We finished Vacation Bible School not too long ago a little weary and worn but grateful for the opportunity to work with our children. I'm grateful our family got to Springfield in time to participate in this great week, and Lori and I enjoyed meeting our precious kids up close and personal. The theme "Avalanche Ranch" served as the backdrop for our week, and each day had a central lesson from God's word. I'd have to say my favorite day was Thursday, in that I got to dress up and tell the resurrection story. Children are very perceptive, and some appeared more interested in the paper fire I had going with the red light than the story itself. But, I've been told children learn more than you realize, so I'm counting on that.
I realize it's only been a few months, but already I've come to appreciate the missional spirit that is alive and well in University Heights Baptist Church. Many may not kn0w what that term means, but in reality have a good handle on its application. Part of this awareness stems from a desire to do whatever it takes to make an impression for the Lord, and this was seen very clearly during VBS. It's not easy getting workers for VBS, there are schedules to adjust and quite frankly many folks don't have the patience or disposition required to work with children. So, when you find a team like we had for VBS 2007, you like to recognize them.
It would be impossible to mention what each person did each day, and many wore several hats along the way. These folks were involved in acting out sketches, serving as crew and station leaders, helping with registration, and providing snacks and childcare. I owe these folks a debt of gratitude:
Joby Windmiller
Jennifer Rice
Jerry Clopton
John Bowdidge
Margaret Butler
Garrison Main
Billie Lang
Tania Gray
Lois McCullars
John McCullars
Donna Sherrill
Darla O'Brien
Joe Brown
Nancy Brown
Barbara Granbois
Bobbie Moyer
Marilyn Williams
Pat Wolf
Bill Blase
Ruth Ann Blase
Ted Brown
Norma Jones
Mel Clopton
Phil Jones
Sharon Miller
Betty Miller
Flo Graham
Vickie Curless
Lori Chisholm
I'm grateful to these Christian soldiers for their faithfulness and love for our children. Their unselfishness in giving of themselves and their time is greatly appreciated. There is no greater investment in our time than to inspire and influence children. This is the highest form of Christian work, and makes an eternal difference. I'm grateful for the baptism that has come out of this week, and anticipate more in the days and months ahead.
For a father of three children, I am especially appreciative of godly influences in the church family. It's a humbling thing to be part of what the Lord is doing in the world, and my prayer is that our family of faith would never loose the wonder of seeing a young person coming to faith in Jesus Christ. There is so much ministry yet to do, and we get to (not have to) make an impact for Christ. Blessings to all who helped make VBS 2007 so memorable.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The Influential Church
Associated Baptist Press reported a story done by The Church Report in which the magazine ranked the top 50 most influential churches in the United States (7/18/07). Not surprisingly, Saddleback Community Church received mention. Rick Warren's congregation in California benefits from a prominent pastor, but it is worth remembering that Warren literally built that church from scratch. Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois also gained attention, and their pastor Bill Hybels has done pretty much the same kind of job building that church as Warren has on the West coast. The Potter's House and Lakewood Church were recognized at the top of this list too. You can see T.J. Jakes and Joel Osteen on television just about anytime.
The primary criterion for the ranking related to the church's "passion and sense of mission mandated in the New Testament." The churches that made the list also tended to be younger churches by comparison to the older, established congregations that find it more difficult to adapt and learn new ways to reach their communities. The "emergent church" movement found expression in this poll as well, as I recall Mars Hill Church with its pastor Rob Bell. Even I found time to read his book Velvet Elvis, which provides a voice for a younger generation in the church.
One thing I found particularly interesting is that most (if not all) of these influential churches are of the mega-size variety, which means they run several thousand in worship each week. Now please understand, I appreciate greatly these large churches and admire the way the reach the masses. They are able to offer a wide variety of programs and opportunities to connect with people in creative and meaningful ways. Typically, churches of this category have pastors who offer seminars and write books on how to "get it done" like they have seen it happen in their own churches. So, there is merit to at least observing these congregations and their methods of outreach and new member assimilation.
Upon reading this article, I began to wonder whether there were any "influential" churches running under 500 in worship, or for those single staff church pastors out there, under 100 in Sunday School (been there, done that). Come to think of it, I don't hear a whole lot of recognition being handed out to those congregations running 100 or less in Sunday School who exist in rural areas with little or no numerical growth. I haven't seen any downtown churches who are struggling with changing neighborhoods on an honorable mention list anywhere either. My point is that there are pastors and leaders of churches in much smaller congregations who are just as passionate about reaching people for Christ and have that sense of mission as described in the New Testament. It concerns me that for the most part, churches of the smaller variety aren't viewed as having the same importance as those with bigger buildings, budgets, and enrollment.
