HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHURCH

There are birthdays and there are BIRTHDAYS. There is THE BIRTHDAY of the church. There is the BIRTHDAY of a local church. And there is one’s personal BIRTHDAY in Christ to become a member of his church. On the first Sunday in October, 1973, fifty years ago, a community of believers in Christ and their children, 22 in all, assembled in a rented school room to form the Storrs Road Church of Christ. Today, we celebrate that birthday with affirmations of faith and remembrances of those years.

While our small number and humble beginnings differ, we identify with THE BIRTHDAY OF THE CHURCH 2000 years ago. Risen Jesus pointed his disciples to a new beginning – repentance and remission of sins should be proclaimed in his name beginning in Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). Fifty days later the Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus. The Twelve declared the mighty works of God. Peter, the primary speaker, proclaimed the work of God in Jesus’ ministry, that he was crucified, but that God raised him up from death and made him Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:36). Convicted by this truth many asked, what must we do? They were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and are promised the Holy Spirit (2:38). About 3000 were baptized and were added together that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and the fellowship. The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (2:47). They are the church (Acts 5:11; 8:1). Whenever and where ever that happens there is the church.

There is a personal BIRTHDAY, new birth in Christ. Peter who spoke at the birth of the church featured birthing imagery in his letter. He begins praising God’s mercy -- he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). They have purified their souls by obedience to the truth since they had been born anew by imperishable seed, the good news preached to them (1:22-23). Like newborn infants they are to feed on that word (2:2). The birth picture continues. Jesus suffered that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. That which happened to Jesus happens to believers in waters of baptism; not cleaning dirt from the body, but saving us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (3:18-22). As Jesus declared we, each one, must be born from above of water and spirit (John 3:5). By God’s grace let us celebrate all three birthdays today.

—Tom Yoakum