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| God's House is Not a Barn |
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* Please note that this post is not directed at any one particular church, but intended as a global message for all of God's houses.
God's house is supposed to be a temple, a place of refuge. So why is God's house left in disarray? I'm sure we all love when new visitors come into the church. But what does the cleanliness of your church say to that visitor? Does it say, "Welcome to the house of God" or does it say, "Enter at your own risk."
We as church members can take the extra steps to help make and keep God's house a home. I like what someone said, "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something." If you notice that a trash can is full, rather than over-flowing the can even more, how about taking it out to the dumpster? After all, this is a great way to keep your pride levels in check! When there is paper on the floor, get the exercise, pick it up! If you notice something that you would be unacceptable in your own home, why would you leave it be in God's house?
When there is a mid-week function, food trash and crumbs can often be found after everyone went home. By Sunday, this can cause a bug problem and a not-so-pleasant smell. I have seen in church after church, the Pastor's wife staying behind to take care of these things. Should this be?
Church members and visitors should be able to come into God's house and see it as a temple, and not have to ask "Where's the bug spray" or "What is that smell?" Can we all work together as a family to make and keep God's house a place of refuge for the saved and the unsaved?
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| To add a comment to "God's House is Not a Barn" |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| Amen Sue |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| Hi Sue. Now this is a blog that makes people think. If people can't accept it behind closed doors in their homes, why is it acceptable in God's House? God's house is not a barn, its His temple. And believe it or not, His temple even extends into people's hearts. So if we can't accept it, why should He? Great blog Sue. |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| Well said Stevie Bee |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| This is good spam :) |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| Our church actually has someone who cleans it regularly from our congregation, and when help is needed, they ask for it. They are good that way. |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| lol Although street ministry outreaches...lol....I loathed using the "throne room" at one of them. ICK! lol |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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Amen Sue! dont mind this kind of spam! god Bless |
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| January 29, 2009 |
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| Thank you all for you encouraging words. This was one of those posts that I hesitated to post, because I wasn't sure how it would be received :) So thanks! |
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| January 30, 2009 |
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This is a good post and sad to say that it is needed. Thank you Sue
Blessings patty |
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| January 30, 2009 |
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| wonderful words!! |
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| January 30, 2009 |
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Bugs me too sister! |
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| January 31, 2009 |
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| Much needed! |
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| February 02, 2009 |
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Don't even get me started on this one Sue !!!!! Why do people think that dishes put themselves away?????? My favorite is when people put "one last thing in the trash can" even though it's full, "my one pice of trash" does not mean I should have to take the trash out !!!!!!! Oh yeah, and the smelly baby diaper !!!!!!! etc....etc.....etc.....etc.... |
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| February 02, 2009 |
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| Wow... I'm reading this and thinking of our little church in Turkey... We are lucky to have a building at all..because the military police shut down a lot of churches.. we aren't even allowed to have a sign.. I think about the stained floor and how we can't really have a separate place for coffee and refreshments. We are so lucky the owner of the building allows us to rent it... although the police have harassed him.. I think about how most buildings don't even have carpet here but we do.. and the bathroom OHH IT'S HORRIFYING..but it's free! Most of the public restrooms here cost money and you pay to use a horrifying restroom... We dump the trash and we do what we can to make the place inviting...but you know.. God understands.. I'm not so sure most Americans who came to visit would, but our Lord does. |
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| February 02, 2009 |
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| Remember that Jesus was born in a barn! Let's not get too carried away with a spiffy house of worship. What God really cares about is what is in your heart when you come not what the building looks like. Is your heart clean, free of clutter and focused on Him, I just moved from a really beautiful mega church back to a small community church because the service felt like it was more like an event than a worship service and I liked seeing collection boxes in the lobby for the homeless. Caring for one another by picking up the trash and making the place inviting is a great way to serve God, but don't give the building too much consideration, God sees right through it. |
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| February 02, 2009 |
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| Okay! I won't give the building anymore consideration. sounds good to me dude !!!! |
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| February 02, 2009 |
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Cathy, Please don't ever stop giving the building consideration! I don't know what I would do without you!! Tell me you were kidding?!?!?! Love you :)
All, Of course we should not neglect our hearts and pick up trash instead :) There are lots of posts out there about the issue of the heart, and that's a good thing. But this issue is often over-looked. And I think it needed to be addressed, and probably way more than I could possibly put into words on this one post. |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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Sue,
I agree completely with you!!! We have a Wednesday night worship and it seems like I'm the only one who cares about what the kitchen looks like at the end of the night. Usually the adults leave early and leave me to clean up by myself and this makes me very upset!! Nobody helps with cleaning tables or chairs off and leave food on the floor where they were eating!!! I would be there late in the night sometimes. This has been going on since about September and I am just downright tired right now. Usually I will leave after I have fixed the meal (yeah, I fix it, too usually by myself for about 40 people) and I'm too tired to eat anything. I just go into the sanctuary and cry or listen to some music on my phone. Sometimes I've not even gone back into the kitchen to help and just wondered what would happen and usually the teenagers are ones cleaning up and they have no clue on where to put things or how to deep clean things so it looks nice. Ugh!!!! It is frustrating sometimes so I wish that people would recognize how nice it looks to other people, and it's also showing respect to help others and help the church.
