Sometimes when we hear about students going on a mission trip, a part of us equates the trip with "spiritual tourism." I know that feeling-I've experienced it before when I am asked to support a person or group going on trip, here or abroad.
But there are those times when you know a group-what they are doing, and you know their trip is anything but tourism. I want to tell you briefly about such a trip-a trip that is going to be extremely challenging, one that will profoundly change the lives of college students, and one that will impact eternity.
We (Baptist Student Ministries)are taking nineteen students from UTSA back to Los Angeles this year on mission trip. We are returning to the same church and agencies we worked with last year to build on last year's work.
Our students were challenged months ago to pray about being called to Los Angeles. The students going have taken this responsibility seriously and last night we had our first training meeting. I was blessed to see a group of young people coming in faith, with a strong sense of God's Hand upon them, leading them to serve in the heart of Los Angeles, where there is indeed much darkness.
Our students will be serving through Mosaic church-but connecting with agencies such as the Dream Center, Union Rescue Mission, Adopt a Block, MetroKidz, School on Wheels-working among the 90,000 homeless, focusing on Skid Row, and working among the urban poor. We will be sharing the Gospel and demonstrating Christ's love to people living in darkness and despair. It is tough spiritual terrain. Our students will not be seeing the "beautiful" side of Los Angeles, rather immersed in the darkest and toughest places. Their work schedule is taxing-not much in the way of down time, and they knew this as they prayed about the trip and yet...they said, "Here I am Lord, send me!"
I am humbled by their spirit, their willingness to offer themselves up in a context most people would avoid.
For us, Los Angeles has become our "ends of the earth" as far as missions.
I want you to know that for our students, missions is not about an annual trip-they are on mission throughout the school year. They have been trained and are continually challenged to be missionaries on their campus-and they are. God is using them in powerful ways to interact with and engage the lost. So for them, this trip is further training and further investment in the Kingdom.
I am writing to ask for you to prayerfully consider the following:
1) Committing to pray for this group. We are going to need it. The darkness and despair is great. We need God's protection, provision and strength. We cannot do this in our own strength.
2) To prayerfully consider helping to support these students as they go. Last year, our actual cost per student was close to $1,000. This year it is $950. Last year God provided through churches, Sunday school classes, individuals in such a way that our students were able to go for $350. That is our goal again this year.
Our trip is May 19-26. Our students have turned in their first deposit of $100.00 and their second is due next week. They are trusting God for everything, as am I.
If you are looking to make an investment in the Kingdom, an investment in young people-something that will "stick" with them, something that will make a significant difference in the lives of many, I encourage you to pray about supporting these students.
Anything that is received is divided among the group. We are all working and praying together-this is a team effort and a faith venture from beginning to end.
We appreciate the prayers of so many. Thank you. Your prayers are making a significant difference on our campus!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at ustabsm@gmail.com or call me at 210.823.4166.
If you would like to help support these precious students, you may do so by sending a check to the San Antonio Baptist Association; Baptist Student Ministries, 5807 I-H 10 West; San Antonio, TX 78201. In the memo section of the check, please designate: BSM Mission Trip, LA
For the King and His Kingdom,
Kevin Prather
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Invitation
This Monday, March 16, I will be speaking at the San Antonio Baptist Association after lunch. I will be talking about attractional and missional ministry approaches and sharing what God is doing on our campus and in the lives of our students. I believe the time will be encouraging and helpful to pastors, youth ministers, to church members-to anyone who is concerned about what it will take to reach our city with the Gospel.
I hope you will come! I will also be sharing a bit about our mission trip to Los Angeles and how the lessons we learned there last year translated into more effective and meaningful ministry here in San Antonio.
If you are interested in coming-please call the SABA office at 210.525.9954 to make your reservation.
I believe you will be blessed!
For the King and His Kingdom,
Kevin Prather
I hope you will come! I will also be sharing a bit about our mission trip to Los Angeles and how the lessons we learned there last year translated into more effective and meaningful ministry here in San Antonio.
If you are interested in coming-please call the SABA office at 210.525.9954 to make your reservation.
