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In the third part of this sermon series on A Culture of Disciple-Making, Pastor Danny addressed the church witnessing and being together from Acts 1:1-11 and Acts 2:1-47. What this Application After Thought is going to hone in on is the idea of intentionally being together. In Acts 2:42 we see that the church in that day, at the very beginning, “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of break and the prayers.” As Pastor Danny pointed out, the whole community identity changed. They were devoted, or to put it another way, they were intentional. They were intentional at being together.            

There are many ways that we as Anchor Baptist Church can be intentional at being together, and not just during the regularly scheduled meeting times. There are many needs in the church both physically and spiritually. Whether it’s taking time to help someone move or specifically going over to pray with someone in a trial. These are just two simple examples of ways the body can be intentional at being together outside the regular meeting times.  

Application Question: Are you willing to meet with the church outside of the regular meeting times? Do you think it’s bothersome to do so? If so, why?              

This is where I want to pose a pendulum swing of the heart. At one end, some might have the initial heart reaction of complaining that another need arose in the church and that someone is asking for help. Some of what could be behind this is selfishness and pride rearing its ugly head thinking “this time is mine” and “I am not a steward but an owner of my time.”  At the other end of the pendulum, some might have the initial heart reaction of wanting to say yes to everything and advertising their ‘servant-heartedness.’ This is not the goal either and is still pride but shown in the form of people-pleasing and making serving about yourself. Whereas the middle of the pendulum, the balance, is having the initial reaction of compassion upon the person who has the need and desiring to fulfill it out of compassion, but also understanding your limits and knowing you can’t practically be a part of everything.  

Application Question: Where do you land on this pendulum? Are you intentional at having a compassionate heart that moves you to being with body?