Several years ago I recall reading an article about "the search for the significant church" and it came out of the MS Baptist paper. I was serving as a pastor of a church in MS at the time and remember how much I appreciated that article. For the most part, MS is a state with many smaller churches that run under 100 in worship. The basic thrust of the article dealt with the fact that you can't determine the importance of a church based solely on its size. Each church serves a unique community, with different needs, populations, and demographics. Churches that are preaching the gospel, loving their neighbor, and telling people about Jesus are significant churches. I'm amazed that I still recall that article, written almost 10 years ago.
I've spoken to a number of people who aren't comfortable in a large church, while there are those who enjoy the crowds and being able to slip in and slip out of worship without being asked to do anything. Smaller churches allow its members to relate more frequently with each other and share life together in ways that these mega-churches can't. These congregations, however you define them by size, have their own ministries and mission in expanding the Kingdom of God. Most of these will never find themselves on a list of the top 100 most influential churches in America. But, they will find themselves involved in a much more important function, and that is ministering to people in their community in ways that no other church could.
University Heights didn't break into the top 100 on this latest poll, and that's okay. I don't really aspire to that kind of earthly recognition anyway. We don't want to dismiss the important of church growth, but at the same don't want to be consumed by it in such a way that we'll do almost anything to get a crowd. I don't plan on shaving my head to get 300 in Sunday School, which in my case wouldn't be that big of a sacrifice anyway. I do hope that we are being effective in encouraging the spiritual formation of our people and welcoming new believers and other newcomers into the family of faith. I don't want to dismiss the importance of reaching out or the excitement of welcoming new members into the church. This is significant. The critical point has to be ministering to our immediate community because this is where the Lord has planted us.
It's so amazing to witness how a local congregation functions. Other times it can be difficult, but regardless of what happens the work of the church goes on. Children need to be taught the Bible and encouraged to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Prayers need to be offered for the sick and discouraged. There are songs still to be song and sermons yet to be preached. We worship, fellowship, evangelize, disciple others, and minister in the name of Jesus just like churches with enrollments ten times as big as ours.
This isn't a jealousy thing or an excuse not to do our best to bring folks into church. One thing I constantly remind myself is that God provides the growth. Our task is to remove barriers to spiritual and numerical growth and bloom where we are planted. I aim to see our church family focused on our immediate community while serving as a home for free and faithful Baptists. It's an exciting process, and I suspect there are a lot of other churches with similar situations out there with the same kind of spiritual DNA. May our tribe increase. I would like to think that our church is influential, not necessarily due to our numerical size, but because of members who are serious about letting others see Jesus in them. When this occurs, good things are bound to happen.
The primary criterion for the ranking related to the church's "passion and sense of mission mandated in the New Testament." The churches that made the list also tended to be younger churches by comparison to the older, established congregations that find it more difficult to adapt and learn new ways to reach their communities. The "emergent church" movement found expression in this poll as well, as I recall Mars Hill Church with its pastor Rob Bell. Even I found time to read his book Velvet Elvis, which provides a voice for a younger generation in the church.
One thing I found particularly interesting is that most (if not all) of these influential churches are of the mega-size variety, which means they run several thousand in worship each week. Now please understand, I appreciate greatly these large churches and admire the way the reach the masses. They are able to offer a wide variety of programs and opportunities to connect with people in creative and meaningful ways. Typically, churches of this category have pastors who offer seminars and write books on how to "get it done" like they have seen it happen in their own churches. So, there is merit to at least observing these congregations and their methods of outreach and new member assimilation.
Upon reading this article, I began to wonder whether there were any "influential" churches running under 500 in worship, or for those single staff church pastors out there, under 100 in Sunday School (been there, done that). Come to think of it, I don't hear a whole lot of recognition being handed out to those congregations running 100 or less in Sunday School who exist in rural areas with little or no numerical growth. I haven't seen any downtown churches who are struggling with changing neighborhoods on an honorable mention list anywhere either. My point is that there are pastors and leaders of churches in much smaller congregations who are just as passionate about reaching people for Christ and have that sense of mission as described in the New Testament. It concerns me that for the most part, churches of the smaller variety aren't viewed as having the same importance as those with bigger buildings, budgets, and enrollment.
