Title: Encouraging Conversation at the Church Meetings Meta: When we are with other Christians, we should purposely plan on turning the conversation to spiritual things. One way is to ask specific questions about the sermon or about what God is doing in someone's life. On the other hand, we shouldn't think that every time of fellowship has to be directly focused on a chapter and verse from the Bible. Tags: fellowship,church,meeting 1 00:00:00,904 --> 00:00:02,877 How do you encourage edifying talk 2 00:00:02,877 --> 00:00:09,487 among Christians before and after church? 3 00:00:12,549 --> 00:00:14,021 I'll say one thing briefly, 4 00:00:14,021 --> 00:00:17,546 and then you guys follow up. 5 00:00:17,546 --> 00:00:21,757 I recently preached at our church 6 00:00:21,757 --> 00:00:24,138 a message on redeeming the tongue, 7 00:00:24,138 --> 00:00:25,719 and the importance for Christians 8 00:00:25,719 --> 00:00:30,716 to view our speech in a biblical way. 9 00:00:30,716 --> 00:00:33,609 And how important that is. 10 00:00:33,609 --> 00:00:35,611 Ephesians 4:29 says, 11 00:00:35,611 --> 00:00:39,678 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, 12 00:00:39,678 --> 00:00:42,750 but such as is edifying, 13 00:00:42,750 --> 00:00:46,766 that it might minister grace to the hearers." 14 00:00:46,766 --> 00:00:49,660 And one of the applications in the message 15 00:00:49,660 --> 00:00:55,457 was purposely plan on turning the conversation 16 00:00:55,457 --> 00:00:59,803 when you're with other Christians to spiritual things. 17 00:00:59,803 --> 00:01:02,540 There's nothing in and of itself wrong 18 00:01:02,540 --> 00:01:06,977 with commenting about the New England Patriots 19 00:01:06,977 --> 00:01:09,741 or the Dallas Cowboys. 20 00:01:09,741 --> 00:01:11,852 Nothing wrong with that. 21 00:01:11,852 --> 00:01:14,848 But Christians shouldn't tarry on earthly things. 22 00:01:14,848 --> 00:01:18,318 And I think I am too often guilty of this. 23 00:01:18,318 --> 00:01:21,597 I don't get on to spiritual things. 24 00:01:21,597 --> 00:01:25,069 So the way I suggest for people to do that 25 00:01:25,069 --> 00:01:26,970 around the lunch table with believers 26 00:01:26,970 --> 00:01:31,811 or in small groups or you're having fellowship, 27 00:01:31,811 --> 00:01:34,605 once you've said, "how's your week been?" 28 00:01:34,605 --> 00:01:36,025 or "how are things going?" 29 00:01:36,025 --> 00:01:37,913 or "how's your family?" 30 00:01:37,913 --> 00:01:41,614 Can you share something the Lord's been doing in your life lately? 31 00:01:41,614 --> 00:01:44,699 Has something in the Scriptures this week encouraged you? 32 00:01:44,699 --> 00:01:49,185 What did you get most out of that sermon we just heard? 33 00:01:49,185 --> 00:01:50,763 See the questions that can just 34 00:01:50,763 --> 00:01:52,949 open up spiritual conversation? 35 00:01:52,949 --> 00:01:55,743 That's the way you do it. 36 00:01:58,013 --> 00:02:01,827 The whole approach to the Lord's Day, 37 00:02:01,827 --> 00:02:06,401 I think can be given a higher priority for all of us - 38 00:02:06,401 --> 00:02:08,486 even in our preparation. 39 00:02:08,486 --> 00:02:10,429 One of the things that a lot of people 40 00:02:10,429 --> 00:02:12,794 have the understanding of is that 41 00:02:12,794 --> 00:02:15,264 if you're not preaching, you come 42 00:02:15,264 --> 00:02:17,491 and you're just an observer of it. 43 00:02:17,491 --> 00:02:19,078 But the way the Scripture's talk 44 00:02:19,078 --> 00:02:20,928 is that when the saints are gathered together 45 00:02:20,928 --> 00:02:22,426 you're a participant. 46 00:02:22,426 --> 00:02:24,461 And one of the ways you're a participant 47 00:02:24,461 --> 00:02:26,682 is the fellowship of the saints 48 00:02:26,682 --> 00:02:28,505 before service, after service, 49 00:02:28,505 --> 00:02:29,861 at a meal time, 50 00:02:29,861 --> 00:02:31,634 should be viewed in the context 51 00:02:31,634 --> 00:02:33,875 of this gathering of the saints. 