Words from Glen
A number of years ago (even before Plenty) I attended a meeting at the Synod offices. It had representatives from Presbyteries, UnitingCare Queensland and Synod staff. The role being asked of the group was to provide strategic direction and leadership to resource Presbyteries in identifying strategic locations and the most effective forms of church that could be possible in those locations (Side note…we identified this in 2018 and are now working in earnest toward this in our Presbytery). The purpose of this first meeting was to begin to answer these questions:
- What is the purpose of the Church’s presence in the world?
- How do all the diverse contexts in which we believe the church should be present inform the resources that are needed in those spaces?
As you could imagine, these questions were not easily answered. After the meeting I had two different conversations with colleagues. We agreed that finding answers to these questions are important and that we do need to strategise around them, yet we couldn't help but feel that the biggest issue, which was unstated in the meeting, is the impact that a follower of Jesus can have on the future of the Church. It got me asking: how ‘on fire’ am I for Jesus, and how do I invite others into conversation about Jesus so they may get to know Him? Yes, you heard me: how do I speak about who Jesus is and invite others to explore a relationship with him?
One of my previous congregations had as one if its values ‘Intentional Outreach’.
Intentional outreach begins with an understanding that our lives as Christians are not so much about us, but embracing that what God is about. We see throughout Scripture that God is on mission. God is a sending God. He took the initiative to pursue us, coming into our world, seeking, wooing, calling and restoring. It was the Father who sent the Son, and the Father and Son who sent the Spirit. The church is not sent on a mission by God, rather God is on a mission and the church is called to join Him. This is an important distinction, as much of w
hat the church is about is trying to do ‘stuff’ for God instead of letting Him do ‘stuff’ through us because He is already active.
The mission does not emanate from the church – the
Missio Dei – it is the ‘mission of God’ that we are called to be part of. From Genesis to Revelation God is seen clearly on a pursuit to redeem humankind (and indeed all creation) from the bondage of sin and death. The pursuit of this mission must take us beyond the walls of our church buildings out into the places where people live, work and play.
Alan Hirsch says, “
A missional theology is not content with mission being a church-based work. Rather, it applies to the whole of life of every believer. Every disciple is to be an agent of the kingdom of God, and every disciple is to carry the mission of God into every sphere of life. We are all missionaries sent into a non-Christian culture.”
Intentional outreach must start with this understanding. Without it, it is too easy for us to try and do some things here and there, expect people to turn up and come to us, and perhaps never really intentionally reach out to people for Christ.
What does this mean? Really, you are a ‘sent’ person. You are already a ‘sent people’ who connect with God, do life together and receive power from the Holy Spirit to partner with God to accomplish God’s purposes in our neighbourhoods and in the world. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Back in 2011 I attended a conference on the Gold Coast with a network of ministers. Rod Denton, a Baptist pastor, spoke to us one morning. Rod spends a lot of his time in Asia training pastors. He shared about the incredible growth of the church in Nepal. The church has grown from a handful of people just thirty years ago to (apparently) more than 1.5 million believers today. He said their strategy was talk about Jesus and to invite people to their discipleship groups…that’s it!
Christians in Nepal often encounter great persecution and hardship. Before a new Christian can be baptised in some churches in Nepal, they have to answer a series of questions:
1. Are you willing to be expelled from your home and community because of your faith in Jesus Christ?
2. Are you willing to give up your family inheritance because of your faith in Jesus Christ?
3. Are you willing to give up your job because of your faith in Jesus Christ?
4. Are you willing to be persecuted and sent to prison because of your faith in Jesus Christ?
5. Are you willing to pay tithes and offerings to honour God regularly?
6. Are you willing to go back to your village to preach the Gospel?
7. Are you willing to die for Jesus Christ?
If a baptismal candidate agrees to these questions, then they are asked:
8. Do you willingly give consent to be baptised?
Do you think the Nepalese Christians who answer these questions are fully committed? While I know they would be far from perfect, I read that list and I weep at my lukewarm faith, my willingness to compromise, to cheat God in large and small ways and the many ways I give God the leftovers of my life rather than my first and my best. Every time I read this list, I say, “Lord, help me to surrender more fully to you. Help me to share you with all I meet”.
God wants people fully surrendered to Him, committed to follow Him no matter the cost and who will not compromise the grace that has been entrusted to them. I actually think this is the best church growth, mission sensitive strategy we can have: Say yes to Jesus, be passionate about the love and grace found in Him and tell others about Jesus. Let’s not complicate it because everything else flows from this.
So let me ask you: How would you describe your faith right now? How are you helping to build the church? Who are the people you live, work and play with that you are sharing the good news of Jesus with? What would help fire up your willingness to witness to Jesus in word and in deed?
Come Holy Spirit, breathe new life into us!
Glen
