By Larry Stover
The Selma Times-Journal

The modern day church in America seems to be struggling these days.  Dallas County, Alabama churches are showing similar signs of decay.  Attendance is dwindling; tithes and offerings are shrinking; and, people just don’t seem to have the same attitude of the church as they once had.

I believe that a return to the values of the New Testament church could go a long way in bringing about a rebirth of the church across our area.

In the Book of Acts, chapter two, verses forty-two through forty-seven, we find the heart and soul of the early church.  Those characteristics united the people together in many ways igniting the revival that swept across the Roman Empire changing the world forever.

I want to encourage Christians in Dallas County to review the traits of the church that made it strong.  If we would pattern ourselves after their model, we would thrive.

First of all, they devoted themselves to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Apostles.  One of the tragedies of America today is that people are too busy to spend time in devotions, Bible studies or church attendance.

We have convinced ourselves that it is not necessary to gather with our church family to worship.  We can be close to God at the lake, fishing off of a river bank, camping or a host of other things.  Ones logic is faulty to think that something that is supposed to be done as a group can be done as an individual.  God’s Word makes it plain that we should not take this issue lightly.  The gathering of God’s people is crucial if we are to maintain our spirituality at the level God wants us to be at.

At Praise Park, we look at worship as being “God’s Time!”  Nothing else is to take the place of His appointed times for us to worship Him.

One area that modern day churches thrive on is the fact that the people ate together regularly.  The Church “pot-luck” began a long time ago.  It is an important part of the fellowship of believers.

We would all do well to emulate one vital characteristic of the early church.  Those early Christians were known for the wonders and miraculous signs done in the name of Jesus.

Why is it that so few miraculous signs are seen in the church today?  I believe that people who see the mighty hand of God at work are those who live daily with Him, have an insatiable desire to learn more about the Lord, and practice such an intimate relationship with Him that they experience what others only hear about.

The Lord so desires to do more among those who put their faith and trust in him.  It could change your life and your relationship with Jesus Christ if you took more time to make it God’s time.

The early church was vibrant and grew daily as people accepted Jesus as their Savior.  It was a group that radiated the presence and power of Jesus in their lives.

Others, looking on from the outside, saw in them something “simply beautiful.”   Can they say that about us today?