Thanks for posting!! I enjoyed reading the comments!
Dayna |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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| Dayna, You get the comment of the post award. You said much of what I saying while this was in draft mode :) It always seems like it is only a few people who stick around, and it is too much on them. And that is my whole point. Once those few people burn out, then what? Right on Sister! |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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| Cleaning up is a group effort and all in the church should lend a helping hand. It makes the work go much quicker |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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| I agree completely!! Everyone just wants to eat and run. Our pastors don't even help at all! They come in to eat and then leave and it's very frustrating for me. |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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Dear Sue,
My wife is the custodian of our local church. It is astounding how much litter degrades the Temple of God. I suppose that folks think that since she is getting paid to clean up, they don't have any responsibility to be good stewards. This week we are studying Disciple Bible Study in Exodus. It is about the how to of building the Tabernacle and the reverance needed to care for it. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. I appreciate your article.
Pastor Chuck (United Methodist Church Prentiss, MS) cewchuck@aol.com |
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| February 03, 2009 |
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Great comment Pastor Chuck. I greatly appreciate your input. I always say, "Don't let the word get out that there is a paid cleaning person :)" Even when there is someone who gets paid, no one person can take on this task single-handedly.
I'm convinced that God does care about this issue. In the same way that we don't like when our children make a mess and go about their merry way.
May God bless you and your church! |
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| February 04, 2009 |
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Hello My Sister,
I must say, I agree 1000%..
For I am the grounds keeper at my church, and people do treat the house of God,
like a barn, I was almost tempted, to send your blog to every memeber who attend
my church..so they can see it isn't just me, that thinks everyone should chip in to
help in the cleaning of God's House...Great Blog..God bless you and your family. |
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| February 04, 2009 |
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We have a large group of ladies who use our church building each wednesday morning (not members of our church)...but you would never even know they had been in the building because it is their policy to put EVERYTHING back where it belongs and clean all areas they used. It is such a blessing to not be searching everywhere for misplaced things or be having to clean up a mess!!
I wish that our own chuch members would have such values! At home our rule is if you make a mess, you clean it up...when I do things at the church that is my same rule, even though we have a paid janitor. I believe that there are many church attenders who have no idea what it takes behind the scenes just to give them a fellowship meal or other types of events. It would be wonderful if everyone had the opportunity to work in the background- it may give them a greater appreciation for those who tirelessly serve. We are supposed to serve with the joy of the LORD, but we are not supposed to have to do that all by ourselves-when the church body comes together and pitches in it makes for quick work and it can even be fun. God has called all of us to serve one another. That means everyone does their part to keep their church clean and it shouldn't be dumped on a handful of people. You can try to be clean no matter what kind of worship building you have. Nuff' said ;) |
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| February 06, 2009 |
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| Not that there's anything wrong w/barns, mind you! hehe, sorry, just had to add that, lest people develop a predjudice against barns. We love the barn next door, it's fun, pretty, nostalgic, useful, necessary, fascinating, etc..... lol! |
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| February 07, 2009 |
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| Amen to that. Everyone says how they "Love the Church" but no one is willing to or wants to do anything. Let's put the blame on the pastors when there are rodents, bugs, odors, or the building falling down. Let's face it, pastors come and leave, it isn't their building, but the Lords. If the members "truly love" and "can't live without their church", then get up and participate. Stop leaving the church in everyone elses hands so you can complain. Complain to yourself because you have done nothing. Many hands make light work. |
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| February 07, 2009 |
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| This is good -- makes me think of how important it is to train -- from the nursery up -- how to show respect for God's property! |
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| February 08, 2009 |
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| We have a cleaning team at our church as well. But....how about putting hymnals back and not leaving pens and trash in the pews. That makes me nervous as if there is a lack of respect for God Himself when it is easy to leave the sanctuary in a mess. I don't see a lot of that but putting back hymnals, bibles, communion cups etc...easy to take care of but if you don't someone has to straighten it up. |
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| February 10, 2009 |
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Justin,
That is so true!! This Sunday we had a dinner after our meeting and we had so many adults that helped clean up. It was so nice--everyone pitched in to help!!! Well, there is a different crowd on Wednesday nights and those adults aren't there so nothing gets done -very frustrating!!