52 00:02:33,875 --> 00:02:35,684 And during this context, we're to be 53 00:02:35,684 --> 00:02:37,462 using our gifts to be building up 54 00:02:37,462 --> 00:02:39,284 and edifying one another. 55 00:02:39,284 --> 00:02:41,849 So maybe just the whole approach to that. 56 00:02:41,849 --> 00:02:43,313 All that being said, 57 00:02:43,313 --> 00:02:45,937 let me also share one other thing. 58 00:02:45,937 --> 00:02:48,762 Let's be careful. 59 00:02:48,762 --> 00:02:50,767 I've also run into people who 60 00:02:50,767 --> 00:02:52,955 when we're sitting around a fellowship table 61 00:02:52,955 --> 00:02:56,267 if the Bibles aren't open and we're not quoting chapter and verse, 62 00:02:56,267 --> 00:02:59,053 someone deems us unspiritual. 63 00:02:59,053 --> 00:03:03,066 And listen, we live in very mundane aspects of living 64 00:03:03,066 --> 00:03:04,776 that is part of our life. 65 00:03:04,776 --> 00:03:07,030 It doesn't mean that if we don't quote a verse 66 00:03:07,030 --> 00:03:10,003 that it's not a thought unto Christ though. 67 00:03:10,003 --> 00:03:12,481 So don't also become that person that says 68 00:03:12,481 --> 00:03:14,204 well, if it's not chapter and verse, 69 00:03:14,204 --> 00:03:16,085 I don't want anything to do with you guys. 70 00:03:16,115 --> 00:03:18,649 Listen, so much of our life is not chapter and verse. 71 00:03:18,649 --> 00:03:21,823 But even the mundane aspects of Christian living - 72 00:03:21,823 --> 00:03:25,106 changing a diaper - we can do it unto the glory of God though, right? 73 00:03:25,106 --> 00:03:27,515 Paul says you eat and drink to the glory of God, 74 00:03:27,515 --> 00:03:29,799 so there is going to be conversation 75 00:03:29,799 --> 00:03:31,425 that's not chapter and verse, 76 00:03:31,425 --> 00:03:33,939 but as Christians, we should be working 77 00:03:33,939 --> 00:03:35,907 those things towards an understanding 78 00:03:35,907 --> 00:03:37,982 and viewing them in light of the Gospel 79 00:03:37,982 --> 00:03:39,461 and the Kingdom of God. 80 00:03:39,461 --> 00:03:41,981 So let's not go out and slay everyone 81 00:03:41,981 --> 00:03:44,023 if they don't have their Bibles open. 82 00:03:44,023 --> 00:03:46,501 But let's understand the purpose of the gathering of the saints 83 00:03:46,501 --> 00:03:48,317 is to build up and edify one another, 84 00:03:48,317 --> 00:03:50,588 and the way we do that is by the Gospel 85 00:03:50,588 --> 00:03:52,589 and sharing with one another. 86 00:03:52,589 --> 00:03:54,180 A good example that our church 87 00:03:54,180 --> 00:03:56,450 has so many young families 88 00:03:56,450 --> 00:03:58,653 that have a lot of young children. 89 00:03:58,653 --> 00:04:02,242 New babies, two, three, four, five, six year old. 90 00:04:02,242 --> 00:04:05,292 And the mother's that get together, 91 00:04:05,292 --> 00:04:08,382 they have a lot in common to talk about. 92 00:04:08,382 --> 00:04:11,252 But it would be falling short 93 00:04:11,252 --> 00:04:13,862 if sharing those burdens: 94 00:04:13,862 --> 00:04:17,012 how do you do this and that? 95 00:04:17,012 --> 00:04:20,326 And how are you getting him to sleep ten hours a night? 96 00:04:20,326 --> 00:04:22,551 Please show me. 97 00:04:22,551 --> 00:04:24,762 That discussion is wonderful 98 00:04:24,762 --> 00:04:27,364 and that's part of the support of the body of Christ, 99 00:04:27,364 --> 00:04:29,381 but if you only camp out on that, 100 00:04:29,381 --> 00:04:31,760 and you never spiritually encourage each other, 101 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,355 you're stopping short of what 102 00:04:33,355 --> 00:04:35,532 real fellowship can be 103 00:04:35,532 --> 00:04:38,257 and should be. 104 00:04:38,257 --> 00:04:41,035 Thanks for the wonderful questions.