Last Sunday was truly buzzing at Manly Life. Most of the church turned up to celebrate our first 3 months as a community. People were engaged in the worship, through the talk and in our ministry time at the end. Then everyone stayed around and ate together and sucked down slurpies. It was a great time of being a church, thick with the presence and love of God.
So what makes an alive church?
In Acts 2 after thousands have responded to Peter’s sermon we read about the life of the early church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
As we dream, plan and walk in faith, we hope that the things that animated the early church will also animate our new church. Such was their experience of the love and power of God that they were devoted to the kind of life together that turned the ancient world on its head. They;
Were hungry to learn more about Jesus and Word of God.
Prayed to God and for one another and saw signs and wonders in their midst.
Shared their possessions and provided for the poor in their community.
Met together regularly, eating together, having communion and worshipping God.
They continued to grow as the Lord saved people and added to their numbers.
The church can get lots of things wrong and lots of things right… but to be honest it isn’t rocket science to work out what God would have us do and be as his people. If Manly Life can continue to be animated by the presence of God and have the same ingredients as the early church – we will grow in faith, hope and love!
manlylife.org 