Welcome

Storms come into all our lives and when that storm comes what are you and I looking for? A safe place! Years ago when my wife and I with our first born son were living in Oklahoma; late one night we had all gone to bed. For some reason I had gotten up; the air didn't seem right and for some reason I turned on the radio. I was listening when all of a sudden they said a tornado was on the ground. It was only 2 miles up the road and coming in our direction. I began telling my wife to get up as I grabbed our 18 month old son and out the door we ran, across the yard bare footed with a yard full of sand spurs to a storm cellar. I slung open the door and we ran down into it. We didn't stop first to see if there were rattle snakes, scorpions or tarantulas! We just ran in for it was a safe place for us to be from the oncoming storm. I am afraid that too many churches have turned out to be a place where you find more storms than a place where you feel safe. Let's look at the first Christians and see what and how they did things.

Acts 2:41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:43
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Acts 2:44
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 2:45
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Acts 2:46
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 2:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

These first Christians devoted themselves, the Bible says, "to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer." Could this be the key; a church that stays focused on the majors and not on the minors? The majors are studying the Word of God together, celebrating your common ground in Christ, remembering His cross, and waging war together on your knees. Not majoring on personalities, buildings, budgets, music styles, or putting people in categories.

It goes on to say that "all the believers were together...they gave to anyone as he had need." They focused on needs, not programs. And "every day they continued to meet together in the temple. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." Well, of course they won the favor of all the people! How could they miss when they provided a place where you could count on being loved, count on having people care about your needs, and count on finding a safe place. That's the storm cellar so many are looking for in this increasingly stormy world. Do we provide such a place of safety? Is the storm door open or does it have a lock on it? Can anyone come into the storm cellar or have we put people in categories? My wife and I sure were glad that night we had a safe place to go with our son from the oncoming storm. When we got to the storm cellar we were welcome. Why not today make someone feel loved and welcomed I believe that is what our Lord wants us to do.