In a recent Wednesday night Bible study, we looked closely at Romans 12:1-2 – two verses packed with important teachings. In those verses, the Apostle Paul urges believers to offer our “bodies” to God, meaning our everyday activities and conversations, our personality and idiosyncrasies – basically giving over our daily lives as holy offerings in ways that are acceptable and pleasing to God.
How do we know what is pleasing to God? By refusing to conform to the ways of our time, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can know God’s will. This is not something we accomplish immediately, however. 2 Cor. 3:18 describes it as “ever-increasing glory,” one degree of change to the next.
First Presbyterian Church is taking on an initiative called Vital Congregations to promote lifelong Discipleship Formation, and what is described above offers key insights to what this kind of spiritual formation looks like. It’s about daily life. It’s about how we claim and proclaim our identity as followers of Christ; how we practice our faith; how we grow in faith, cherish faith, and share faith in the world. One of the questions we will ask is: Beyond mere words, how do people know we are disciples of Jesus Christ?
Sunday school will be examining the Essentials of Discipleship, by Ogden. Wednesday night Bible study is continuing in Romans as faith seeks understanding. But we will not be focusing simply on good morals or a complacent Christian piety or mere head-knowledge. We will be asking ourselves again and again how the scriptures awaken us to the Spirit’s work in our midst and how we actively follow Christ as a fellowship of believers.
William Willimon – one of my favorite preachers – said this: As one views modern congregations, many with their hectic round of activities…one suspects that socialization is being substituted for the gospel, warm-hearted busyness is being offered in lieu of Spirit-empowered community. One wonders if the church needs to reflect again that when all is said and done “one thing is needful,” namely to embody, in the church’s unique way, the peculiarity of the call to devote ourselves “to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to breaking of the bread and prayers” (Acts 2:42-47).
I invite you to come, wonder and walk with us as we offer ourselves to God.