Several years ago I recall reading an article about "the search for the significant church" and it came out of the MS Baptist paper. I was serving as a pastor of a church in MS at the time and remember how much I appreciated that article. For the most part, MS is a state with many smaller churches that run under 100 in worship. The basic thrust of the article dealt with the fact that you can't determine the importance of a church based solely on its size. Each church serves a unique community, with different needs, populations, and demographics. Churches that are preaching the gospel, loving their neighbor, and telling people about Jesus are significant churches. I'm amazed that I still recall that article, written almost 10 years ago.
I've spoken to a number of people who aren't comfortable in a large church, while there are those who enjoy the crowds and being able to slip in and slip out of worship without being asked to do anything. Smaller churches allow its members to relate more frequently with each other and share life together in ways that these mega-churches can't. These congregations, however you define them by size, have their own ministries and mission in expanding the Kingdom of God. Most of these will never find themselves on a list of the top 100 most influential churches in America. But, they will find themselves involved in a much more important function, and that is ministering to people in their community in ways that no other church could.
University Heights didn't break into the top 100 on this latest poll, and that's okay. I don't really aspire to that kind of earthly recognition anyway. We don't want to dismiss the important of church growth, but at the same don't want to be consumed by it in such a way that we'll do almost anything to get a crowd. I don't plan on shaving my head to get 300 in Sunday School, which in my case wouldn't be that big of a sacrifice anyway. I do hope that we are being effective in encouraging the spiritual formation of our people and welcoming new believers and other newcomers into the family of faith. I don't want to dismiss the importance of reaching out or the excitement of welcoming new members into the church. This is significant. The critical point has to be ministering to our immediate community because this is where the Lord has planted us.
It's so amazing to witness how a local congregation functions. Other times it can be difficult, but regardless of what happens the work of the church goes on. Children need to be taught the Bible and encouraged to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Prayers need to be offered for the sick and discouraged. There are songs still to be song and sermons yet to be preached. We worship, fellowship, evangelize, disciple others, and minister in the name of Jesus just like churches with enrollments ten times as big as ours.
This isn't a jealousy thing or an excuse not to do our best to bring folks into church. One thing I constantly remind myself is that God provides the growth. Our task is to remove barriers to spiritual and numerical growth and bloom where we are planted. I aim to see our church family focused on our immediate community while serving as a home for free and faithful Baptists. It's an exciting process, and I suspect there are a lot of other churches with similar situations out there with the same kind of spiritual DNA. May our tribe increase. I would like to think that our church is influential, not necessarily due to our numerical size, but because of members who are serious about letting others see Jesus in them. When this occurs, good things are bound to happen.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
For the Bible tells me so
It's time for red Kool-Aid, snacks, and playing kickball in the parking lot. No, it's not a deacons' meeting. We're in the middle of Vacation Bible School with this year's theme "Avalanche Ranch." This is one of my favorite time of the year, and I always enjoy seeing the churchhouse filled with decorations and church members wearing cowboy costumes and shouting "yeehah!" every time they hear the phrase "God is with us!"
Vacation Bible School keeps me grounded.
I'm very glad we are able to enjoy VBS at University Heights this year, as many churches opt to schedule the event early in the summer to catch workers before they leave town. It's a reasoned approach, but I for one am grateful that my kids are meeting other children their age around the Bible, crafts, and missions. I am thankful, too, that this week comes after the CBF General Assembly and American Baptist Convention Centennial celebration. While enjoying my time in Washington D.C. , I was looking forward to returning to Springfield. After all, the local church really is the headquarters for mission. VBS reminds me of what the church should be about, primarily as it pertains to sharing the gospel with all people and especially children.
VBS is the church's best tool in reaching children for Christ. More children make professions of faith during this time and baptisms occur frequently as a result of a church's commitment to making this week special. I am overwhelmed at the way our church has turned out in support of this effort, and it really is a time when the entire staff pools our time and energies to minister to children. It really is true, that a person stands the tallest when he stoops to help a child.
