Day 20

 Renewal through Fellowship

 

So far we have said that the renewal of the Church comes through prayer and worship, clear belief, a willingness to venture, and a deep knowledge of the destiny of the Church.  Before we turn to our final subject, let me make a suggestion which may be helpful.  It is never given to mortal men to have the road of the future brightly illumined by a great searchlight.  In this sense the future for all men is hidden in the dark.  What is given to us is a knowledge of the next step that we should take; and then as we take that first step a further step in seen.  When you return from the stimulus of a large gathering to the simpler and less exciting work at home, it may be that the renewal of the Church will seem far away.  Then remember to take the first simple step that you can see.  You can form a small prayer group that reads the Bible together.  You can deepen your belief by the reading of one book that is right before you, such as Massey H. Shepherd’s The Worship of the Church.  You can venture out in some small way for your Church at home and the distant missionary work of the Church.  And then the next step will be seen, and then the next.  Do not expect too much too fast.  Remember that the best mountain climbers do not begin to run up a mountain, but plod steadily and slowly.  Continue the fine work you are doing, and then add to it one more step in the directions we have looked at together.

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