with family there, whenever the First UPC of Marble Falls opens the door I walk through it and family can just wait or come with me. "But you're on vacation..." "...Not from GOD I'm not!"


Guess I am a little militant on that :D

[Xerf]

I like the joke about the man and his wife discussing going to church:

She: Honey you really need to go to church today.

He: I don't want to, there are too many hypocrites in that church and money is always brought up, besides they sang songs I don't know and no one ever shakes my hand. And on top of all that, they make me stand up too long and the kids make stupid faces at me over the pew!

So just give me 3 good reasons WHY I need to go to that church!

She: Well for one, God wants you to go. Secondly, you need the fellowship of others, and third -- and not least -- remember -- afterall you are the pastor!!


:rolleyes:

[O2blikehim]

God Bless all.

I am sure most of those with an official assembly ministry would feel the same way as Bro. Atkinson.

I voted that I would consider missing a service in both cases. Of course if there were special circumstances with my family jerking my leash then I would likely go ahead and be in service!! :-)

One of my concerns is that often church members are led to believe that if they do miss (for any reason not preapproved by the pastor) then they have selfishly chosen themselves over God. This is simply not always the case.

The false assumption of course, is that the Pastor speaks for and as God, and that he alone should decide when you may be excused.

This can become a real issue if the church has say, 3 or 4 regular services, plus a prayer service another day, then, youth services and an assortment of rallies, revivals, camps, coventions, congress, Mens' and Ladies' seminars, and Marriage retreats.

Now I am certainly not saying we should discontinue any or all of these for I have enjoyed them often and will continue to do so. My point is, the leadership needs to allow for some lateral movement in the lives of the membership and not demand total alleigence to each and every function the church has.

My priorities are

#1. GOD
He has to be number one in every aspect.

#2. FAMILY
If God has given you a Family then he is trusting you to take care of them. It is not healthy for young school children to be up late night after night whether it is in church or not. There is something called balance and moderation which we could and should learn to practice. I think perhaps we are guilty at times of being to heavenly minded for any earthly good. We should be going to the assembly to learn how to LIVE, not just to obtain a habitual, euphoric high.

#3. CHURCH (with some exceptions)
In spite of what I wrote above I do NOT advocate neglecting the assembling of ourselves together to worship our king and to learn of His ways. If a member is consistantly absent then he may not be getting proper spiritual nourishment. He needs the church and the church needs him. If he does not desire to assemble with other believers then there is a deeper problem.

#4. JOB (with some exceptions)
I suppose ideally you have a great job that never conflicts with your church schedule and are given liberties as to when you can take vacation days off etc. In the real world this rarely happens. It is important that we do not heap guilt upon ourselves (nor allow others to do so) if we are missing some services to provide meat for the family God has given us. Also it is not wrong to take an adventuresome family trip with your vacation time rather than spend every day of it in church conference. (If this is what you prefer then God Bless you)

It is very crucial that a prayer life and private devotion be maintained by a member who is missing scheduled services.

If church is keeping you from providing for you family you are not in the will of God anymore than if a job keeps you from going to church. There must be a balance.


In Christ, Stephen

[John Atkinson]

I agree Bro Stephen,

With me it is a me thing. My wife does attend her once or twice yearly family functions and does so without being hammered or considered backslidden for it. She won't miss church for just any reason and is faithful.

There are instances where it is necessary and permissable to miss service. What I stated is a standard I hold myself to, not one I would enforce.

There are issues where people will miss church for any little thing. i.e. one kid out of three is sick so the whole family skips, or, "I just don't feel like going tonight" kinda thing. Frequently missing service for any old reason is typically an indicator for the ministry that God might not be in the #1 spot in a persons life.

We in the ministry, get concerned when we see people frequently not in service because we love thier souls and want them to prosper in God. Habitually missing service is a disease which I see worsen over time until the person stops coming all together.

One thing that was mentioned in Bro Rutledge's message Tuesday, was that people who are won to God, often follow the example of the one who won them. A person won by a faithful person, generally turns out faithful. A person won by an unfaithful person, will generally turn out likewise. I have seen that principle in action.

Another principle is that folks will invite friends and coworkers to church for years. And then the one night that something comes up, and they miss, that friend or coworker shows up to find the one witnessing not there. OFten also that person missing will not have called the pastor or a elder to let them know they wouldn't be there because...

Which always puts the ministry in a spot when the friend/coworker asks where the MIA saint is. There are instances yes, but missing church isn't a light thing, and when it is necessary to miss, someone on the ministry team should know about it.

We can teach, exhort, preach, reprove and rebuke, but it is always up to a person where God resides. The thing is, if God isn't in first place, he isn't there at all.

He will not share his glory with job, family, friends, stuff, anything.

The other thing is that if God is in the everything spot, job, family relations etc; will prosper.

I know this might not be recieved by some, but I am just sharing what I have been taught and have seen and experienced first hand.

[O2blikehim]

"The other thing is that if God is in the everything spot, job, family relations etc; will prosper."

Amen! I like that!

In Christ, Stephen

[O2blikehim]

I really thought I would get more flak for suggesting that God and Church are not always the same priority. Perhaps we are more "balanced" than I thought! :)

Stephen

[ajay1]

I agree with you Bro. Stephen.

I have always been taught that the order is God, family, church, job...
:bow:

[John Atkinson]

Bro Stephen - Life is full of suprises ;)