Our Blog

8 Measures We Can Take to Become More Christlike

Romans 15:5 states: May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

Take a second to ponder on that scripture. What does it mean to you? How does this apply to your life?  Do you have the same attitude as Christ? Are you taking the initiative to become more like Christ? 

Why it is Important to be Christlike

When we align our values and actions to that of Christ, we are taking the steps to become closer to God and everlasting life. We will be examples to those in our lives who need extra encouragement. And we will become better able to combat the temptations of evil. 

Christ is Love

Christ is the quintessential model for love. He came to this Earth to teach us because He loves us so much. He faced persecution because He loves us so much. He sacrificed His life to enable us to attain eternal life because He loves us so much. If He was able to face death because He loves us, we should be able to love our boss who sometimes works us too hard, our neighbor who complains about our dog barking, and the driver who cut us off. We need to love everyone, even those who have wronged us. 

Christ is a Friend

Jesus nurtured and maintained his friendship with his disciples. He was attentive to them, respected them, and loved them enough to share the Word of God with them. We can also take a look at the Story of Lazarus. Jesus actively listened and comforted Martha and Mary when they came to Him and shared their concerns and fears for their brother. Christ showed and displayed empathy for the two women. He understood the importance and positive impact being a friend can have. We can all learn from His example. Be a friend to those who need you. Listen to, engage with, and let your friend know how significant they are. 

Christ is Forgiving

In Luke, we learn of the sinful woman. She had discovered Jesus was attending dinner at the Pharisee's house and came to Him. The others in attendance were disgusted by this woman and commented on her sinful lifestyle. She had cried to Jesus, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume. Jesus forgave her for her sins. On His last day in His mortal body, Jesus forgave Peter. Jesus had warned Peter that when the day came, Peter would deny Him three times. Peter did not believe this, but he realized his mistake when the moment came and he had in fact denied Jesus, not just once, but three times, like was prophesied. Jesus forgave His friend. Irrefutably the best example of Jesus showing forgiveness was when the Roman soldiers were nailing Him to the cross. Not only were the soldiers nailing Him up, but the other criminals on crosses and the crowd that had gathered to watch were mocking Him. This is when Jesus cried out:

What a powerful message we get from that scripture. Forgiveness is such a crucial instruction we need to apply in our lives. 

Christ is Obedient

The mere fact that Jesus came to this Earth to teach and die for our sins to be forgiven shows how obedient Christ is. His whole mortal life was overflowing with obedience. Jesus taught, preached, and lived the Word of God. He served his Father in every moment of His life. We need to also. We need to obey our Father's commandments. 

Christ is Patient

Throughout His lifetime, Christ practiced patience. He showed patience every time He was mocked, doubted, and persecuted. He showed patience with his disciples while teaching them. Jesus showed patience with his friends, and patience with his enemies, He even showed patience while he suffered on the cross. We too can be patient with those around us.

Christ is Humble

Jesus is perfect. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, and turned water into wine. He performed countless miracles. Yet, He was never prideful. Instead, He always stayed humble. Jesus’s mortal life started in humility. He was born in a barn. He learned the trade of carpentry, a humble profession, not one of nobility. Jesus spent time and shared love with people from all walks of life, the sick, the sinners, women, and children. At the Last Supper, Jesus showed humility by washing His apostle’s feet. Jesus never placed Himself above anybody. He was humble in all of His doings.

Christ is Prayerful

Throughout the Bible, we can find many examples of Jesus praying. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and the power of prayer. Jesus prayed openly with others, and in private. He knew the importance of communication with our Father in Heaven. Pray often, pray for yourself and others.

Christ is Charitable

Jesus regularly spent his time being charitable. Being charitable doesn’t just mean the more common definition it has today of donating goods and money. Charity can be displayed in many forms and no matter the form, it basically comes down to helping those in need. One lesson we can learn in the Bible about charity is the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was the tax collector in Jericho. He was a wealthy man. While Jesus was passing through town, Zacchaeus was so touched by Jesus, that he donated half of his possessions. We can and should soften our hearts as Zacchaeus had. We should be generous to others.

Your Steps

By adopting these 8 attributes into your daily life, you can become more Christlike. Be love, be a friend, forgive everyone, practice obedience, realize patience, humble yourself, pray often, and serve others in charity. 

Matthew 6:19-21 says: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We are promised riches and treasures in Heaven. By becoming more Christlike, you are doing your part to attain your place in eternal glory. 

