It has been a while since my last blog entry. For the 5 or 6 readers that I have, I apologize for the long silence and I appreciate your encouragement to get back on the horse. It's not that I haven't had anything to say. Trust me, I have lots. It's just that I have had difficulty taking what's in my head and writing it out. That has carried over even into writing my sermons at times but God finally breaks through my fog and I'm able to grasp hold of the message that he had been giving me. But, as for the blog, well, it's been a little tougher. It's interesting how, while I'm driving in my car, I seem to be able to take my thoughts and ramble off out loud much of what's been rolling around up there but by the time I get home and get back into that frame of mind, it's late in the evening and, though my mind is going strong, my body just isn't there and I start to nod off. "My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak."
So here I am, hoping that, on this wonderful evening, sitting outside by the fire, I will be able to take what has been running around my head, at least one of those thoughts, and articulate them on the page (screen, monitor, whatever).
At my church's Wednesday Night Bible study we are being guided in our discussions by the book "Discover Your Windows." (I wrote about this and another book in an earlier blog - Lining Up With God's Vision.) We've been having pretty amazing and intense discussions from what we have been reading in the book AND from God's Word. I've been very pleased with how people are responding to the challenges that we have been forced to talk about and deal with. As a result, it has caused me to go back and reflect on my own "theology" of the purpose of the church and my mission as a Follower of Christ. This is what I want to write about in this blog entry.
I have always found it interesting how some churches spend weeks, even months, working through a "mission statement", with times of intense discussion, arguments, and disagreements. I don't fully understand why nor do I fully understand how a church can be unsure of what their purpose and mission is to be. It seems to me that there are two key verses in Scripture that lay out what our mission and purpose is to be pretty clearly as a Church and as Followers of Christ.
So here I am, hoping that, on this wonderful evening, sitting outside by the fire, I will be able to take what has been running around my head, at least one of those thoughts, and articulate them on the page (screen, monitor, whatever).
At my church's Wednesday Night Bible study we are being guided in our discussions by the book "Discover Your Windows." (I wrote about this and another book in an earlier blog - Lining Up With God's Vision.) We've been having pretty amazing and intense discussions from what we have been reading in the book AND from God's Word. I've been very pleased with how people are responding to the challenges that we have been forced to talk about and deal with. As a result, it has caused me to go back and reflect on my own "theology" of the purpose of the church and my mission as a Follower of Christ. This is what I want to write about in this blog entry.
I have always found it interesting how some churches spend weeks, even months, working through a "mission statement", with times of intense discussion, arguments, and disagreements. I don't fully understand why nor do I fully understand how a church can be unsure of what their purpose and mission is to be. It seems to me that there are two key verses in Scripture that lay out what our mission and purpose is to be pretty clearly as a Church and as Followers of Christ.
The first is known as the Great Commandment, which is found in Matthew 22: 36-40. Here's what Jesus says:
Secondly, we are told, or rather, it is implied, I believe, that we are to love ourselves: "Love your neighbor as yourself," Jesus said. It seems to me that before I can truly love others, I have to begin to love myself and in order to do that, I need to understand who I am in Christ, what He has done for me, and accept the forgiveness that He offers. It doesn't mean that I don't start loving others until I start loving myself, it means that seeing who I am in Christ opens the door for me to better see others as Christ sees them. I'm talking about issues of recovery, working towards wholeness/holiness, and allowing God to heal the brokenness in our lives.
Thirdly, we are told to love our neighbors. It's called evangelism, it involves service, it's acceptance of the person, even if we don't accept their sinful behaviors (remember Jesus' challenge to the crowd who was ready to throw stones on the prostitute? "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone"). However, even if we don't accept or approve of their behaviors, it's not up to us to change them, or even to judge them. That's God's doing. Our call is to love others as God has loved them.
The next passage is what is known as the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19-20:
Secondly, we are commanded to baptize those that have come to accept Christ. Now, I'm not sure how the United Methodist Church hierarchy would feel about Christians going out and baptizing new believers of Christ but I have a strong suspicion that it might be frowned upon. But involved in this process of "baptizing" is the important step of becoming a part of the fellowship of Christ's Body, and that is something all of us can have a part in. This is done by building relationships with others, connecting new Followers of Christ and seekers with other Followers of Christ to help in nurturing them along. It's having open and accepting and loving arms.
Lastly, we are commanded to teach them the Gospel - "teaching them everything I have taught you." This is discipleship. This is instruction. This in mentoring. And it's not done just by the Pastor and the Sunday School teacher. It's done by every person who claims to be a Follower of Christ. And it's not done just with words but also by our example, by our behavior, by our lifestyle.