I believe you will be blessed!
For the King and His Kingdom,
Kevin Prather
Sunday, March 8, 2009
BSM Mission Trip to Los Angeles: Investing for the Long Term
We are returning to Los Angeles this May for our mission trip. I am excited for our students. The journey to return to Los Angeles is a testimony in and of itself to our student's responsiveness to the Spirit.
Every year we are to take a mission trip. The trips have a remarkable way of not only forging community, but also expanding the vision of the Kingdom and sevice and what God is doing outside of San Antonio. As we started thinking and praying about mission trip 2009 late summer and early fall, there was this discussion going on about where we should go this year, with a subtle presupposition that wherever it would be, it would be some place new-some place with new experiences, new things to see and do...and to be frank, there were many possibilities that emerged that were exciting and would be new experiences-but one thing was lacking: Peace.
I read something from a leadership journal that simply said this: "Short-term mission trips= spiritual tourism?" The article spoke of the importance of having places believers invest long term-investing in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and ends of the earth. It spoke of the importance of building something in one area as opposed to flitting around each year to see new things. In other words, "don't prostitute missions by making mission trips nothing more than excuses to do spiritual tourism."
Bingo. This was why I had a lack of peace. I shared with the students (who were by the way excited with visions of New York City, Chicago, Seattle, and even Argentina). I called them to pray. We started talking. To their credit, to a person they began to see the importance of investing long term in one place-which for us is Los Angeles, and building something there that will last. Long-term investment.
So we are returning-and the work is nothing short of intense. Los Angeles has 90,000 homeless people, and that population is growing The city's unemployment rate just hit 10 percent. We will be connected to Mosaic Church for worship and for training, but will be working with Union Rescue Mission, the Dream Center, Adopt A Block, MetroKidz, Hope Gardens, School on Wheels (I encourage you to check out these places on YouTube). Our students will also be doing street evangelism on Hollywood Blvd as well as having conversations with Scientologists and Buddhists while in Los Angeles.
Last year, we had a remarkable time in Los Angeles. Lessons learned there, the experiences we had, translated into meaningful ministry on our campus this year. On this trip, the work is nearly doubled-our students are going to be stretched significantly (and I will as well), and we would truly appreciate your prayers.
At this time it appears we are taking around twenty students. We all need your prayers. When we touch ground in Los Angeles, the training starts and the work begins. It will be an intensive time of ministry (May 19-26), with little rest each day. Our mornings are early and our nights are late.
Something interesting has happened through this process as well: As we discuss this trip as an organization, God has been specifically calling students out to go-and the prevailing attitude is already one of soberness and humilty-that God has something significant for us and that we must be preparing ourselves now, not waiting for the mandatory 5 weeks of training to start preparing. It is difficult to describe other than it is tangible. God's Hand is on this group. We do not know what we will experience, what Los Angeles is going to be like in May of this year-but we do have a strong sense that we are in for a time of intensive spiritual warfare and testing.
We covet your prayers. I ask you to please pray for our students.
Last year, many churches and individuals joined us in praying as well as in the sending process. Churches and individuals helped support our students as they raised financial support to go on the trip.
We are aware of economic realities-and we are trusting Him to provide as only He can. If you feel so led to support this mission trip, we are grateful and thankful. Know this: Your investment in these students will reverberate to Los Angeles and back to San Antonio, and through eternity. Our students are sharing their stories with their churches, family and friends. Pray for them.
If you feel led to send financial support for this trip, you may send all gifts to: San Antonio Baptist Association; 5807 I H 10 W; San Antonio, TX 78201. Designate the gifts for BSM LA Mission Trip.
We appreciate your prayers and partnership in the Gospel.
Every year we are to take a mission trip. The trips have a remarkable way of not only forging community, but also expanding the vision of the Kingdom and sevice and what God is doing outside of San Antonio. As we started thinking and praying about mission trip 2009 late summer and early fall, there was this discussion going on about where we should go this year, with a subtle presupposition that wherever it would be, it would be some place new-some place with new experiences, new things to see and do...and to be frank, there were many possibilities that emerged that were exciting and would be new experiences-but one thing was lacking: Peace.
