Our Attitude

A brother who is a retired ambassador of India was contacted in the church in Gurugram about a decade ago. Though he never came for the Lord's day meeting, we used to visit him for fellowship and home meeting. He belongs to the same state I originally am from, and he had gone back there. After few years he came back to Gurugram for a short visit and gave me a surprise call.

One Lord's day afternoon, the home meeting I was to attend was cancelled while on my way to the venue for the meeting. I was considering if I should visit some new ones nearby instead of going back home. Then I was reminded of this brother as he lived in the area I was then. I called him up to hear his joyful welcome and then visited him.

This brother is a Christian who loves the Lord and has been meeting with another Christian group. My experience with such brother is, "leave them alone, they are already believers; unless they are seeking for the truth and for fellowship on their initiation, I generally would not invest my time." Yet, as long as they are open, I would fellowship with them and minister the word of God. These days, due to the misunderstanding from our fellow believers who are not meeting with us, the general fellowship among us in the church life is, not to proselyte other believers into the church life. But if these fellows believers are open for fellowship, we must indeed fellowship with them, and feed them with the word of God. We should be open to learn from one another and maintain a good relationship with them. However, we should not have a hidden intention of bringing them into the church life, or to meet with us. We must leave this decision to their own discretion. Our burden should simply be to feed them, and minister Christ to the them. If by the Lord's mercy they see the same vision as we do, may the Lord lead them to the church life and let them take their own decision.

As I fellowshipped with this elderly brother, he was so happy and rejoiced at seeing me after many years. Out of joy, he presented to me the book he just released in Paite, my mother tongue, title translated verbatim, "Journey to the Holy Land-Jerusalem." He also expressed his need for help in his personal matters which I willing offered a helping hand in any way I could.

A week later I took two brothers and a sister and visited. It was then that I presented the truth concerning Christ and the church, using Ephesians 4. To believers, minister the truth. That was what I exactly did. Whether he will take the way of the church or not, our responsibility should be to minister the word of God with the revelation the Lord has blessed the ministry with.

When he was to leave the city to go back home, I offered him a drive to the Airport. In fact, he expressed that he needed a help. But on the day of his departure from the city, I had a scheduled board meeting. Therefore, I offered my car and requested one of the brothers to drive him to the Airport. In whatever was possible, I try to keep a good relation with all fellow Christians. After all, we are all children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ.

In a similar manner, two other new families have been under shepherding. Though they go to their own "churches" every week we meet with them for prayer, fellowship, and study of the word. As long as they are open, we fellowship with then and minster the word. The truth the Lord has blessed the ministry with, is for all the children of God. We must be open and broad hearted yet without any compromise on the truth. We must be inclusive in receiving all genuine believers and never be exclusive and sectarian. After all, we are all members of the same one universal Body of Christ. We must maintain a good relationship with all the children of God as much as possible and have a proper attitude towards all of them.

To this extend, we have printed and distributed to all the local churches, a book from DCP, "Booklet: Our Attitude Toward Fellow Believers," to educate the saints to have a proper attitude towards our fellow believers. May the Lord grace us all to have a proper attitude and fellowship with all Christians.