Our congregation Our nation, military and leaders

Our college students David, Leon and James in the military

Various friends, relatives and co-workers Susan’s mom had surgery last week

Sherry is traveling to Australia Jimmy King’s uncle died on Oklahoma

The funeral was yesterday.

1^ST - Yevette Mearns 8^th - James Vaughn 11^th - Talia Bekker

13^th - JoAnna Ross 28^th - Sarah Cruthirds

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).

How often have we seen the need for decisions to be made and the powers that be discuss and make them? Oh, when they meet, they say a prayer to open the meeting and one to close it. But when it comes to decision making, God has given us a mind to reason, and reason we will. We will debate and discuss, formulate a plan, and then approve the necessary funds to do it. We will go into minute’ detail, and depending on the institutional nature of a particular congregation, each detail will meet with approval or disapproval. When we are finished, we walk out proud of what we have accomplished. But to pray and wait for God’s answer just isn’t considered. And if it wasn’t for that incessant knocking at the door, we would have accomplished more.

How often have we heard complaints about attendance? People just don’t attend the way we think they should. Sunday evening and Wednesday nights have low attendance. It is time for another article, sermon and/or class on attendance. I have personally been told on average about once a year to preach or write on attendance, once about five years in a row. Those who do not attend are not committed and/or unfaithful. How about the elders visiting? I asked that question once. One elder told me he visits every Sunday at the door greeting people. So we do the same thing in the same way saying the same things year after year expecting different results which is a clear definition of insanity. And if it were not for all that knocking on the door, people would have heard and changed.

How many times has someone responded for prayers, making a request? We pray for them in the assembly and afterwards a few people greet them, and then off they go to deal with their situation on their own. "We said a pray, that should be enough." God has given us a mind to reason, so they can get information from a doctor, the internet, books, and any number of other places. Then they can make an informed decision. We just wish that the knocking on the door would stop.

How many times have there been a conflict in a congregation? Someone disagrees with the preacher and talks to the elders. Someone doesn’t like the songs the song leader sings and talks to the deacon over worship. Someone is mad at another brother and complains and gossips to anyone who would listen. How should two baptized believers deal with each other? Someone said that we should go to our brother and work things out. Another said that it takes effort to maintain peace. And we would find peace if someone would just stop that knocking on the door.

How many times have we seen a person repent and ask forgiveness? I’m talking about the serious stuff here though I understand that many struggle with all types of sin. But this is a very public sin and it wasn’t an easy time for his family or the church. So what do we do with this person? Should they be allowed to teach class or say a prayer or wait on the Table? Maybe we can just let them sit there until they have sufficiently repented and have shown us that they are now in the right frame of mind. And when will someone tell that person at the door to stop knocking?

How many times have we seen a leader overreact to something? The Lord’s Supper is being passed. The pew is long and four people are sitting on it, two at each end. A sister gets up and carries the plate to the person at the other end. An elder sees this and thinks she is usurping authority in some way. A teenager is baptized and a number of people clap. An elder sees this and in the next bulletin is a one sentence statement: "There will be no hand clapping in the assembly." A preacher doesn’t do what some think he should be doing. He is no longer wanted because he spends too much time studying and too little visiting, too much with the rebellious and not enough with those in control, too much in the Hebrew scriptures and not enough on the church, attendance and giving. And if he would have just told that person knocking on the door to go away, we might have kept him.

I wonder what the situation was in Laodicea that the church there might not have opened the door to the One who was knocking. It would be a church anyone would want to be a part of. They lived in an economically good area because of the natural springs that brought people from all over the empire. They had everything in their eyes and needed nothing. While not as well known as Ephesus, they could compete with their wealth. Proud and self-reliant, well dressed and rich, they shined out in their own eyes to the community around them. That was their view and probably the view of many others. Even today, Ephesus and Laodicea would be two congregations that any of us would like to be a part of because of all that could be done. That was one view.

But God in Jesus saw it differently. He was repulsed by Laodicea. One suggested that God would vomit them out. They were lukewarm. Their healing salves were a hindrance to the good news. They had lost sight of Who they belonged to and became wishy-washy. Instead of being well dressed they were naked spiritually. And there was Jesus knocking on the door. Would they open it and let Him in? We are not told.

How many times has Jesus stood at our door knocking? Would we let Him in and share a meal? Considering the way we do things sometimes, I wonder if we would.

George B. Mearns