The Do’s and Don'ts For Inviting Friends to Church

We know it can be unsettling to invite someone to attend church with you. You know the Gospel message is the vital and life-changing foundation in your life. You know serving the Lord, and building a relationship with Him provides you with everlasting life. You know and you desire to share the good news of the Gospel with your loved ones and you’ve been commanded to spread His word. So why does it feel daunting? 

Human beings don’t like to be uncomfortable, and we tend to avoid any feelings of discomfort. This includes both discomfort for ourselves and those around us. Why can sharing something we value so highly cause discomfort? There are a number of reasons why we feel rattled over the thought of inviting someone to church, especially if they are a non-believer. We may be worried they’ll just decline the offer. Maybe you don’t want to come off as a pushy person. It is possible you just don’t know the most tactful way to start that conversation. Whatever your reasons may be, we hope that after reading this article you’ll feel more at ease about inviting a friend to tag along with you this Sunday. 

The Do’s:

Mention your church- Intermittently bring up something you learned at church, an interesting fact, or something that brought you comfort. You’ll be planting the seeds of interest within your friends. 

Be careful with your choice of words- Use phrases such as, “Do you attend a church around here?” or “Did you attend a church when you were growing up?” These are a couple of great conversation starters to get onto the topic of church. 

Keep it casual- Invite your friend to a casual and relaxed church function. This could be anything! If your church is holding any type of social gathering, such as a BBQ or movie night, that is a great place to introduce your friend to your church and other members.

Utilize Holidays- Inviting a friend to a holiday-centered church program can have a substantial impact. Around holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, people are naturally feeling more warmth in their hearts. They are more open to service and good deeds. The Gospel and Doctrine of Jesus Christ embody the importance of serving others. Holiday-centered programs highlight the service and sacrifices Jesus Christ endured for us. These programs are an excellent birthplace for the Spirit to manifest in your friend's heart. 

Follow up- Your friend agreed to attend a church gathering or meeting of worship with you, but they haven’t followed through with their end of the agreement. That’s okay. Send them a quick text asking them if they’re still planning on coming with you. 

Love them- You’re ultimately inviting your friend to church because you love them. You love them so much that you want to share this cherished element of your life with them. Let that love shine through in your invite. Even if they say “no”, let them see that you will continue to love them anyway. 

Pray- Say a prayer for guidance when inviting a friend to church. Let Him open and soften your friend's heart. 

The Don'ts

Don’t judge them- One major reason the topic of church and inviting someone, especially a non-believer, feels kind of taboo for both involved, is the underlying fear of judgment. The invited are often worried that their friend inviting them is secretly judging them as a person. If we are being honest, sometimes we are judging someone. We might be judging where they are in life, and desiring for them to see how having a relationship with Christ can improve their lives. However, It is important to not judge who you are inviting. Allow them the freedom to choose what is best for them and support their decision.  On the flip side, we can feel like the person we are inviting is judging us. We worry they will think we are weird or awkward. We shouldn’t let this cause us to fear. 

Don’t force or nag- When someone feels forced to do something, or they’re always being nagged to do it, they usually don’t want to follow through with whatever it is. This is the same for inviting a friend to church. Follow up with whoever you invited to attend with you, but do not cross the line over into nagging. 

Remember

Inviting your friend to church with you doesn’t have to be an intimidating experience. There are ways to ease the conversation and create a comfortable atmosphere, by just being you. Start the conversation, plant the seeds, let Him do His work, respect their decision and don’t take a denial personally, and above all, continue to love them. 

-Torrance Church of Christ

365 Day Bible Reading Challenge

Have you ever taken the time to read through the entire Bible? All 66 books? In any case, if you have it is always valuable to read it again, and if you haven’t, there’s no better time to start than now. 

We have broken up the chapters from every book into weekly segments so you can easily follow along with the reading. From there, you can split up the chapters to read according to best fit your schedule. Example: you know you have more time available on Mondays so you choose to read more chapters on that day. Maybe you don’t have time to read on Wednesdays, consequently, you need to read more chapters on a different day. We suggest breaking the weekly chapters up so you can read something every day, nevertheless, if that is not possible, it is key to disperse the chapters to match your busy life. We want you to enjoy your studies in order to attain paramount insight into the gospel and teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ. We don’t want the reading to be stressful or burdensome. 

If life gets in the way and you fall behind in your reading, that’s alright. Pick up from where you left off. Over time your persistence will create a habit. We can all use more healthy habits. 

Come along with us and accept this challenge. Tackle reading the Bible chapter by chapter. You have nothing to lose, in fact, just the opposite. You only have infinite blessings to gain.

- Torrance Church of Christ