Starting a church wasn’t something the apostles were mapping out and planning. They were doing the last thing Jesus instructed them to do, which was to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. When, “Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven.” God started the church. God created the church. God brought the church into being, and it is His Church, not ours. We are just a part of it and It’s essential for us to realize that.
In conversation with the Mission department at our national office this week it was said that here in Whitby we are, “The Church that meets all week long” as we had the privilege of sharing all the amazing things that God is doing through his church. I have had time to reflect on this statement of this church here in Whitby. Wow it truly does sum up the mission of Whitby Community Church and how God is mapping out His mission through His people more than I ever realized.
The Church that meets all week long – Acts 2 church
There are many ideas about how to do church some very traditional and others unconventional. I have learned that we don’t have to have to be like the church down the road. Actually, God has directly this church to be different, to focus on different ways of doing church – yes, all week long. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
There is no other plan or purpose of God for how we are to share the good news of Jesus with others. God simply wants the church to stand for the truth, His truth, and to be unshakable in our presentation of the Gospel and if the ways are unconventional then so be it. The church belongs to God. It is His church, not ours and the mission of the church is to communicate the love of God to a lost and dying world.
Can small churches make a difference? Absolutely!
The Acts 2 Church is the model that God has called us to be, and this new community was nothing like what the world had to offer. This community was rooted in love and generosity, empowered by the Holy Spirit to testify all the way to the very ends of the earth. It’s no wonder the church saw growth. All were devoted to one another, to the apostles teaching, to prayer, and communion as it says in Acts 2:42-47.
We are a church that began together to rebuild after Covid a vibrant Jesus based movement – a church that meets all week and is passionate about the mission of Jesus and united in sharing his good news all week. Yes we are unconventional in the means to build God’s kingdom, yes we are different than the churches down the road…but this week I was reminded by a beautiful lady that immigranted to Canada that…”This is my happy place!” Her story is just one of many transformational stories of this church that meets all week long. We are a church that, when we came together to pray for the neighbourhood and our community – God opened the doors with people expressing new found faith in Christ and more Bible Studies than we ever had.
This church has made a difference in allowing people to belong, inviting them to believe which then leads to transformational behaviour change. We are called to be different people, a different culture. An oasis in the midst of a desert, a shade tree on a summer day, a cup of cool water when you are thirsty, a place to come and know you won’t be rejected, that you’ll be accepted and loved, brothers and sisters, the family of God, empowered by God for eternal life together.
The goal of this Church is to establish a unique fellowship equipped for the mission of sharing the gospel.
Unconventional, absolutely! Working, Absolutlely! And together this church will continue to follow the unconventional ways to be the church that God wants us to be.
Feel free to drop by for Cafe Connection on Sunday at 10, stay for our worship gathering and encounter God afresh in your life. Or follow us on line at www.sawhitby.ca
The Whitby Community Church is a Place of HOPE.
We, guided by a Heart for God, have a mission for Outreach built on Prayer for a community where Everyone is cared for, loved and encouraged.
Love it!!!!