By Keith Boone and Josh Liggin
We need to remember that we are all important members of the body. We all have a part to play. We each have a function and purpose. And even though our functions are all different, we are all necessary to the proper working of the body as a whole (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-20). Perhaps you have not yet figured out exactly what part you are supposed to be playing. Or, perhaps you know what you should be doing, but need to work on improving your ability in that area.
Men
Spend more time with your brothers. This could be doing things of a spiritual nature like joining in the monthly men’s study. Those who have taken advantage of this special opportunity have benefited greatly from the time spent studying God’s word together with other spiritually minded men. But time with your brothers doesn’t always have to be spent in Bible study. It would certainly be good for us to simply “hang out” with one another. Try to make more time to spend with your brothers in Christ.
Take an active role in leading in the worship. We know that leading in worship can sometimes be intimidating and even “scary”. The idea of leading a public prayer, leading singing, waiting on the table or even heading the table may seem too nerve-wracking to you. But remember we were all there at one point. We have all been nervous when we did something for the first time. In truth, you may never get completely over some of that, but to a certain degree that is to be expected. After all, it is indeed a very serious thing to come before the God of heaven and offer up worship.
Proclaim God’s Word. You may want to work on developing and/or improving your ability to proclaim the word of God. Public speaking is not for everyone, but sharing your thoughts about your study of God’s word in a Wednesday evening devotion can be an uplifting experience for you as well as a great encouragement to your brethren. If you have a desire to share God’s word with others, but are nervous that you may misspeak or inadvertently say something wrong, remember that the context of your local church family is probably one of the safest places to give this a try. Who knows, you may find that you have a natural talent for this, and one day you may even preach the gospel publically.
Women
Spend more time with your sisters. Much of what was said to the guys is true for the ladies as well in this regard. It is important to spend time with each other. Certainly some of this time should be spent growing spiritually. But beyond that, you will benefit from close and real relationships with your sisters in Christ. Older women, remember that it is your job to encourage and train the younger women (cf. Titus 2:3-5). The only way you will be able to accomplish this is by being around one another. Perhaps you have to create some opportunities to do things together, but the effort will no doubt be worth it.
Develop your abilities to teach others. Just because you will never stand up in front of the church to preach a sermon, or teach an adult Bible class, by no way means that you are relieved from your duty as a disciple to teach others. You too should be comfortable enough with God’s word that you could share the gospel with your friends and relatives if they ask (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).
Everyone
Improve Attendance. Are you lacking in your attendance? What can you do to improve in this area? What could we do to help? It is important for us to all be together when we have the opportunity. It is only when we are together that we will be able to encourage and strengthen one another (cf. Heb. 10:24-25). Remember we need all the parts of the body, and you are one of those parts! When you are absent, you are missed by the rest of the body. We want to encourage you to make an honest attempt to improve your attendance in 2016.
Be on time. Along the lines of the previous suggestion, we also want to encourage everyone to make a commitment to being on time for both Bible study and worship. The truth is that it can be distracting when you come in late. Not to say that times will never arise when we are just running behind schedule, but these should be the exception, not the rule. If you find yourself consistently running late, make a diligent effort to leave a little earlier, so that you can be on time, ready to participate in study and worship.
Have your lessons done. You will never truly know how much teachers appreciate this until you have taught a class. The reality is that it is extremely difficult to participate and contribute to a Bible study or group discussion if you have done no preparation beforehand. If you will put in the effort to be prepared, not only will you benefit but also your brethren who will be able to gain from your insights and study as well. The old adage is certainly true here: “The more you put in, the more you will get out.”
Take a turn teaching a class. Not everyone is equipped to teach every class. Some of us may be “natural teachers”. Some may have “real world experience” with teaching. Others may actually be formally trained and educated in teaching. We should all be using our abilities, and helping out as we can. We know that the load of teaching can sometimes be overwhelming and seem burdensome. But if we would all take a turn, the load would not seem quite so heavy to any of us.
Be an inspiration. Above all, make sure that you are doing your best to be an encouragement and inspiration to others. We are all important to the proper functioning of the body. There are things that we all can do. And by doing what we can do, we will all grow together!
This bulletin is being published for the purpose of encouraging a further study of the Word of God. Editor – Josh Liggin
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