Now, THAT'S a Relevant Church...from Firstfruits Auctions to Cellphone Charging

Pastor Gregg has been doing a series on the Relevant Church. Obviously, I missed the previous ones, but today's sermon was great. Over the past two months I spent some time in the Mukaa village of Kenya. You know, the one with no power, no electricity, no running water... I was confounded by the fact that these people lived in such dyer circumstances, yet so many of them had cell phones! How?? How do they charge them? Well, during one of my trips to the village, when the HFBC team was visiting, we stayed until Sunday and went to church with them. My question was answered...

The one time of the week when the church generator is powered up provides an opportunity to recharge more than the church-goer's spirit! Now, that's a different perspective of meeting the needs of the Church! I pray that as they come to church (for the three-four hour service) that their spirits are recharged, just as their phones are recharging. If that's what it takes to get them there to hear the Word, bless them! May they continue to be equipped for all communication throughout the week...with other cell phone users, but more importantly, with the Lord!

In Sunday school (the Shed) this morning, we talked about the Treasures of God, returning to Him what is His. Once again, the church in Mukaa gave a new perspective of that. We talk about giving our firstfruits to the Lord, but some of the people there do so much more literally. We saw the fruits, vegetables, plants, etc. on the front altar during the service. We didn't understand the full meaning of them until later. We watched as the faithful Believers brought all they had into the House of the Lord. Their firstfruits. The pastors, then, auctioned off the goods in order for the church to receive the money. That money is then used to help those in need. What a different perspective of returning to the Lord what is His. May they be blessed more than they can ask or imagine!!

"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" (Malachi 4:10)