CHURCH MYRMECOLOGY

 

Rev. Luis S. Notario
Glencairn Baptist Church,
Glencairn, N. York, Canada

 

 

WHAT IS MYRMECOLOGY?

Myrmecology is the study of the ants. Do you know, for example that there are 10,000 different species of ants existing? that one ant can carry 20 times its own weight and 500 times its height? that the brain of ants contain 250,000 cells? that the life span of ants is 45 - 60 days only?
Of course, everybody knows that ants build structures for their store houses. And that ants are so patient to rebuild their structures, no matter how many times man destroys them .

* Consider the ways of the ants. We will apply the ways of the ants in comparison with the ways of the members of the church.
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” ( Proverbs 6: 6-9)

1. Performance: Ants are efficient because they have a plan. You will notice that all ants are moving for a purpose. They know what they are doing and where they are going. Some churches, I hate to say, don’t know where they are heading. We ought to know our goal! The purposes of the church are (a) to glorify God ; (b) to strengthen the body of believers; and (c) to reach out to others with the Gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST
Comparatively, all of the ants are participating in their group work. All of them are working, nobody lies idle. If all of the members of the church will do as the ants do, what a wonderful church our church would be!
Do you know that many churches today are dying? A recent study on Christian churches reveal that 60% of church members attend church services at their convenience; 25% of Christians do not pray; 23% do not read their Bible; 60 % never give faithfully; 70 % never accept
sibilities in the church; 85% never endeavor to bring somebody to church, 95% have not shared the gospel to somebody throughout their lives.
*No matter how small your talents are, they are important and they need to be used for God’s glory.

2. Partnership - Ants share and support each other. Do you know that ants have two (2) stomach? One of which is to feed itself, and the other is to store food for others when needed. Just like the ants, we should support or help one another, when needed.
Remember the dialogue between the pig and the cow? The pig was jealous to the cow because it observed that people like or love the cow more than the pig. The pig said that people are ungrateful because even if it provides them with food, and even if it gives its whole body, its very life, still, people would prefer the cow more than the pig.
The cow explained to the pig why people like and love the cow more than the pig because the cow gives man food in life and in death, unlike the pig which gives man food only after its death.

3. Perseverance - Ants are very perseverant. They toil during summertime and store their food for winter time. Most of them won’t even be able to partake of the fruit of their labor or with what they have saved.
What about us, are we only concerned about the present? What kind of congregation are we going to leave to the next generation, a debt-ridden church? Let us prepare our church for our children.
The life span of ants is very short, a maximum of 60 days or 2 months, but their achievements are great. They toil day and night to deposit in the food granary which is intended not only for them but for the next generation as well.
What about you? What have you done for the church, for the LORD?