Rebecca Inglis - June 9, 2019
Opening Day
Stagnation happens in bodies of water when the water stops flowing or moving. Stagnated water can lead to contamination, becoming a breeding ground for insects, bacteria and parasites, leading to disease and possibly death. This becomes a dangerous situation, hazardous to health. Stagnation also happens in bodies of Christian believers when we become satisfied with the status quo. When we basically stand still, holding onto the old, making little headway. Soon the church becomes unhealthy, no longer able to offer a cup of life-giving water to others. Some of these churches eventually die, others ‘survive’ but make little difference in the world, whilst others become stagnant and cause more harm than good. This coming Sunday, Christians across the world will celebrate Pentecost - the inauguration of The Church’s mission in the world. The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak of God’s power and deeds, to tell of God in new and exciting ways, to crowds from all over the known world. Two thousand years ago, a gathering of people in a middle-eastern city began a movement that would circle the globe and leave its mark on individuals and cultures on every continent. This movement would eventually become known as The Church. The Church is a movement. And it's still moving. The Church of Jesus was never meant to become a static, civil religion looking after civilisation. We were meant to be people who transform society in the name of Jesus. Where the church is not moving, not transforming, where it is stagnant, it is not ‘The Church.’
Scripture References: Acts 2:1-21