Children, by and large, don't have a clue about denominational problems, or denominations for that matter. Good for them. They are excellent receivers, though, and Jesus said we need to model the way they do this in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whenever I am discouraged by the current state of affairs in Baptist life, I look to the children. They are not only the future of the church, they ARE the church just like the rest of those who believe in Christ. VBS brings that into focus for me, and the wonder of a child coming to faith in Christ by simple faith never gets too familiar. There is that wonder, awe, and excitement of welcoming someone into the family of God.
So, this week I'm singing and listening to the voices of our children. They are learning about eternal matters, even if they don't realize it. With all the church's problems and shortcomings, it's good to stop and notice when something positive is going on. We're not a perfect church for sure, I can look in the mirror and be reminded of that. But, it's encouraging to find at least one thing that we're doing right. Telling a child about Jesus is the ultimate expression of our ministry and mission.
Those denominational and church problems, while significant in their place, pale in comparison to this moment. It's easy to get overwhelmed in a tidal wave of meetings, budgets, hospital visits, and counseling sessions. The simplicity of our work comes through during VBS, and I am reminded once again that at it's very core our mission is still telling people about Jesus. Whenever feeling overwhelmed with the "burden of ministry," I can look to the children and remember why I ever got into this business in the first place. VBS helps keep me centered on Jesus, and for this I am grateful.
Vacation Bible School keeps me grounded.
I'm very glad we are able to enjoy VBS at University Heights this year, as many churches opt to schedule the event early in the summer to catch workers before they leave town. It's a reasoned approach, but I for one am grateful that my kids are meeting other children their age around the Bible, crafts, and missions. I am thankful, too, that this week comes after the CBF General Assembly and American Baptist Convention Centennial celebration. While enjoying my time in Washington D.C. , I was looking forward to returning to Springfield. After all, the local church really is the headquarters for mission. VBS reminds me of what the church should be about, primarily as it pertains to sharing the gospel with all people and especially children.
VBS is the church's best tool in reaching children for Christ. More children make professions of faith during this time and baptisms occur frequently as a result of a church's commitment to making this week special. I am overwhelmed at the way our church has turned out in support of this effort, and it really is a time when the entire staff pools our time and energies to minister to children. It really is true, that a person stands the tallest when he stoops to help a child.
Children, by and large, don't have a clue about denominational problems, or denominations for that matter. Good for them. They are excellent receivers, though, and Jesus said we need to model the way they do this in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whenever I am discouraged by the current state of affairs in Baptist life, I look to the children. They are not only the future of the church, they ARE the church just like the rest of those who believe in Christ. VBS brings that into focus for me, and the wonder of a child coming to faith in Christ by simple faith never gets too familiar. There is that wonder, awe, and excitement of welcoming someone into the family of God.
So, this week I'm singing and listening to the voices of our children. They are learning about eternal matters, even if they don't realize it. With all the church's problems and shortcomings, it's good to stop and notice when something positive is going on. We're not a perfect church for sure, I can look in the mirror and be reminded of that. But, it's encouraging to find at least one thing that we're doing right. Telling a child about Jesus is the ultimate expression of our ministry and mission.
Those denominational and church problems, while significant in their place, pale in comparison to this moment. It's easy to get overwhelmed in a tidal wave of meetings, budgets, hospital visits, and counseling sessions. The simplicity of our work comes through during VBS, and I am reminded once again that at it's very core our mission is still telling people about Jesus. Whenever feeling overwhelmed with the "burden of ministry," I can look to the children and remember why I ever got into this business in the first place. VBS helps keep me centered on Jesus, and for this I am grateful.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Unpacking the CBF General Assembly
The CBF General Assembly proved to be another good opportunity to rub shoulders with like minded Baptists. It was good to re-connect with friends from TN and make new ones from MO. The MO-CBF state meeting helped me feel a kinship with the fellowship brethern in the show-me state, especially since I am finding out that our church truly is an outpost of traditional Baptist values. There aren't any other CBF or ABC churches in Springfield or in the surrounding area for that matter, and for that reason our church serves an important role for Baptists in south MO. It's good to be part of a larger Baptist family. Here are a few observations about the meeting:
1. The CBF is changing it's mission focus from sending individuals to "sending churches." This emphasis came across loud and clear in Rob Nash's address. He indicated the inspiration for the shift came from an Iman who converted to Christianity. The man said that rather than sending individual missionaries to help out, he said to "send us your churches." Nash seemed passionate about helping local congregations connect with other churches for missions and ministry across the globe.
