Tonight is movie night at the church. We'll be at Heritage Park in Edgewood, Texas to gather as a united church and watch a movie under the stars.
We'll gather starting at 7:30 pm for games and fun activities, with the movie starting once it's good and dark. There's plenty of space to spread out a blanket, to set up a lawn chair to get ready for the show.
The church is providing hot dogs and popcorn. Plenty of food to enjoy.
I'm not sure what the movie will be, but it will definitely be family friendly. In the past, it has been the newest Disney home release.
The Heritage Park is a fun place to be in any instance. It's an outdoor museum, with a collection of twenty restored buildings representing life in East Texas from the 1800s to the 1920s.
Now, I know this sounds like an odd one to write about for Why I Love My Church, but hear me out. This goes beyond Jamie and I being movie people.
I love this event because it is so outward facing. It's an opportunity for the church to give to the community. For people to bring guests and family to just be loved on. No ulterior motive, no bait and switch. No Jesus Juke. Just a fellowship event where the church gathers together to enjoy spending time with each other and the church pours out on its members and the community. The church providing free food and a show to whomever comes up.
Now there will be mentions of service times if people would like to come check us out, of other things the church is doing, but they are announcements. We'll pray, we'll eat, and we'll have a good time. A get together with the whole family, if you will.
And it's a perfect time here near Fourth of July celebrations. A time together broken out of the mold of what we think church is. A time to be the Church instead of going to "church".
In the early days of Christianity, "church" took up a lot more time than we would assume. Even more than Sunday morning service, Sunday evening service, Tuesday night prayer service, and Wednesday night devotion.
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 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.
Acts 2:42-47
This went far beyond the religious activities planned. The Church hung out together. They liked being around each other and enjoyed spending time together.
And it showed to the people around them. Others in the community wanted to be a part of that fellowship. Of that kind of love.
How is your church doing? Do the members actually like to be together? Or do you tolerate each other?
Can you fellowship together and enjoy just spending time and getting to know each other? You know, I think if we cannot get this right down here, eternity is going to be a very long process.
I hope you have a church home that enjoys fellowship as well as the praise of, worship of, and service to our God.
If you don't and would like to see what Stonepoint is about, come pull up a chair tonight. If you are interested in more information on the church, check us out at http://www.stonepointchurch.com.
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