There are many requisites in life that require prerequisites.
A requisite is a necessary and appropriate component for a specific purpose. For example, walking is a requisite for living. Although many people have lived successful lives without walking, their handicaps have limited them in many areas. Walking has a prerequisite… crawling. Experts have proven that crawling is very necessary; it creates coordination in a child.
Here’s my point, we all have many essential components in our lives that necessitate certain prerequisites. But the problem is that our desire to “have quickly” in this culture causes us to skip formable stages.
Here’s one concerning our churches. Before we can OUTreach we have to INreach. Before we can ever be ECCLESIA we have to be OIKOS. Allow me to explain further… Before we can be the “called out ones” we have to learn how to be “called in.”
In scripture, there’re two terms that describe us, the church. One is ecclesia (called out ones) and the other is oikos (household). There are more references to household than to ecclesia. The church’s ultimate responsibility is to bombard the gates of hell and to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. But that cannot be accomplished until it first becomes a family and household of believers.
I’ve realized that most church implode because of a lack of INreaching not OUTreaching. Learning to build family, unity and community is vital for the health of the church. As a matter of fact, successful OUTreaching takes place when proper INreaching occurs.
Food for thought… Much more to be said here… Let me know your thoughts.
