Monday, December 14, 2009
The Face of the Church
Do you ever look back on things that you wrote a long time ago? I don't do this often enough, but whenever I do I can see how various thoughts, burdens, or struggles seem to resurface in my life. Just the other day I was talking to my good friend about ministry and was reminded of something I wrote in a journal many years ago. I brought it out and read to him the following, "Mike, you are to connect all ethnicities under the banner of Jesus Christ. Partner with them to stand TALL for Jesus. This will fulfill the 2nd greatest commandment and show the watching community that God is with us! Make Him real to those who do not know." The date on this is 12/31/03, when my wife and I lead a group of college students to the Urbana Missions Conference. It is amazing to see how this journal entry of nearly 6 years ago, has taken on a new life in the last two years. Not only have I had the pleasure of working next to Ramiro Cruz (our wonderfully gifted Pastor of Hispanic Ministries) and being on staff at The Bridge where one of our values is to look like the community that we live in, but I have also been recently shaped from reading a phenomenal book called "The Next Evangelicalism" by Soong-Chan Rah. Each of these factors have fanned the flame of desire to intentionally do church differently than what I have seen and mostly experienced in my life. "The Next Evangelicalism" vividly paints a compelling picture that whether we want to acknowledge it or not, the landscape of the Evangelical church is changing here in America. One of the biggest questions that it poses is how should the church respond to the nations moving next door in "OUR" neighborhoods (especially when quite a few of them are our brothers and sisters in Christ)? It convincingly concludes that any model that fails to recognize this shift as anything less than a divine opportunity for "their" church to look like the Church (i.e. the historic, redeemed, multi-ethnic people of God) must be quickly discarded. Preserving the status quo is nothing short of idolatry. So I am compelled to ask, "Are you willing to lay aside 'your' church to be the Church? If so (and I pray that is where we all land), what would this practically look like for "your" church? And most importantly what are you going to do about it?
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Thanks Mike! That is my prayer as well and it is great to work on this together!
ReplyDeleteMike, this is much harder than it seems yet at the same time we need to get moving if we aren't already - what do you suggest to get us moving in that direction (us meaning suburb churches)?
ReplyDeleteWell Nathan, that's a really great question to ask! My thoughts on changing an existing church's DNA is going to require biblical teaching, leadership buy-in, a study of the demographics of the community, and some serious strategic planning (based upon what is discovered in what the community is like, what can we do to reach...). Ultimately this will even effect who the church brings on staff as positions are added or old ones are vacated. Each of these can be broken down in more detail. But I cannot stress this point enough, if an existing church is going to intentionally change who they are, those who lead must embrace this value.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Mike. I want to read "The Next Evangelicalism". I agree with the high level stuff you're suggesting to Nathan, but more basic (and universal) is the need for intentional relationship. I hear over and over as I travel, you can't really speak into my life unless you spend time with me. Asians say "eat with me", Japanese say "go to the public bath with me"! I think we have to value people enough to speak their language and understand their culture. That means spending significant time in THEIR world.
ReplyDeleteI think that your comment is right on. I'm starting to develop some of these kind of relationships and couldn't be more excited. And it does take time and intentionality. In regards to "The Next Evangelicalism", it is a MUST read. I'll have a copy for you when I see you next.
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