I read something from a leadership journal that simply said this: "Short-term mission trips= spiritual tourism?" The article spoke of the importance of having places believers invest long term-investing in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and ends of the earth. It spoke of the importance of building something in one area as opposed to flitting around each year to see new things. In other words, "don't prostitute missions by making mission trips nothing more than excuses to do spiritual tourism."
Bingo. This was why I had a lack of peace. I shared with the students (who were by the way excited with visions of New York City, Chicago, Seattle, and even Argentina). I called them to pray. We started talking. To their credit, to a person they began to see the importance of investing long term in one place-which for us is Los Angeles, and building something there that will last. Long-term investment.
So we are returning-and the work is nothing short of intense. Los Angeles has 90,000 homeless people, and that population is growing The city's unemployment rate just hit 10 percent. We will be connected to Mosaic Church for worship and for training, but will be working with Union Rescue Mission, the Dream Center, Adopt A Block, MetroKidz, Hope Gardens, School on Wheels (I encourage you to check out these places on YouTube). Our students will also be doing street evangelism on Hollywood Blvd as well as having conversations with Scientologists and Buddhists while in Los Angeles.
Last year, we had a remarkable time in Los Angeles. Lessons learned there, the experiences we had, translated into meaningful ministry on our campus this year. On this trip, the work is nearly doubled-our students are going to be stretched significantly (and I will as well), and we would truly appreciate your prayers.
At this time it appears we are taking around twenty students. We all need your prayers. When we touch ground in Los Angeles, the training starts and the work begins. It will be an intensive time of ministry (May 19-26), with little rest each day. Our mornings are early and our nights are late.
Something interesting has happened through this process as well: As we discuss this trip as an organization, God has been specifically calling students out to go-and the prevailing attitude is already one of soberness and humilty-that God has something significant for us and that we must be preparing ourselves now, not waiting for the mandatory 5 weeks of training to start preparing. It is difficult to describe other than it is tangible. God's Hand is on this group. We do not know what we will experience, what Los Angeles is going to be like in May of this year-but we do have a strong sense that we are in for a time of intensive spiritual warfare and testing.
We covet your prayers. I ask you to please pray for our students.
Last year, many churches and individuals joined us in praying as well as in the sending process. Churches and individuals helped support our students as they raised financial support to go on the trip.
We are aware of economic realities-and we are trusting Him to provide as only He can. If you feel so led to support this mission trip, we are grateful and thankful. Know this: Your investment in these students will reverberate to Los Angeles and back to San Antonio, and through eternity. Our students are sharing their stories with their churches, family and friends. Pray for them.
If you feel led to send financial support for this trip, you may send all gifts to: San Antonio Baptist Association; 5807 I H 10 W; San Antonio, TX 78201. Designate the gifts for BSM LA Mission Trip.
We appreciate your prayers and partnership in the Gospel.
Internationals, Atheists, Non-Christian Organizations
It is always a blessing when a community of faith feels compelled, even responsible for reaching out to the lost, developing relationships with them-when obedience to the Great Commission is more important than any sense of personal comfort.
It is a huge blessing when a community of faith takes 1 Peter 3:15, 16 quite seriously, always being ready to give reason for the hope that is within, but to do so with all gentleness and respect. Love and graciousness are the framework for apologetics.
When a community "gets" this-the issue is not "winning arguments" with lost people, but rather, through an authentic, loving relationship, sharing Christ and making Him known, being prepared to answer questions as to "why do you believe in Him?" God has brought us to this place-and I am excited and blessed!
There will be parties monthly over the next three months for international students. These gatherings serve two purposes: First, to develop relationships with the many international students on campus and through those relationships to demonstrate the love of Christ. Second, through those relationships, to share the Gospel. We have relationships with students from Eastern Europe, China, Japan, Morocco...from places where the Gospel is "not" either due to government persecution of Christians or a completely different worldview/faith system.