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| February 10, 2009 |
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amen! 69:9 \69:8\I have become a stranger to my brethren, an alien to my mother's sons. 69:9 For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me. |
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| February 10, 2009 |
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Great blog Sue and I`m so glad Dayna and Joe spoke up about what it looks like from the perspective of those that do the bulk of the work of cleaning the church building. I totally agree with what a lot of bloggers have already said, it boils down to respect, reverence and love for God (and His house) and our respect and love for the people who serve God`s house through janitorial or service work, paid or unpaid. At a former church I went to which was very large, we had a paid custodian (not the pastor`s wife, he he) and he cleaned the building and maintained it BUT at every large function where set up for banquets and such was required, the Pastor would announce for helpers from the congregants and thank God we had a lot of people pitching it to decorate, set up and take down etc. Many hands made light work. This seems only fair as all of the congregants and guests were partaking of the event not just a few....an idea perhaps for other churches to emulate. |
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| April 22, 2009 |
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Great blog Sue, but I kept thinking about the true temple, what you say is true, even more so when applied to our bodies, for the Lord said our bodies were His temple. Look at all the trash we leave behind in our own lives. How many "bugs" do we have in our own selves. Do we even think about what the Lord must think, about the stink? |
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| April 22, 2009 |
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1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? how many of have idols in our lives, whether it be the TV, work, or anything else we put before the Lord 2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. |
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| May 06, 2009 |
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 [star!] |
couldn't agree more. |
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| June 16, 2009 |
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| Very true, and a much needed comment. Though the barn analogy could be positive. The church *is* like a barn in the sense that our doors are always open. |
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| June 16, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| I couldn't agree more with Deb's comment that keeping His House clean is a joint effort, and everyone should help. We should all endeavor to respect our sanctuary and to set an example for the hygenically challenged, but we can't forget that our Lord humbled Himself and was born in a barn! |
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| July 05, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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| Couldn't agree more |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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In order for me to serve, God has to give. I mean, if I would have a servant, and I want him to do a task, I’d have to give him the necessary abilities or tools to make him do that task. If I don’t give him those things, he can’t do the task. So there are things that God must give us. And he knows. He is not an unjust God. He is not a God who says, I want you to serve. And then people say, what do I serve? How do I serve? You serve by things he has given to you. (What has he given you?) What He gives freely, you are supposed to freely give. And the mindset of people, because this is one of the perilous times, things that go on is, people are selfish, they are lovers of themselves. They think only of themselves. They hoard. They get things, are given things, and they keep it. Where God says, No, give. Because everything that you have, he’s given to you anyway. You have nothing that God has not given to you. Everything you possess whether it is monetary things, properties, cars, you name it, all those things were given to you by God. Some people may argue and say: no, no, no. It was given to me because I work. Well who gave you the work? Well, I went looking for that job because I had the ability. Well who gave you the ability? Everything is given to you because of an almighty God. Freely I’ve given to you, freely you give. And the bible says, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Now, everything that I am able to give is coming from the greatest given of all. Who can give to God that he doesn’t already have? You say, I want to give God glory. He has that. The bible says, give God praise. He has that. He’s not going to say, oh, ya know, there’s one thing I wish I had that I just can’t obtain. You say, Oh! I’ll get it for you! How do you buy a gift for someone who has everything? He has it all. He owns it all. So you have the ultimate giver who gives to his people and when he gives to his people, it is expected of those people to give it also. What has He given to you? Words to encourage? Health body to help clean the church? Money to support the ministry and pay the bills? Everyone had been given gifts. What has He given to you for you to "give freely" to others? (Most of this i did not write...it is from a sermon by my pastor....with my comments at the end) |
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