“What I Love about the Church” by Joey Sparks, Guest Writer

Posted by Chris Gallagher on Aug 23, 2010 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

What I Love About the Church…

As an undergraduate student, I studied the Daniel 2 prophecy of the kingdoms for a debate on Premillennialism. That great interpretation sequence closed with the following words, "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure" (Daniel 2:44-45).

The most glaring application to me at the time–and probably the one most clear in the text itself–is that the kingdom of God will forever outlast kings, kingdoms, persecutions, politicians, laws and lands. Historically, many evil men and women have attempted to destroy the church and its influence. Many have changed the identity of parts of the church so that it is no longer the bride and body of our Savior. Through it all, the church remains.

After 5+ years of full-time work as a minister, I am still comforted by those words in Daniel 2 about the resiliency of the church. They give great comfort knowing that the church is victorious no matter the political climate or direction of any nation. But practically speaking, I am even more amazed by its resiliency in the face of day-to-day ‘humanity.’

Just like any nation, business, organization, or network, the church is comprised of people. In many of these secular entities, their demise can come swiftly because of its people’s ignorance, deception, quest for power, immorality, apathy, or plain stupidity. But when the church faces these dangers, she continues to love and serve the world around her.

The church lasts despite our imperfections because of the providence of a perfect God. Additionally, the kind of people who make up the church ensure that she is resilient.

The church my wife and I are privileged to serve is a family-oriented congregation. As such, it maintains a family atmosphere. In our brief time here, we have witnessed the church grow through some extremely difficult situations. We have talked with members and leaders about some of the struggles they endured before we arrived. I suspect many churches could have split, folded, or fizzled out in response to some of these setbacks. The people are committed to the Lord and to one another.

The church is the Lord’s people doing the Lord’s work. And I love the church’s resiliency. Through it all, the church remains.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

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About Joey Sparks:

Joey is passionate about the Bible, teaching it, and empowering people to meet their potential in Christ. He and his wife Amanda have been married for over 5 years and have worked both part-time and full-time with the Midway Church of Christ in Jasper, AL since 2003. He is a 2005 graduate of Freed-Hardeman University and is presently pursuing his Master’s degree through Amridge University. You can follow him on twitter and through his blog.

 

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Personal Note:

First, I thank Joey for his kind and challenging words to consider today. As I follow Joey on Twitter and read his blog, I am encouraged. I am thankful Joey has provided some great thoughts for our consideration regarding the kingdom and for our desire to become better people in the Lord each day.

Thanks again Joey!

Just some thoughts,

Chris