Our students have also initiated a "bowling night" with students in the Atheist Agenda, something that is a miracle in and of itself (the Agenda's openness to doing something with a Christian organization). The purpose of this night is to simply build relationships that will provide opportunity for honorable conversations about the Gospel. We are the only Christian organization on campus that the Atheist Agenda considers "cool." We found that they have had a rough history with other organizations on campus that have further driven many of their members away from Christians. They (the Agenda) have been somewhat intrigued and caught off guard by the love they have encountered in our students. We need your prayers. This is both a significant opportunity as well as a significant responsibility. We have favor with them, and that is solely His doing. Please pray for our students as they continue to dialogue with perhaps the most militant group on campus.
Our students have also planned a social gathering in which we are specifically inviting non-Christian organizations to participate. The response thus far is exciting. Again, the purpose is to develop relationships for the sake of the Gospel. I am proud of our students!
We are seeing our community reach out to other communities not connected to Christ. We are seeing our students individually and in small groups reach out to the lost as well-this takes place daily.
Please pray that God would be glorified in all of these things-and please pray for the spiritual protection of our students. Their faith and willingness to go to the edge encourages and challenges me.
It is a huge blessing when a community of faith takes 1 Peter 3:15, 16 quite seriously, always being ready to give reason for the hope that is within, but to do so with all gentleness and respect. Love and graciousness are the framework for apologetics.
When a community "gets" this-the issue is not "winning arguments" with lost people, but rather, through an authentic, loving relationship, sharing Christ and making Him known, being prepared to answer questions as to "why do you believe in Him?" God has brought us to this place-and I am excited and blessed!
There will be parties monthly over the next three months for international students. These gatherings serve two purposes: First, to develop relationships with the many international students on campus and through those relationships to demonstrate the love of Christ. Second, through those relationships, to share the Gospel. We have relationships with students from Eastern Europe, China, Japan, Morocco...from places where the Gospel is "not" either due to government persecution of Christians or a completely different worldview/faith system.
Our students have also initiated a "bowling night" with students in the Atheist Agenda, something that is a miracle in and of itself (the Agenda's openness to doing something with a Christian organization). The purpose of this night is to simply build relationships that will provide opportunity for honorable conversations about the Gospel. We are the only Christian organization on campus that the Atheist Agenda considers "cool." We found that they have had a rough history with other organizations on campus that have further driven many of their members away from Christians. They (the Agenda) have been somewhat intrigued and caught off guard by the love they have encountered in our students. We need your prayers. This is both a significant opportunity as well as a significant responsibility. We have favor with them, and that is solely His doing. Please pray for our students as they continue to dialogue with perhaps the most militant group on campus.
Our students have also planned a social gathering in which we are specifically inviting non-Christian organizations to participate. The response thus far is exciting. Again, the purpose is to develop relationships for the sake of the Gospel. I am proud of our students!
We are seeing our community reach out to other communities not connected to Christ. We are seeing our students individually and in small groups reach out to the lost as well-this takes place daily.
Please pray that God would be glorified in all of these things-and please pray for the spiritual protection of our students. Their faith and willingness to go to the edge encourages and challenges me.
These "Kids" Are A Blessing-MIssion as Lifestyle
There are over 29,300 students on campus at the University of Texas, San Antonio. That is the number of a city. Of those 29,300 students, approximately 500 or less are actively connected to a Christian student ministry organization.
In other words, Christian organizations on campus are about as effective as the church is to the city. That sounds harsh, but it is a reality.
Of course, there are variables: There are certainly students who follow Christ on campus who are not connected to a Christian organization, and not every student connected to a Christian organization is necessarily following Christ. Still...that number, that ratio haunts me.
Many students who come to our campus as freshmen have the same mindset many believers have when it commes to the church: "I need to find a place where I can connect, get fed, and be safe." We have many students come to our organizations from churches that fall into one of the following categories:
1) Students who are looking for a safe place to be with others who also desire safety. Every god imaginable is on our campus. Every worldview imaginable is on our campus. Some come simply to connect and to find commfort. Such students will often rotate from one Christian campus organization to another, nightly, to stay safe in a Christian 'bubble.' Like church members who fill their nights and activities solely with church members, such young people are so focused on staying safe with others they do not dare engage the lost person who sits next to them in class.
2) Students who are making decisions as to whether they are going to continue in some kind of Christian commmunity while at college or slowly drift away. Almost eighty six percent of students who 'grow up in the church' leave the church for good after graduating from High School. These students are torn between continuing in what they were taught as young adults and exploring alternative worldviews.
3) Students who are looking to invest. This is a small minority group-but we are blessed beyond measure when students arrive on campus with a heart for being on mission and the desire to connect with a community, to invest in that community, and to be a missionary to the campus.
4) Students who want to reproduce their youth group experience on campus. Well-intentioned but often lacking in the area of discipleship, these students just want to be around other believers, be good people, do some good things and have fun. The larger issue of the Kingdom of God and following Christ daily is still something that needs to be taught. With these students, we go over foundational issues again: How to have a quiet time, how to pray, learning the Scriptures, growing in relationship with God.
There are certainly other sub-categories. This is a broad view. And I want to boast in Christ-what He has done and is doing-and how our young people are responding to Him. I have great reason for hope on our campus!
I am proud of Baptist Student Ministries-our young people-at the University of Texas, San Antonio! God has been workin in our group in remarkable ways, teaching us what it means to be a community of faith on mission together. I see young people going to the edge of lostness to share their faith, to develop (intentionally!) relationships with the lost for the sake of the Gospel. Our young people understand that being on mission is not something we do once a year on 'mission trip,' but rather something we do daily. We are a community on mission.
Our students are developing relationships with Atheists, with the irreligious, with skeptics, with students from other faith backgrounds, all for the sake of the King and His Kingdom. They are praying for our campus and putting feet to their prayers. They have rejected the idea of Baptist Student Ministries being a safe Christian 'bubble' and have embraced the idea that we are a community of faith on mission together.
These young people bless me tremendously. I am encouraged by their faith, by their love for others, by their desire to journey together into the harvest fields. When we gather to worship or to study, it is to glorify God and to edify one another and to exhort one another on. We continue to see new students, continue to develop relationships with the lost-the process is slow at times, but our young people continue to pray and to persevere, to plant, to water, to invest.
So, as you read about our Baptist Student Ministry Mission Trip, please know this one very important thing: Our students are on mission daily on our campus, in our city. They have not compartmentalized 'missions' as something we do from time to time-rather missions is a part of who we are as a faith community on campus.
God is working in wonderful ways, and I praise Him! Please pray for our students as they continue to, in faith, reach out to the lost, the marginalized, the cynical, even the hostile. God is at work, and I see wonderful and amazing things ahead. God is forging a group of students who are hungry for Him, who have a passion for Him and His Kingdom, who are collectively saying, "Here I am, send me!"
And for this, I am blessed. I pray you are as well.
In other words, Christian organizations on campus are about as effective as the church is to the city. That sounds harsh, but it is a reality.
Of course, there are variables: There are certainly students who follow Christ on campus who are not connected to a Christian organization, and not every student connected to a Christian organization is necessarily following Christ. Still...that number, that ratio haunts me.
Many students who come to our campus as freshmen have the same mindset many believers have when it commes to the church: "I need to find a place where I can connect, get fed, and be safe." We have many students come to our organizations from churches that fall into one of the following categories:
1) Students who are looking for a safe place to be with others who also desire safety. Every god imaginable is on our campus. Every worldview imaginable is on our campus. Some come simply to connect and to find commfort. Such students will often rotate from one Christian campus organization to another, nightly, to stay safe in a Christian 'bubble.' Like church members who fill their nights and activities solely with church members, such young people are so focused on staying safe with others they do not dare engage the lost person who sits next to them in class.
2) Students who are making decisions as to whether they are going to continue in some kind of Christian commmunity while at college or slowly drift away. Almost eighty six percent of students who 'grow up in the church' leave the church for good after graduating from High School. These students are torn between continuing in what they were taught as young adults and exploring alternative worldviews.
3) Students who are looking to invest. This is a small minority group-but we are blessed beyond measure when students arrive on campus with a heart for being on mission and the desire to connect with a community, to invest in that community, and to be a missionary to the campus.
4) Students who want to reproduce their youth group experience on campus. Well-intentioned but often lacking in the area of discipleship, these students just want to be around other believers, be good people, do some good things and have fun. The larger issue of the Kingdom of God and following Christ daily is still something that needs to be taught. With these students, we go over foundational issues again: How to have a quiet time, how to pray, learning the Scriptures, growing in relationship with God.
There are certainly other sub-categories. This is a broad view. And I want to boast in Christ-what He has done and is doing-and how our young people are responding to Him. I have great reason for hope on our campus!
I am proud of Baptist Student Ministries-our young people-at the University of Texas, San Antonio! God has been workin in our group in remarkable ways, teaching us what it means to be a community of faith on mission together. I see young people going to the edge of lostness to share their faith, to develop (intentionally!) relationships with the lost for the sake of the Gospel. Our young people understand that being on mission is not something we do once a year on 'mission trip,' but rather something we do daily. We are a community on mission.
Our students are developing relationships with Atheists, with the irreligious, with skeptics, with students from other faith backgrounds, all for the sake of the King and His Kingdom. They are praying for our campus and putting feet to their prayers. They have rejected the idea of Baptist Student Ministries being a safe Christian 'bubble' and have embraced the idea that we are a community of faith on mission together.
These young people bless me tremendously. I am encouraged by their faith, by their love for others, by their desire to journey together into the harvest fields. When we gather to worship or to study, it is to glorify God and to edify one another and to exhort one another on. We continue to see new students, continue to develop relationships with the lost-the process is slow at times, but our young people continue to pray and to persevere, to plant, to water, to invest.
So, as you read about our Baptist Student Ministry Mission Trip, please know this one very important thing: Our students are on mission daily on our campus, in our city. They have not compartmentalized 'missions' as something we do from time to time-rather missions is a part of who we are as a faith community on campus.
God is working in wonderful ways, and I praise Him! Please pray for our students as they continue to, in faith, reach out to the lost, the marginalized, the cynical, even the hostile. God is at work, and I see wonderful and amazing things ahead. God is forging a group of students who are hungry for Him, who have a passion for Him and His Kingdom, who are collectively saying, "Here I am, send me!"
And for this, I am blessed. I pray you are as well.
From Community to Communitas: Being On Mission Together
A common conundrum for the church is how to be outward focused and at the same time build stgong community within the church. Often the discussion goes something like this:
Person # 1: "We need to be more evangelistic."
Person # 2: "We need to take better care of our own members. We need better fellowship"
Person #3: "How can we do both well at the same time?"
This conversation, or a variation of this conversation takes place in churches across the U.S. If a church begins to grow, long time members may feel threatened in a sense. Their community is changing. Their sense of what it means to be in community is being challenged. People do need to feel that they have strong connection points in the church, a sense of community. A church can be so focused on reaching new people that existing members are lost in the shuffle.
On the other hand, when a church focuses so much on the 'sweet fellowship' of the members, the congregation becomes ingrown-so focused inwardly that any sense of being on mission is lost amidst potlucks, socials, committee meetings and church functions. Evangelism is something that is done by pastor and staff, and any new additions that take place in the church seem more accidental than the natural result of being intentional in reaching the lost. If there is 'growth'-it is more likely to be transfer growth.
Is being "missional" contrary to building stronger community within the church?
Absolutely not. In fact, a right understanding of community involves the people of God being on mission together. Community is strengthened by being tested, by the community journeying together for one common purpose, by being tested.
Alan Hirsch describes "communitas" as (my paraphrase) the strengthening and deepening of a community that in faith journeys into the liminal zones (the outer edges). In other words, when a community is on mission together, something much stronger is forged than mere 'sweet fellowship.' For community to truly grow in depth, the community must be forged in the fires of faith, testing, being on mission together.
And perhaps this is where the breakdown occurs for many churches: Spectatorship is either encouraged or enabled. Fellowship is defined as simmply getting together and enjoying each other. Mission is something that is defined in terms of a trip, service is something scheduled on the church calendar from time to time. Prayer is something we meet to do once a week, and largely the prayer time is focused on membership. I could go on. You get the idea.
