When every part partners…

Friday 25^th March 2022

My first exposure to AFL was a revenge match between The Adelaide Crows and Geelong. It took place in Adelaide, and the need for revenge was sparked when a high profile player from one team jumped the proverbial fence to join the other. Among the chaotic audience members there were all shapes and sizes. Something struck me…some of the most vocal members of the audience, who engaged in the most stinging banter did not present the physical attributes you would associate with a footy player. One particular gentleman seemingly had a wealth of knowledge on how his team should improve…he was also a very thirsty gentleman who had an insatiable appetite for the pies (not the footy team).

Halftime came and members of the audience were invited to kick the pigskin through the posts. Yep…our pie protagonist and beer drinking banter-king was one of them! The outcome was severe and utter embarrassment. It is seldom that 50 000 people cringe at the same time! Let’s just say this: The sudden and surprising movement his brain demanded from his kicking leg caused an ambulance to be despatched. The direct pressure of his knee on his torso in the kicking movement also turned pies into projectiles. Lesson learnt?

A well-coordinated body comes with practice >>>

not just knowledge! >>>

There is direct relevance of this for the church of Jesus Christ. Every single part has a role to play to help the body grow from an uncoordinated and randomly directed blob to a fit and effective missional community – a family on mission.

There are two very important dynamics in the descriptor “Body of Christ”.

Body – this is the container
Christ – this is the content

What gives the container its value, is its content. If the church is filled with Christ, the church will spill Christ all over the community. Every part of the body will ooze Christ as the body act as the servant it was purposed to be. Listen to Paul’s comment on this:

'From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. '

Ephesians 4:16 NIV

Nominal Christianity would interpret the emboldened phrase “as each part take its seat”. There is however no such thing – biblically – as church members who does not have a part to play. You were actually made with your “part to play” in mind – that very purpose preceded your creation. Your unique composition is a revelation of your God-given purpose in the body of Christ. When you fulfil your part both the church and the world benefits:

A PASTOR’S wife often sits on the front row. While the pastor delivers his sermon, unbeknownst to the congregation, there is a lot of activity going on between him and his wife. Occasionally she rubs her ear as though she is scratching it. Now, if the congregation would look at her, they would think that she is massaging her ear because maybe the earring is irritating her ear or her ear itches. In reality, she is signalling her husband that he is talking too loud and that he should tone it down. When she raises her hand to give what appears to be an “Amen!” she’s saying to slow down because he is talking too fast. When she closes her eyes and nods her head, she is not saying she agrees. She is telling him that he is not panning the audience well—his eye contact is bad, he’s looking too much to one side, and so on. When the pastor’s wife rubs her shoulder, she is not having a shoulder ache, she is telling her husband that his tie is crooked, that he is embarrassing her by the way he looks, and to fix it! Many of the good sermons that pastors preach are attributed to the fact that the pastor’s wife is sitting there completing them for him. That’s what the church does. It takes the message of Christ and it helps it to be laid out there so that the public gets it in the most refined form possible. The church takes the truth of Christ, and the truth of God, and the agenda of Christ and it lays it out there so that the world can see it operative in society.

Let’s all keep discovering how we can present the true content of our movement – Jesus Christ – in such a way that we fulfil our purpose as container!

Fuse Youth | Camp highlights

Last Friday Fuse Youth went down to CYC The Island for a weekend of fun, games, spiritual growth and worship! We had an incredible time exploring our theme 'This Is The Day,' building connections, witnessing God encounters and having a whole lot of fun. Here is a video full of some highlights from our weekend away!

Fuse Youth | Friday 25th March

This week at Fuse Youth, MERGE IS BACK and that means we are joining with other youths all across Casey for a night of fun, worship and good food!

Details:

Time: 7.00pm – 9.30pm
Where: 446 Centre Road, Berwick, Vic, 3806
Cost: $5

Kids Church | Sunday 27th March

Join us in person or online 10am this Sunday at Kids Church…

PREP – GRADE 6 | Early church works together

Make a habit of working together | Acts 2:42-47

WONDERKIDS & LITTLE SPARKS | Everyone can be friends with Jesus

Feeding 5,000 | Mark 6:31-44

Sunday Service | Growing Communities

If you can’t make it Sunday in person, join us online and watch live stream via YouTube or Facebook at 10am.

Partners Gathering | Sunday 27th March

We are looking forward to meeting up with our partners at 5.00pm. Come and enjoy coffee, tea sandwiches, slices and desserts. We will be concluding at 7.00pm.

Boys Brigade | Monday 28th March

Be part of the action Monday night. For over 20 years the Boys Brigade has advanced Christ’s Kingdom among boys.

ANCHORS | Grades 1 & 2: 6pm – 7.15pm
JUNIORS | Grades 3 – 6: 7pm – 8.30pm
SENIORS | Grades 7 to 18 years old: 7pm – 9.30pm

Seniors Ministry | Wednesday 13th April

Our Seniors Ministry will spend time together in worship and contemplation of Christ’s sacrifice. Pastor Braam will bring an Easter message and we will also share in Communion together.

Details: