By
Adam Faughn
That was the way a local news report from
the state of Alabama promoted a fairly interesting story. A man from near the
community of Semmes, Alabama constructed a church building--complete with a
steeple--that measures just 4 feet wide, 5 feet deep, and 19 feet tall
(including the steeple). He built the tiny chapel on his farm and said that
several couples enjoy having weddings on his farm and look forward to taking
some of their wedding pictures in or around the small structure.
I do not think I would want to be one to
try it out, but he claims it can "comfortably" accommodate three
people. The reason he built this very odd structure is that he has a lifelong
dream of holding a world record, and he hopes to get this building certified as
the record-holder for the smallest church of all time.
As a person with long legs, sitting in a
building that small does not appeal to me. Besides the "comfort
factor," though, the story itself had my mind thinking about the church
itself. Certainly, I am not thinking of the building since the church is not a
brick-and-mortar structure, but about the people, since they comprise this
wonderful institution.
We often speak of the need to evangelize.
To be sure, there are many reasons we should be doing that great work. One
reason, simply stated, is that we are commanded to (Mark 16:15-16). Beyond
that, however, we should desire to teach others about the saving work of Jesus
Christ and about how He came to save each individual.
When people are saved, Scripture makes it
clear that God adds them to the church (Acts 2:47). That being true, should it
not be the case that we want the church to grow? Again, that is not saying that
we want to build a larger building; it is saying that we want more people to be
saved!
But...do we really want that? And do our
actions back up that claim? It is quite easy to become comfortable with things
the way they are. It is even easier to be comfortable with only teaching and
welcoming people who look more and more like me, instead of being welcoming and
encouraging to every person--since every person needs Jesus.
When I begin to only be welcoming to people
like me, though, that "circle" becomes a lot smaller. If I only want
to teach and welcome people who I feel comfortable around, that can become a
very small circle. In fact, that tiny chapel in Alabama might be large enough!
Instead, I need to realize that, so long as
we are holding fast to Scripture, there will always be personality quirks and
differences of opinion, and I must be willing to look past those things and see
a soul that needs saving. People will not be saved because they look like me or
because they like the same things I like or because we share a common hobby.
They will only be saved if I love them enough to take them to the Bible and
show them what Jesus says about salvation.
I pray that I never get to the place where
I would be okay with fewer people in the church just because it makes me
comfortable. Instead, may we all pray that, despite quirks, personality
differences, and times of disagreement, we all desire for every person to be
saved so that more people are in the church and, ultimately, in heaven
together.
"...Who
desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth"
(1 Timothy 2:4)
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