A couple of years ago, I saw a billboard which advertized a community college with the slogan "Believe, Belong, Become." What an appropriate expression for the Lord's church--or, at least, it used to be.

"Back in the day", that's how it worked. You would speak to someone about Jesus or "invite them to church"; eventually, some would believe and become a member of the church and, maybe, even mature. Unfortunately, in many cases, there was nothing in place (neither people nor a process) to help them grow into the image of Christ. In other cases, such maturity wasn't expected because the only thing you had to do to "be saved" was to believe.

Today is different. In a post-modern (how do we define this) world, this "process" is reversed. Now one has to feel that they belong to a group before they can believe. What does that say about our evangelistic "methods" and fellowship (in the New Testament sense of the word) in the local church?

Fellowship has the idea of having something in common, a sharing of life together. It is something that is to be demonstrable. It can only be fully practiced by a maturing believer, those who have "become" like Christ. Those who visit a church assembly should receive a genuine and joyous welcome, even if that visitor isn't a follower of Jesus. If they do not feel welcome, or if they do not see or experience the type of love Jesus expected of his followers (John 13:34-35), they will not believe nor stay around long enough to become either a disciple or, having become one, a mature follower.

How serious should we be, then, about our times together and our lives when we are not around each other? I don't mean serious in the sense of somber and stoic behavior. I mean a genuine joy, a sense of wonder at God's goodness, and the knowledge that we are a part of God's "eternal together family". I'll touch on this a bit in tomorrow's sermon.