Actualities and Aspirations: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?

I walked out of our SLT Meeting Saturday afternoon in total fear.   We spent Friday evening talking about a mission statement: what it does and how it impacts ministry decisions, that is, the “business” of our church. I loved the process because...

**Warning: Pop-Culture Reference Ahead!**

I walked out of our SLT Meeting Saturday afternoon in total fear.

We spent Friday evening talking about a mission statement: what it does and how it impacts ministry decisions, that is, the “business” of our church.  I loved the process because, afterward, I got to wear my critical pants and tell everyone what I liked and didn’t like about the several missions statements we saw; and my critical pants are the most comfortable ones I own.

The Malphurs group showed us that in a mission statement, we want something that we, as the family at “The Mount,” can use to evaluate the various ways we serve.  It will be the standard by which we ask ourselves, “In doing this [task, program, ministry, etc.], are we accomplishing what we have set out to do as a church?”  It is a biblical mission statement that will focus the energy of our church, directing us toward Kingdom work.  So we made sure to pick a good one.

We also spent a lot of time Saturday talking about our church’s values, what they are and what they should be.  For me, it became alarmingly clear that, as a whole body, we have strayed away from the evangelistic imperative Jesus gives us and which Paul repeats again and again, notably in I Peter 3:15.  For whatever reason—intimidation, unbelief, inward focus, laziness, unfaithfulness—we have let go of the value that is closest to God’s heart: introducing precious people to the transforming greatness of His grace and power.

After reflecting and discussing, we discovered five values that we currently have: Giving, Worship, Family, Fellowship, and Biblical Instruction.  However, we must consider these values in the context of understanding that we’re ignoring a critical part of our calling.  It is my opinion (so get mad at me, not at the SLT) that some of these values, especially giving, rated so well because we feel that if we do enough “other stuff,” that we can make up for a lack of evangelism.  Don’t misunderstand - I’m not saying we don’t do a good job with these other things.  We are givers, we do support families, we do spend time with each other.  Rather, I’m wanting us to look at how much we do these things trying to make up for not taking our Savior’s message with us wherever we go.

For example, I have put “extra” effort into teaching (biblical instruction) about the importance of sharing Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to achieve that goal so that someone else would assume the personal risk of sharing his or her faith.  I have intentionally spent time with my Christian friends (fellowship) so that I wouldn’t have to be a light in a dark world.  I shall even be so presumptuous to claim that these motivations are not unique to me.  If we’re not on the front lines of a spiritual battle, where are we?  (An emphatic “nowhere”)  More importantly, what can we accomplish there? (A resounding “nothing”)

It’s no surprise, then, that we put “evangelism” at the top of our aspirational-values list.

Following evangelism we aspire to Service, Prayer, and Obedience.  There’s a strong connection among these four and each one reinforces the others.  Prayer and the resulting communion with God prompt a genuine desire to obey His instructions; Evangelism—often a limb of service—is paramount for obedience, and a process that results in a new believer praying for salvation.  As this cycle illustrates, there are many ways that each of these four aspirational values reinforces the others.  But, reaching any of them will be a challenge.

For me, the job is more than a little scary.  Aspiring to become people of evangelism requires that we conquer our own hesitations about spreading the news about God’s love and face whatever obstacles the enemy hurtles at us.  It’s not easy.  Like Jordin Sparks, I’m left asking myself, “Why does love always feel like a battlefield?”  In brief, it’s because God’s power is transformative and compelling.  Even in tiny doses it brings people to worship Him.  Satan will try every trick he has to scare us from doing God’s work.  However, in II Corinthians 7:1, Christians are urged to the fear of God, not to the fear of the enemy, of rejection, of mockery, nor of any other earthly power.  In fact, our fear is always to be with God and the authorities He establishes and never with those opposed to performing His work (Luke 12:4-5).

Many times we posit that the “fear of God” simply means a “reverent appreciation for God’s power,” which is a much more pleasant thought.  Sometimes, though, knowing God will send one into a full panic, which is what the word “fear” in those New Testament verses means. (It’s where we get our word “phobia,” and originally meant “to flee.”)  And with good reason!  The challenges of scripture are radical and revolutionary, not to mention contrary to the expectations of the world and many of our own desires.  Giving up routines and “safe” sins, like complacency, and risking life out on the edge of faith certainly makes me afraid.  But no matter how anxious we are, our Heavenly Father lifts us from our fears and fills us with quiet boldness knowing that since God is for us, none can be against us.  What a promise!

So here I am, standing in the fear of the Lord, trusting Him to pull me through my other fears, wanting to be useful in leading ordinary people to extraordinary life through Jesus Christ. I know I need His strength; but more importantly, I need to remember the love He has for each of the people He has created.  If you’re like me—afraid of what God is saying, terrified of the necessary sacrifices, and dreading the implications for your life—I refer again to Jordin: “You’d better go get your armor.”