Let me tell you what I saw God do this past week. It was like a 3-act play!
Act 1
I lead a Bible study for a group of women in my 55+ gated community. For months, we’ve met in a craft room connected with our clubhouse at the invitation of the craft room coordinator. But, for two weeks in a row, attendance was low because several people had major crises happening and the Arizona summer heat was on. We decided to take a summer break and meet once a month in someone’s home to have fellowship and watch Christian movies together.
The week after that decision was made, the craft room director passed away unexpectedly. She had such a major role in our community, that the craft room was closed indefinitely. God knew this was going to happen! He had put a plan in our hearts before Connie passed away so we were not unprepared. And we quickly arranged a meeting to pray and grieve for Connie together, and discuss how we would continue to meet.
Act 2
One of our Bible study members depends on an electric scooter to get around. Our new hostess has a wheelchair ramp at her home, but it had been thrown together when her sister needed it. (The sister passed on shortly after it was built.) I showed photos of the ramp to a man at my church. “What would be needed to reinforce this?” I asked.
He immediately knew what to do and who could help him. He visited the home and assessed how much it might cost. The elders at Valley Christian Church, knowing it would benefit my Bible study group, offered to pay the $300 needed to “revamp the ramp.”
I wish I had a photo of our scooter lady riding down that new ramp, raising a fist bump at the bottom. We cried and hugged and praised God together for making this happen. God’s people—working together—despite one cluster of folks not knowing the other.
Act 3
Now, here is this refurbished wheelchair ramp looking better than most of the other wheelchair ramps in our neighborhood. Neighbors started commenting to our hostess about the new look And that wonderful lady grabbed the opportunity to talk about the little church who paid and provided to make this happen!
Kirk, the man who rebuilt the wheelchair ramp was delighted when I told him the impact of the wheelchair ramp, how our little church six miles from my neighbor had caused a neighborhood buzz. Like me, he caught that we were showing the love of God by our example—and people noticed. And then he said this wonderful quote: “Sometimes people have to see what they don’t want to hear.” He went on to explain what he meant. The world is watching those of us who claim faith in Christ, inwardly asking, “Does this faith in Jesus thing really make a difference?” When they witness a group of people rebuilding a ramp for a group of ladies who want to study the Bible together, the answer is a resounding YES!
The First Church In Action
I felt like we were living the book of Acts all over again—in more ways than one! And I suspect there will be more acts to follow in this story. That’s what happened in the original book of Acts—several times!
One account tells how the young church had hit a snag in the management of the care of widows. The Greek widows were getting left out of the church’s version of Meals on Wheels. The apostles fixed the problem by appointing seven men to oversee the program. The church took care of the needs of all these indigent women. And people noticed.
Did that reorganization have more impact than just a bunch more women getting a daily food basket? Yes! Acts 6:7 says, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”
That was the long-term result of the church’s decision to meet their people’s needs. Long term, wide spread, and God empowered.
I can’t wait to see what God will do next in our little community.
How have you seen a church in action? What God shaped results did you see? Tell us about it in the comments.
Check in with Karen Wingate weekly through her Friday morning newsletter to hear more of what she sees God doing in the world.
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