God calls us to something far greater than insulating ourselves from the outside world. He calls us to engage lostness. As salt and light, we are His plans for preserving and flavoring and illuminating the world. For the salt to be effective, it must get out of the salt shaker. For the light to be meaningful, it must shine outside the walls of the church facility.
For communitas to be formed, the gathering of God's people must be on mission together. It is in that 'being on mission together' that stronger, more authentic relationships are formed, community is enhanced, bonds grow stronger as God's people live, love, serve, share...together, on mission.
What will this look like in your church? Every church has a different 'personality' and each church has it's own strengths and weaknesses. A good starting place is for the community to prayerfully go through the Scriptures to understand what it means to be on mission together. None of us are exempt. We are not called to merely surivive, but to follow Jesus wherever He leads-and He is always leading us into the fields, where the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.
As God's people are re-awakened to the plight of the lost, to the heartbeat of God, to the Awesomeness of God, to the Great Commandments and the Great Commission, to our absolute need for Him in all things and for all things (giving up the illusion of independence and self-reliance)...we can do nothing but fall on our faces in prayer and realize that God has called us to far, far more than being 'safe' and 'comfortable.'
The church in America has not flatlined. We are in dramatic decline. Years of formulas for 'church growth' has created a church culture of spectatorship and consumerism. Years of in-fighting over 'worship wars' and 'who is in control?' has left many churches 'dead in the water'-stagnant, drifting, their sails no longer set to the Holy Spirit. In many ways, the church in general has been asleep.
And while we were sleeping, the culture changed. Our world changed. The church is awakening to find itself marginalized, on the fringes of life, seen as irrelevant by most Americans. They drive by our churches and never think twice about who we are or why we gather. Inside our facilities we wonder why all of those outsiders are not coming inside. Didn't we put 'everyone welcome' on our church sign?
While we were arguing over worship styles, while we were politicking over control issues, while we were filling our calendars with activities, the world around us changed-and the world around us is turning to anything and everything but the church for answers.
We sure need an Awakening. We cannot program one. We cannot control God. We cannot create new 'techniques' to make ourselves more interesting to the lost.
But we can do some very important things: We can humble ourselves before God and confess our apathy to the lost. We can repent of our sense of self-reliance. We can cry out to God to 'renew His works in our days.' We can re-examine our understanding of community and mission in light of the Scriptures, and in doing so, re-examin what it means to be God's people on mission together.
We walk among the living dead daily. We converse with people daily who are headed towards a Christless eternity. We are surrounded by the stench of spiritual death...and we must stop focusing on our own felt needs. Jesus calls us to far, far more.
He calls our community of faith to communitas, and as we follow Him, we will experience far greater things than we can possibly imagine. This is the adventure. This is where obedience intersects with faith and humility. This is where love grows-love for the family of God, love for the lost. It's not a 'safe' place, or a 'predictable' or 'comfortable' place, but it is a great place to be. It is the place where the Spirit of God does His most amazing work in and through us. It is the place where we are absolutely dependent on Him for all things-together.
May you and your community of faith hear His call, and together, experience the bonds of communitas as you go to the very edge on mission together.
Person # 1: "We need to be more evangelistic."
Person # 2: "We need to take better care of our own members. We need better fellowship"
Person #3: "How can we do both well at the same time?"
This conversation, or a variation of this conversation takes place in churches across the U.S. If a church begins to grow, long time members may feel threatened in a sense. Their community is changing. Their sense of what it means to be in community is being challenged. People do need to feel that they have strong connection points in the church, a sense of community. A church can be so focused on reaching new people that existing members are lost in the shuffle.
On the other hand, when a church focuses so much on the 'sweet fellowship' of the members, the congregation becomes ingrown-so focused inwardly that any sense of being on mission is lost amidst potlucks, socials, committee meetings and church functions. Evangelism is something that is done by pastor and staff, and any new additions that take place in the church seem more accidental than the natural result of being intentional in reaching the lost. If there is 'growth'-it is more likely to be transfer growth.