I'm not sure how I feel about this idea. I've never heard about an organization sending "churches" to do missions. I've grown up attending commissioning services and hearing sermons about being "called to missions." Despite the emphasis on making all kinds of Christian service equal, in my opinion, there is a special place for those who give up everything to go to remote parts of the world in full-time missionary service. Some of the most moving worship services I've attended through the years have been commissioning services. The CBF had one such service during the Assembly, and it was encouraging to see those who were going out to represent us. Still, I noticed few "full-time" vocational missionaries going out and more "affliliates" who are responsible for raising their own funds. I am grateful for folks like this but wonder what this does to our missionary force.
The new paradigm shift to "sending churches" might be a concession to a movement already underway. More and more churches are sending out their own missionaries and going on their own mission trips. As as result, they reserve the needed funds to accomplish this task. The downside is that fewer missions dollars make it to the CBF office to support missionaries. I can't help lamenting the dwindling number of "full-time" missionaries whom we can afford to support. The CBF Global Missions Offering has yet to be met in recent years, so the shift is understandable from a financial standpoint. On the other hand, I miss that cooperative effort in sponsoring missionaries so that they don't have to raise their own support. Missionaries are going out with the CBF label but without monetary support. This is a disappointing reality.
2. The ABC and CBF are building a partnership to expand their reaches in the missions area. It's difficult to determine whether the combined worship service Friday pm will have any ongoing impact, but I suspect it gave us a taste of what the Celebration of the New Baptist Covenant will be like in Atlanta in January 2008. Several missionaries who were commissioned went out with both CBF and ABC endorsements, so I remain curious about what this means. It makes sense to cooperate where we can and get over this "yours and mine" mentality and promote what can be "ours" on the missions front.
I'm also interested in what the ABC-USA is doing and in what capacity is it similar/dissimilar to the CBF. The ABC is having its own financial difficulties and are restructuring to become more efficient with their resources. The ABC appears to be more racially and ethically diverse in their membership, and is more vocal in addressing social and political matters. Not so much in endorsing political candidates, but rather speaking out in prophetic ways in the areas of mercy and justice. My first impression of the ABC was a good one, but I'm sure this organization has its challenges as well. Their emphasis on local church autonomy and traditional Baptist distinctives are a welcome sight, and I look forward to learning how they conduct their mission and ministry.
3. The door to denominationalism may be closing. The SBC only brought in 8,000 plus messengers this year, and that was "deep in the heart of Texas." I can recall when there were 40,000 in Houston during the height of the SBC battle. The CBF meeting this time brought in less than 3,000, albeit in an area not usually known for its strong CBF population. Atlanta or Birmingham seem to fare better. The ABC gathering pulled in around 2,500 delegates, and I'm not sure what they normally expect.
I can see how it would be easy to loose interest in the annual meetings, especially since folks have become a whole lot busier. Plus the fact that it's more difficult to set aside a few days for a Baptist meeting. One idea might be to look into ways to plug into our technology and provide satellite feeds into different parts of the country. This might involve more people in the process without requiring them to travel so far. Large corporations are doing this, and are much more cost effective as a result. It takes a lot of money to pull off annual meetings, and I can now understand why the ABC meets every two years. If the financial situation of the CBF doesn't improve, the every other year format might come into play.
4. This century may truly be what Rob Nash called "the age of the local church." There was a time when denominational matters really took center stage among churchgoers. Nowadays the emphasis is more on what is happening closer to home, and this isn't a bad thing necessarily. It's tiring to fight about who believes the Bible more. I am excited about members getting interested and involved in giving and going on missions. We need to get out of the mentality that we pay missionaries to do this for us. The local church is the headquarters for the Lord's work, and as such we are ALL missionaries. The world is coming to us, with its racial, social, ethnic, and theological differences. The church needs to deal with these challenges and treat them as opportunities to expand the Kingdom of God.
The missional concept comes into play at this point. I'm still learning about what this means from on a practical level, but it relates to being the body of Christ in our own town first and foremost and helping people grow in their relationship with God. Every member ought to be involved in doing at least one thing to serve in the church. This relates to our giftedness, and I'm looking forward to experiencing how this is carried out at University Heights.
1. The CBF is changing it's mission focus from sending individuals to "sending churches." This emphasis came across loud and clear in Rob Nash's address. He indicated the inspiration for the shift came from an Iman who converted to Christianity. The man said that rather than sending individual missionaries to help out, he said to "send us your churches." Nash seemed passionate about helping local congregations connect with other churches for missions and ministry across the globe.
