How is the church? When I run into friends and family members, we talk about the weather, college basketball, and the Astros. Then they sometimes ask, "How is the church?" How would you answer?
Luke illustrated his Chronicle of the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles with periodic pictures of the growing church. Like children, the church grew larger quickly and then grew stronger. After Saul left for Tarsus, the church enjoyed a time of peace as it grew stronger.
How do we grow stronger as a church and enjoy a time of peace? We can’t control the cultural response to Christianity. Sometimes, in some cultures, the church enjoys great freedom and the goodwill of the populace. But sometimes, the church loses credibility and experiences enmity. This is true, even in the United States where we enjoy some constitutional protections.
Once again, the first church provides a template. First, if we live, we must live in the fear of the Lord. Reverence for God will keep us from all manner of mistakes. We will give an account to God as stewards of this opportunity as a church. We do not answer for the season before we arrive at the church or after we leave.
Second, we enjoy the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. Remember Jesus called the Holy Spirit, the paraclete, which means encourager or comforter. The word means one who comes alongside. The Holy Spirit, our great Encourager comes alongside us and encourages us. The Spirit puts courage in us. As a result, as we grow in deep reverence for the Lord and the full encouragement of the Spirit, we grow as the Lord brings people our way. How is the church? We are well, because we fear the Lord and we are encouraged by the Spirit. Spread the word. God will grow the church.
