Rick Ezell
Greer First Baptist Church
“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved" (Acts 2:46-47).
A group of high school guys were watching a party unfolding at a fraternity house out from their motel balcony. Lights were strung, music playing, couples dancing, and people laughing. The teenagers stared longingly at the fun they were observing. They longed to join the celebration. A college student at the party noticed the teenagers staring. He yelled, "Hey, come on over." The students left their rooms to join the party.
People were born to celebrate – birthdays, weddings, championships, promotions, and holidays. We throw parties, inviting our friends and family over. These are big days. And, they should be. God never intended for fun and laughter to be excluded from our lives.
The early church knew how to celebrate. They gathered together, acknowledging God's power and praising his goodness. They met in each other's homes, sharing meals, laughing and talking, enjoying life with each other. They worshipped God, the redeemer. The church's celebrations were so exuberant that even people who weren't believers wanted to join their company because of what they observed.
Celebrations are like that. The exuberance and the excitement of celebrations cause others to want to share in it. A church reaching people is not as hard as we think. When God's people begin to rejoice in God and enjoy his presence to the point of exuberant celebration, people will come just to watch and eventually want to be a part.
Would people be attracted to your church based on your celebration?
Copyright 2013, Rick Ezell.
Rick Ezell is the Senior Pastor of Greer First Baptist Church. He has a Doctor of Ministry from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theology from Southern Baptist Seminary. He has published over 600 articles and sermons in various Christian publications. While authoring six books he has served over 20 years in pastoral ministry.