I'm not sure how I feel about this idea. I've never heard about an organization sending "churches" to do missions. I've grown up attending commissioning services and hearing sermons about being "called to missions." Despite the emphasis on making all kinds of Christian service equal, in my opinion, there is a special place for those who give up everything to go to remote parts of the world in full-time missionary service. Some of the most moving worship services I've attended through the years have been commissioning services. The CBF had one such service during the Assembly, and it was encouraging to see those who were going out to represent us. Still, I noticed few "full-time" vocational missionaries going out and more "affliliates" who are responsible for raising their own funds. I am grateful for folks like this but wonder what this does to our missionary force.
The new paradigm shift to "sending churches" might be a concession to a movement already underway. More and more churches are sending out their own missionaries and going on their own mission trips. As as result, they reserve the needed funds to accomplish this task. The downside is that fewer missions dollars make it to the CBF office to support missionaries. I can't help lamenting the dwindling number of "full-time" missionaries whom we can afford to support. The CBF Global Missions Offering has yet to be met in recent years, so the shift is understandable from a financial standpoint. On the other hand, I miss that cooperative effort in sponsoring missionaries so that they don't have to raise their own support. Missionaries are going out with the CBF label but without monetary support. This is a disappointing reality.
2. The ABC and CBF are building a partnership to expand their reaches in the missions area. It's difficult to determine whether the combined worship service Friday pm will have any ongoing impact, but I suspect it gave us a taste of what the Celebration of the New Baptist Covenant will be like in Atlanta in January 2008. Several missionaries who were commissioned went out with both CBF and ABC endorsements, so I remain curious about what this means. It makes sense to cooperate where we can and get over this "yours and mine" mentality and promote what can be "ours" on the missions front.
I'm also interested in what the ABC-USA is doing and in what capacity is it similar/dissimilar to the CBF. The ABC is having its own financial difficulties and are restructuring to become more efficient with their resources. The ABC appears to be more racially and ethically diverse in their membership, and is more vocal in addressing social and political matters. Not so much in endorsing political candidates, but rather speaking out in prophetic ways in the areas of mercy and justice. My first impression of the ABC was a good one, but I'm sure this organization has its challenges as well. Their emphasis on local church autonomy and traditional Baptist distinctives are a welcome sight, and I look forward to learning how they conduct their mission and ministry.
3. The door to denominationalism may be closing. The SBC only brought in 8,000 plus messengers this year, and that was "deep in the heart of Texas." I can recall when there were 40,000 in Houston during the height of the SBC battle. The CBF meeting this time brought in less than 3,000, albeit in an area not usually known for its strong CBF population. Atlanta or Birmingham seem to fare better. The ABC gathering pulled in around 2,500 delegates, and I'm not sure what they normally expect.
I can see how it would be easy to loose interest in the annual meetings, especially since folks have become a whole lot busier. Plus the fact that it's more difficult to set aside a few days for a Baptist meeting. One idea might be to look into ways to plug into our technology and provide satellite feeds into different parts of the country. This might involve more people in the process without requiring them to travel so far. Large corporations are doing this, and are much more cost effective as a result. It takes a lot of money to pull off annual meetings, and I can now understand why the ABC meets every two years. If the financial situation of the CBF doesn't improve, the every other year format might come into play.
4. This century may truly be what Rob Nash called "the age of the local church." There was a time when denominational matters really took center stage among churchgoers. Nowadays the emphasis is more on what is happening closer to home, and this isn't a bad thing necessarily. It's tiring to fight about who believes the Bible more. I am excited about members getting interested and involved in giving and going on missions. We need to get out of the mentality that we pay missionaries to do this for us. The local church is the headquarters for the Lord's work, and as such we are ALL missionaries. The world is coming to us, with its racial, social, ethnic, and theological differences. The church needs to deal with these challenges and treat them as opportunities to expand the Kingdom of God.
The missional concept comes into play at this point. I'm still learning about what this means from on a practical level, but it relates to being the body of Christ in our own town first and foremost and helping people grow in their relationship with God. Every member ought to be involved in doing at least one thing to serve in the church. This relates to our giftedness, and I'm looking forward to experiencing how this is carried out at University Heights.
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