October 2007-November 2007

VITAL SIGNS #4: COMPELLING MISSION

Jesus summed up the compelling mission of the church most concisely in His post-resurrection ministry, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) Paul revealed his heart passion in his letter to the first century Roman disciples.  “I speak the truth in Christ...I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” (Romans 9: 1-4) and in I Corinthians 9:22 “...I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Centrally located in our Brethren in Christ Vital Signs is Compelling Mission and it is concisely described: “Healthy churches are consistent, creative, and effective in reaching out to individuals who are not yet part of the family of God, compassionately declaring His love to the world in word and deed.” 

I’m reminded of the statement of William Temple, “the church exists primarily for those who never go near it.” There are at least 160 million who never go near the church in our country (25 million in our Great Lakes Conference) according to Thom Rainer CEO of LifeWay.com.  Yet, he goes on to say “more than 60 million of them (11 million in our GLC) are eager for a Christian to share the Gospel with them.”  While more people have been evangelized throughout our world in the last century than in the previous 19 centuries, the fact remains that reaching out to those outside of Christ is unnatural to church people.  It is natural to pull inward and focus on our own desires.  Yet, God empowers us by His supernatural Spirit and turns us outward in creative compelling mission!

This mission motivates us to sensitivity toward others, our culture, and those younger, the next generation. This mission impacts our church mission, outreach budget, attitudes,
style, programming
and building size.  A healthy congregation is continually adapting, stretching, and sacrificing, with one goal in mind -  reaching those not yet reached with the Good News of Jesus Christ and growing and developing disciples to reach their maximum potential in Christ.  The result is church growth that is honoring to God.  If we really love God and we really love people (Vital Signs #1 & #2), then the desire for church growth cannot be optional.

Decades ago I was challenged by reading of C.T. Studd, and how he was challenged by an article written by an atheist.  C.T. Studd was a famous British athlete who gave up his achievements for the cause of Christ and became the founder of World Wide Evangelism Crusade.  From time to time I reread a portion of that captivating article to refocus on the things that really matter…. the Compelling Mission, to which God has called us!  Perhaps you would like to read it with me. 
  “If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything.
  I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity.  Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness.  I should labor in its cause alone.
   I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone.  I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering.
  Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable.
  I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be: ‘For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ ”

God, fill me, empower me!  May your mission captivate  and compel me for the harvest is upon us!  In Christ, Bishop John

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