Is being "missional" contrary to building stronger community within the church?
Absolutely not. In fact, a right understanding of community involves the people of God being on mission together. Community is strengthened by being tested, by the community journeying together for one common purpose, by being tested.
Alan Hirsch describes "communitas" as (my paraphrase) the strengthening and deepening of a community that in faith journeys into the liminal zones (the outer edges). In other words, when a community is on mission together, something much stronger is forged than mere 'sweet fellowship.' For community to truly grow in depth, the community must be forged in the fires of faith, testing, being on mission together.
And perhaps this is where the breakdown occurs for many churches: Spectatorship is either encouraged or enabled. Fellowship is defined as simmply getting together and enjoying each other. Mission is something that is defined in terms of a trip, service is something scheduled on the church calendar from time to time. Prayer is something we meet to do once a week, and largely the prayer time is focused on membership. I could go on. You get the idea.
God calls us to something far greater than insulating ourselves from the outside world. He calls us to engage lostness. As salt and light, we are His plans for preserving and flavoring and illuminating the world. For the salt to be effective, it must get out of the salt shaker. For the light to be meaningful, it must shine outside the walls of the church facility.
For communitas to be formed, the gathering of God's people must be on mission together. It is in that 'being on mission together' that stronger, more authentic relationships are formed, community is enhanced, bonds grow stronger as God's people live, love, serve, share...together, on mission.
What will this look like in your church? Every church has a different 'personality' and each church has it's own strengths and weaknesses. A good starting place is for the community to prayerfully go through the Scriptures to understand what it means to be on mission together. None of us are exempt. We are not called to merely surivive, but to follow Jesus wherever He leads-and He is always leading us into the fields, where the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.
As God's people are re-awakened to the plight of the lost, to the heartbeat of God, to the Awesomeness of God, to the Great Commandments and the Great Commission, to our absolute need for Him in all things and for all things (giving up the illusion of independence and self-reliance)...we can do nothing but fall on our faces in prayer and realize that God has called us to far, far more than being 'safe' and 'comfortable.'
The church in America has not flatlined. We are in dramatic decline. Years of formulas for 'church growth' has created a church culture of spectatorship and consumerism. Years of in-fighting over 'worship wars' and 'who is in control?' has left many churches 'dead in the water'-stagnant, drifting, their sails no longer set to the Holy Spirit. In many ways, the church in general has been asleep.
And while we were sleeping, the culture changed. Our world changed. The church is awakening to find itself marginalized, on the fringes of life, seen as irrelevant by most Americans. They drive by our churches and never think twice about who we are or why we gather. Inside our facilities we wonder why all of those outsiders are not coming inside. Didn't we put 'everyone welcome' on our church sign?
While we were arguing over worship styles, while we were politicking over control issues, while we were filling our calendars with activities, the world around us changed-and the world around us is turning to anything and everything but the church for answers.
We sure need an Awakening. We cannot program one. We cannot control God. We cannot create new 'techniques' to make ourselves more interesting to the lost.
But we can do some very important things: We can humble ourselves before God and confess our apathy to the lost. We can repent of our sense of self-reliance. We can cry out to God to 'renew His works in our days.' We can re-examine our understanding of community and mission in light of the Scriptures, and in doing so, re-examin what it means to be God's people on mission together.
We walk among the living dead daily. We converse with people daily who are headed towards a Christless eternity. We are surrounded by the stench of spiritual death...and we must stop focusing on our own felt needs. Jesus calls us to far, far more.
He calls our community of faith to communitas, and as we follow Him, we will experience far greater things than we can possibly imagine. This is the adventure. This is where obedience intersects with faith and humility. This is where love grows-love for the family of God, love for the lost. It's not a 'safe' place, or a 'predictable' or 'comfortable' place, but it is a great place to be. It is the place where the Spirit of God does His most amazing work in and through us. It is the place where we are absolutely dependent on Him for all things-together.
May you and your community of faith hear His call, and together, experience the bonds of communitas as you go to the very edge on mission together.
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