Pastor Joynt's Devotionals

Questions Week 18, Day 2

 

1 CORINTHIANS 3:9

 

 

Even if solitary Christianity were possible, how would individual Christians fulfill God’s purposes and obey his commandments? Jesus told his disciples to reach every ethnicity with his saving and liberating message. He called on us to care for the sick and needy to represent the love and justice of God to the world. Do any of these gigantic assignments sound doable by solitary individuals? No way! Only churches, and preferably churches in partnership, can respond to these awesome tasks in ways that build the Kingdom.

 

 

Which of the church’s assignments most excites you?

 

 

Which do you find a little frightening?

 

FAMILY TIME—

What task in your home is most “shared?”

How does it work?

 

Questions Week 18, Day 1

WEEK 5

 

DO I NEED THE CHURCH

TO BE SPIRITUAL?

1 CORINTHIANS 1:9

 

 

There is a sense of illusion around our power as individuals. This is manifested in every area of the 21st Century life, but especially in our approach to matters of the religious life. Most people who are unconnected to communities of faith still consider themselves to be “spiritual.” They think their individual powers extend to the point where a spiritual community or church is unnecessary.

 

But this is a great illusion. Almost everything we do as individuals is predicated on others! Even the language we speak is a gift of previous generations. There is an army of people we depend on to make possible our “individual choices.” No one is an island, let alone a self-sufficient continent. Families, teachers, inventors, along with all the invisible armies of supporters and suppliers and servants which surround us in daily life—they compel a debt of gratitude. Individualism is overrated.

 

 

Can you think of anything important you did “on your own?”

 

FAMILY TIME—

Talk about what your family did for you growing up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAMILY TIME—