Mission or Missional?

I have served churches in South Carolina, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Every church I have served has prided itself in being mission-minded. In fact, this past weekend I overheard a member of my present congregation talking to a church guest about what a great mission-minded church FBC Washington is. When most people talk about a mission-minded church they are describing a church which prays and pays for missions. For example, at FBC Washington we contribute generously to our denomination's mission budget. We regularly take special offerings for mission causes; pray for missionaries and people groups; and even send out mission teams. I agree that like many churches of all stripes, we are a mission-minded church.

However, I am becoming more and more convinced that Jesus did not call us to simply be mission-minded; He called us to be missional. Yes, mission funding is important. Praying for missionaries and people groups in unreached places around the world is paramount. But at the very core of the Christian life is our calling to be the presence of Christ in our world. We are His hands, feet, ears, eyes, and mouth. Being the Body of Christ is not just about Sunday mornings. Living the Christian life is more than church attendance. Christ has called us to engage our broken world with His good news of hope and healing. Being the Body of Christ is about what takes place in our neighborhood, our community, our workplace, our school or university.

In my experience, we can be mission-minded and still inwardly focused. We can pay and pray for missions and missionaries, but still be primarily concerned about our comforts and our needs. Being missional means we have an outward focus. Missional takes seriously the words of Jesus who said: "You are to be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the world."

Blessings,
Jimmy

Jesus and Paint

I have been working on a project for more than eighteen months now—painting the outside of my house. I live in a brick ranch-style house, but the trim work needs occasional painting—about once every five years. When I first noticed the paint needed attention, I decided I would re-paint with a latex paint verses the old oil based paint I had been using. I knew this would require additional work, since latex paint cannot be used to cover over oil based paint without a primer coat. So, I decided to paint a section at a time, and to completely finish that particular section before moving on to a new section. It has been a slow process.

As I was preparing to paint a new section this past Saturday, I noticed that there were some places on a section that I had painted a few months back that were beginning to peel. I do not understand why the paint on this small, yet very noticeable area, did not stick. I am sure I gave this area the same attention as I did other areas. I began by washing the area down with bleach, letting the area dry, scraping off any old or loose paint, and applying two coats of primer and two coats of latex. For some unknown reason the paint did not stick and I had to re-paint it this past weekend.

My experience with painting parallels my experience with ministry in many ways. I have often wondered why Jesus seems to "stick' to some folk, while others, no matter how much attention you give them seem to never get it. I have also wondered why faith can be such a permanent part of some folk's life and for others it seems to only last for a season and then it peels away or fades. I remember a young couple in my seminary pastorate. They professed their faith, joined our church, and immediately got involved in every aspect of church life and ministry. But their commitment was short lived. After a few months their enthusiasm waned, their attendance ebbed, and church or faith was no longer a welcomed topic in conversation. This scenario has been repeated numerous times in pastorates ever since.

Paul seemed to have had such an experience with one of his converts. He writes in 2 Timothy for Timothy to "make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica."

I guess I will never really understand why Jesus seems to "stick" to some while others take to Him like the place on the side of my house does to paint. But I am thankful for the lives He has touched and the transformation that has taken place in the hearts of those who have truly trusted Him!

Good Friday

Last week I sat with a family as the husband/father underwent heart bypass surgery. The patient, at least in my mind, did not fit the typical profile of a heart-bypass candidate. He is relatively young (just a few years older than me), active, exercises regularly, eats healthy, and basically does all the right things to take care of himself. When the surgeon came out to talk with the family after surgery (and the surgery was very successful), the surgeon said that my friend's problems were probably caused by genetics. In other words, something in his genes makes him more prone to coronary artery disease. The fact that he exercises, eats right, and takes care of himself was to his benefit, but in the long run there was nothing he could really do that would have prevented his problems.

Today is Good Friday, a commemoration of Jesus' death on the cross. I have often wondered why we call it Good Friday. In some traditions it is called Holy Friday or Black Friday. Black Friday seems more appropriate considering the events that historically took place. Jesus was betrayed by one of his own, falsely accused by the religious leaders, stood before Pontius Pilate, beaten and scourged, and ultimately sentenced to be crucified at the insistence of the crowd.

Perhaps the good in Good Friday is a reference to what Jesus did for me? You see, like my friend with coronary artery disease, I too suffer from defective genes. These genes are attached to my spiritual DNA. My disease has left me wounded, broken, and bruised by sin. And like my friend, no matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, I cannot fix the problem. Just as the good surgeon had to intervene in my friend's situation, so Jesus has intervened in my situation. He died on the cross to fix my sin problem!

There's an old hymn that reads: "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

Thanks be to God!

Blessings,
Jimmy