Have you wondered how people can listen to loud videos on the bus without headphones? Or when you show someone a picture on your phone they want to swipe left or right? It seems like many people wish certain unwritten laws of etiquette should be written down. The dictionary definition of unspoken rules is behavioral constraints that are imposed by an organization that is not voice or written.
The church also has this important yet unwritten code of etiquette. It's always something everyone knows but few follow through with unless it directly affects them. Some of them are negative while others are commendable. Let us have a look at 7 unspoken rules that every serious Christian serving God should know.
1. Have a Quiet Time
Anyone who has spent a few Sunday's in a Church must have heard the words quiet time, devotionals or personal prayers. The reason we have so many powerless and hypocritical Christians is that many are going through the motions. Salvation is not about the beliefs you follow but also the relationship you have with Jesus. A quiet time is such an avenue of prioritizing such truths. It is a regular appointment with God, in our busy schedules to know Him, talk to Him and listen to Him.
Regular quiet times help us to become more aware of the manifest presence of God in our daily activities, build discipline and a cadence of daily personal worship.
2. Avoid a Know-it-all Attitude
Nobody likes to be looked down on. If you have to have the last word in every conversation and you are never happy if something in the church is not done according to your suggestions, you fit right into this sinful attitude. Some people become so focused on winning the arguments that they end up losing the person.
It is better to pretend not to know it all than pretend to know it all. Declining church attendances has its root in some of these unbiblical attitudes.
3. Arrive on Time for Church Events
I wish we could overemphasize this point. A pastor decided to teach his members a lesson. So, on Sunday he announced that the president would be visiting the church the following Sunday.
During that week, people came to ask how they could help clean up the church environment.
Some people donated paint and they even painted the church. Another person donated new sound equipment. Within a week the outside compound and inside the church was completely different. On the fateful Sunday, crowds were packed as early as two hours to the actual starting time.
Some people who had not come to church from the beginning of the year were present and well-groomed to meet the president. As the service went on, people were very keen for nobody wanted to miss the grand entourage that would usher the president in. Right in the middle of the sermon, the pastor broke the news to the expectant members. He reminded that the Lord deserves more honey than the president and that God was present in the meeting just as promised.
Coming to church early is part of worship.
4. Abstain from All Appearance of Evil
Some of the rules among church members appear to be too strict. Some churches forbid lone meetings of two members of the opposite sex, counselling of a lady behind closed doors, riding alone in a car with a lady who is not your wife among others. You do not have to google too long before you find accusations that pastors have received at the hands of “believers.”
By taking the cautious approach of appearance, men and women of God can steer clear of insinuations. Abstaining means to deliberately stay away or stay clear of something. Think about it, haven't you seen something innocently done misinterpreted and resulting in stained reputations? For instance, a pastor is seen walking out of his/her closed office with a young lady or man late in the evening. Probably nothing happened between the two, but when people see something with the resemblance of evil they falsely accuse the man or woman of God.
5. Be Involved – Participate
Many Christians think that their goal in finding a church is to find out whether they like it. Well, I have got news for you, the church is not its activities it's the people. A church can thrive with twenty engaged people over two thousand benchwarmers. God is calling us to step out and participate in advancing his mission. In the game of football, many people sit on the stands and make very hurtful observations about those who are playing on the field. Their words will not affect the outcome of the game yet they keep blubbering.
In the same way, the healthiest Christians are those who are involved somewhere in the church. Even if it is something as simple as wiping the seats on Sunday morning. The next time you observe a need in your fellowship or your church, step out and participate.
6. Pay Your Tithes and Give Offering Generously
Stewardship is arguably the most fundamental principle of Christianity. It is the acceptance that all wealth comes from God. Money is the greatest gauge of a person's spiritual health. If you want to know the things that you value, look at your balance sheet.
Giving must be intentional. Some people are shocked when they hear it is time to give an offering. The bible encourages us to be generous givers. The greatest sacrifice that God asks of us is to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). God knows when we give ourselves to God, our pockets and our possessions are surrendered too. Knowing that God owns everything is a reminder that He doesn't need our money, He needs the attitude of our hearts.
7. Avoid Internal and Secular Politics – Be Neutral
Our society is currently mawed by politics. The news is about disaster, harsh life and yea you guessed it, politics. All pastors feel a heavy burden to publicly give their opinion on the issues that are facing the world. Yes, sometimes the Bible charges us to speak about issues that are bigger than country or denominations.
However, taking sides on political platforms and newspaper headlines is a dangerous route when the church stays on biblical sermons and opinions they can separate between political and
biblical policies.