When I first entered the ministry, I floundered. I was like a ship that knew I was to head in a certain direction but I didn't know how or exactly where I was to lead the church. I didn't have a deep nor clear understanding of the purpose and mission of the church and, for that matter, my life as a Follower of Christ. But as a result of a period of time outside of pastoral ministry, working in the "secular" world, serving as an active layman in the church, and reflecting a great deal on the church from both sides of the pulpit, I began to sense a clearing in my mind (a rare thing, indeed). When I was called back into pastoral ministry (something I was not happy about at first), I went in with a compass and a clear map on where I was to lead the church. Now, please understand, I am still learning. It's not that I have attained complete clarity on this issue, but I "press on" towards the goal I know we are called to achieve, which is to glorify God, and we do it based, at a minimum, on what I believe is the foundation on which we are called to be as a church, that which I have just written about.
Kent Hunter writes in "Discover Your Windows" the following:
So, what should the mission statement of the church be? Here's my suggestion:
"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"
Jesus replied,"‘You must love the L ord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (NLT)
Secondly, we are told, or rather, it is implied, I believe, that we are to love ourselves: "Love your neighbor as yourself," Jesus said. It seems to me that before I can truly love others, I have to begin to love myself and in order to do that, I need to understand who I am in Christ, what He has done for me, and accept the forgiveness that He offers. It doesn't mean that I don't start loving others until I start loving myself, it means that seeing who I am in Christ opens the door for me to better see others as Christ sees them. I'm talking about issues of recovery, working towards wholeness/holiness, and allowing God to heal the brokenness in our lives.
Thirdly, we are told to love our neighbors. It's called evangelism, it involves service, it's acceptance of the person, even if we don't accept their sinful behaviors (remember Jesus' challenge to the crowd who was ready to throw stones on the prostitute? "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone"). However, even if we don't accept or approve of their behaviors, it's not up to us to change them, or even to judge them. That's God's doing. Our call is to love others as God has loved them.
The next passage is what is known as the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19-20:
"Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. (CEV)There are three commands here that Christ gives his followers (the Church, the Believer). First, we are told to go and make disciples (Acts 1:8 comes into play here, too). That word "go" is an often over-looked word. I think the thought processes in many churches is to wait until people come to it - "We've been here for years - they know where we are - our doors are always open." Problem is, most people today don't even take notice of where the church is, it has become a part of the landscape. Also, why go to church if you don't have a clue about what it is that church has to offer. And certainly, who wants to walk into a place filled with a bunch of strangers doing things you don't understand? Christ said we are to go to where the people are and make disciples. To make anything takes time, planning, and it usually involves us being a part of the process - meaning, as it relates to us who are Followers of Christ, we are to develop relationships with people where they are.
Secondly, we are commanded to baptize those that have come to accept Christ. Now, I'm not sure how the United Methodist Church hierarchy would feel about Christians going out and baptizing new believers of Christ but I have a strong suspicion that it might be frowned upon. But involved in this process of "baptizing" is the important step of becoming a part of the fellowship of Christ's Body, and that is something all of us can have a part in. This is done by building relationships with others, connecting new Followers of Christ and seekers with other Followers of Christ to help in nurturing them along. It's having open and accepting and loving arms.
Lastly, we are commanded to teach them the Gospel - "teaching them everything I have taught you." This is discipleship. This is instruction. This in mentoring. And it's not done just by the Pastor and the Sunday School teacher. It's done by every person who claims to be a Follower of Christ. And it's not done just with words but also by our example, by our behavior, by our lifestyle.
When I first entered the ministry, I floundered. I was like a ship that knew I was to head in a certain direction but I didn't know how or exactly where I was to lead the church. I didn't have a deep nor clear understanding of the purpose and mission of the church and, for that matter, my life as a Follower of Christ. But as a result of a period of time outside of pastoral ministry, working in the "secular" world, serving as an active layman in the church, and reflecting a great deal on the church from both sides of the pulpit, I began to sense a clearing in my mind (a rare thing, indeed). When I was called back into pastoral ministry (something I was not happy about at first), I went in with a compass and a clear map on where I was to lead the church. Now, please understand, I am still learning. It's not that I have attained complete clarity on this issue, but I "press on" towards the goal I know we are called to achieve, which is to glorify God, and we do it based, at a minimum, on what I believe is the foundation on which we are called to be as a church, that which I have just written about.
Kent Hunter writes in "Discover Your Windows" the following:
"When you aren't focused on the primary purpose (of the church), you have a tendency to become focused on everything else."If you are involved in a church, you know how true this is! Which explains why so many churches don't grow or decline, and why there is often power struggles and dissension. They have lost their purpose.
So, what should the mission statement of the church be? Here's my suggestion:
"The church exists to go to where the people are and introduce them to Christ through their words and life, to help them experience wholeness through a real relationship with Christ and His Body, and to assist them in cultivating ways to more deeply love God, love themselves, and love others."That's what I've come to believe, anyway.
2 comments:
When did that laid back slacker in high school become so eloquent and thought provoking?
Your Yankee Friend
Doug
Upstate New York
Not only did you hit the nail on the head about Jesus commanding us to "go," but you also depicted a lot of congregations accurately with the "build it and they will come" mentality!
Peace,
Ray
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