"We Gather Together” is a hymn traditionally associated with the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Those three words could also be an accurate description of the Church of the Nazarene. We gather together frequently. We gather together on Sundays for worship services. We gather together for discipleship classes and Bible studies. We gather together for fellowship (that usually includes eating). Coming from local churches, we gather together for District Assemblies, conventions, and camp meetings. More broadly, we gather together for General Assemblies, Regional Conferences, and Nazarene Youth Conferences. We Nazarenes like to “gather together.”

Another Nazarene gathering rich in tradition and spiritual impact has been the revival. Typically, a revival is a series of special services held at a local church, often with a guest preacher. The Church of the Nazarene continues to be blessed by the ministry of our full-time itinerant evangelists.

Recently, I had the privilege of preaching in revival services at Parkview Church of the Nazarene in Kettering, Ohio. Parkview Church has had a vibrant history. Since its organization from a tent revival in 1928, the church has been served by an impressive list of gifted and loved pastors. Presently, they are led by Pastor Jake Metcalf. The church is experiencing renewed growth, especially among young families with children.

In one of the services, I preached “For Rich People…Like You and Me” from 1 Timothy 6. Near the end of his letter, Paul urged his “pastor-son in the faith” to challenge believers to live with a godly perspective regarding money and material resources. Paul instructed them (and us) to:

Be Humble With What God Gives

He wrote, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty…” The antidote to this kind of arrogance is to remember that everything belongs to God and comes from God. Before the Hebrews took residence in Canaan, Moses cautioned them: When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful not to forget the Lord your God…Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt…You may say, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he that gives you power to get wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17-18).

Enjoy What God Gives

Having countered the errors of ascetism in chapter 4, Paul now warmly instructs his readers “to trust in the living God,” and to remember that he “gives us richly all things to enjoy.” Those things would include the beauty of the natural world, the gift of friendships, the enjoyment and benefits of good food, and the gifts of love and family, to name only a few. Then Paul urged his listeners to:

Employ What God Gives

He wrote, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

Here is the only place in the New Testament where the word “generous” is used. Furthermore, the word “willing” is not passive as in “I am willing if I am asked.” Instead, it emphasizes the importance of actively looking for opportunities to share with others. Thus, the exhortation is to be looking for opportunities to be generous. With these things as our guide, we can:

Experience the Life That Is Truly Life

Paul painted this picture for those who were rich in good deeds and generosity: “. . . they will be able to lay up treasures for themselves, a firm foundation in the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

Parkview Nazarenes were not “merely listeners of the Word, but doers.” In one of the services, I briefly described a need and an opportunity regarding one of our missionary kids. I did not mention it any more. However, I was asked questions in conversations before the services, at dinners, and even while praying at the altar. Leaning into the opportunity to “generously share” and “be rich in good deeds” Parkview Nazarenes provided all that was needed.

Witnessing this type of generosity is not new to me. However, it never gets old. Indeed, we Nazarenes do gather together frequently. Just as much, we give together. By being willing to share, we care for one another. It’s a family trademark passed on from our Father.

Geoff Kunselman is director of Stewardship Development.