An Intentional Church
Written by Vernon Quek
Zion Bishan’s leadership has recently been communicating the need for all of us to come back weekly for in-person physical services. This is a big topic to think through! I hope that what we’ve heard over the past few weeks at service has been helpful for everyone to see that coming back is not the end goal, but can be a big part of growing us as the Body of Christ (which IS the end goal). I say “can be”, because routinely coming back for weekly services is not enough. We must be intentional about what we do when we come back.
Even a cursory look at Christian community in the New Testament churches will show that a healthy church must spend quality time together – and lots of it![1]
So what does being intentional with our time together physically look like? A lot has been and can be said about what happens in services themselves, but let me suggest some practical ways we can really use our time together well:
1. Short 5-10 minute conversations
Imagine if every single Sunday, we all took the time to come earlier and stayed behind for just a few minutes to catch up with one another. These precious minutes would add up to hours of meaningful relationships over a year. We can pray with and for each other, and for what we’ve heard in the sermon to impact our hearts.
2. Longer, deeper conversations
What if we went further than that? If we arranged for an hour-long meal before with one another before or after service at the coffeeshops near church? More time spent with one another will allow us to get deeper into what’s happening in each other’s lives, and deeper into His Word than we could in brief conversations.
3. Conversations with church leaders
Finally, we as church leaders have been really longing to see you and interact with you. How can we possibly love, lead and pray for you if we don’t spend time with you? This is one of the big reasons why one Pastor and two Elders have been assigned to a single congregation each in the Next Lap Vision. Please come to us and say hello each Sunday – we’d love to hear how you are doing and to pray for you! Imagine how much we as a church family would grow as one Body if we are intentional with such things when we come back for service each and every week?
[1] For example: Jesus & the Disciples – Almost every day for 3 years. Also, Paul in Acts 19:9-10, 20:17-21
