Join in on God’s Mission
On Sunday, I spoke about how one of the very first things that Jesus DID was to launch the Christian movement – called the Church. He, alone, showed us who God is and what we as humans are meant to be, he inaugurated the Kingdom of God, and in doing so, abolished Satan’s reign over us. Even though he uniquely did these things, he empowered his movement – the Church – to participate in this work, giving us a substantive role with earthly and heavenly consequences.
Participating in God’s mission in and through the church gives our lives eternal meaning.
The question always is,
How?
What does it look like, for us today, to participate in God’s mission? As I closed the sermon, I gave you 3 big and broad ideas – and in today’s blog, I simply want to reiterate and spell them out again.
First, step IN to the mission here at Central.
This can look like a lot of things, but here’s some practical ideas. This Sunday is our annual Block Party: invite someone new, or better yet, bring someone new. When you’re there, be there for the new person: greet them, eat your meal with them, get to know them…look out for the newcomer who is obviously a bit uncomfortable and help them out. SEE BELOW FOR OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP! The same can be said for the gazebo services when we launch those in August. The same can actually be said about every Sunday – and about every time we gather together!
Another way you can step in to the mission is to serve dinner at the AACC Food Pantry on June 4, as we kick off a new outreach dinner there with our fellow churches. You can teach our kids on Sunday mornings, you can get involved with Central Youth (we could use some leaders!), and you can volunteer with Central Learns (our after-school tutoring program).
Finally, a very important way you can step in to God’s mission here at Central is to join our Mission & Evangelism board. We are looking for 2-3 more people who can give their hearts, imagination, and hands to help organizing the church for its mission. This will look like discerning God’s call for us as a church, strategizing and organizing new mission/ministry, and supporting our ongoing work. Please contact Matt (me!) if you’re interested in serving like this.
Second, pray for the mission of the church.
Pray for the success of our outreach programs, ministries, and relationships. Pray for the folks who are encountered by the church. Pray that God would open doors to hearts. Pray that God would give opportunities, and that we would make the most of every opportunity (Eph. 5:16).
Also – pray for the ongoing mission of the church. In a very specific way, pray that God would open our hearts and minds and eyes to the particular ministry we are called to here at Central Baptist. As I said on Sunday, I don’t know what that looks like just yet – and so I’m asking you to pray that God would make it clear to us. Pray that God would call us to meaningful ministry for His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Third, take steps towards ‘unlocking the gates’ for someone else.
Part of what Jesus tells us is that he gives to us ‘the keys of the kingdom’ – meaning that because of our work, words, ministry, and witness – people will have the ‘gates’ of God’s kingdom opened to them. Their ‘door’ to God will be (re)opened. Think about how many of our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers have had their ‘door’ to God slammed shut in their face – for any number of reasons.
How can you, so to speak, take out your ‘kingdom key’ and begin to unlock someone’s door back to God?
If their door is closed because they’re angry at God, maybe you can listen to them and empathize with their anger. If their door is closed because they don’t think God can possibly love them after what they’ve done, maybe you can find a way to show them God’s merciful and forgiving love. If their door is closed because they’ve been hurt by the church or a Christian in the past, maybe you can begin to change their view of churches or Christians through your actions. The possibilities are only limited by our imaginations and God’s inspiration!
But we have to go and do it.
Jesus has made it so that what we say and do has real consequences on heaven and on earth – so let’s be committed to serving him how we can!