Pastor's Parchment

New Year, Same Focus

When I was an active young boy, I loved to play with magnifying glasses. I found little plastic ones in Cracker Jack boxes. I also played with bigger glass lenses my brother brought home from school. What would I do with them? I would focus sunlight on unsuspecting insects. My favorites were ants. When the light hit their bodies like a laser, they would squirm and…I don't think I should go into anymore details. I learned from that exercise the benefit of using a focusing instrument. The purpose I had was to burn ants, but I would not have been effective without the magnifying glass. In the same way, we have an English Ministry focus statement. It is not in itself the end purpose of our ministry. Rather, it helps us direct our energies in the right place so that we can become effective in fulfilling God's purposes for us as a ministry.

What is our focus statement? It is to Grow a Community of Faith by Building One Another Up Into the Likeness of Christ Through God's Love. Let's say that the magnifying glass of our ministry is "Growing a Community of Faith…" How could this focus help us? In ministry, our tendency is to place our emphasis on the specific tasks of the mission Christ gave us (e.g., setting up outreaches to those spiritually seeking, holding Bible studies, singing songs, etc.). In the process, we may see people as resources to handle tasks and implement programs.

But what may be lost in all this activity is the spiritual development of those people performing the tasks (individual members of the community). In this case, what needs to be done is focus the attention back on individuals. This focus on the individual may take the form of encouragement, teaching, prayer, comforting, or keeping them accountable to personal times with God (what ways has God prompted us to contribute to others growth?). When members direct their energies to others in this way, all brothers and sisters are built up. Then, each one is able to perform tasks more effectively. Why? Because we have treated one another as parts of a living organism--one whose health and growth is just as important as the job it performs.

For example, Paul described the church as the Body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12); and Peter described the church as a Spiritual House (see 1 Peter 2). In both of these illustrations, the biblical writers remind us we belong to something alive. In other words, the church is an organism, not an organization. In an organism, such as the human body, every cell, every tissue, and every organ is vital to the well-being and growth of the body. At the same time, every member works for the common health (good) of the Body (1 Corinthians 12:7). 

For this reason the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians to put great stress on building up the body of Christ: (11) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up... (Ephesians 4:11-12). For us to grow as a Body, we as God's people must be prepared for service and to serve one another. What is our purpose in service? Our purpose in serving is to build one another up spiritually.

The Apostle Paul continued in his letter: (13) …until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. We can tell if we are growing as a community when we are, as a corporate body and as individuals, becoming like Christ in fullness.

An athlete cannot run a race if he is not in good shape. A soldier cannot battle if he has not been well trained. Likewise, we cannot properly run the race nor can we fight the battle God has set before us if we are not a growing spiritual body. Do we dream great dreams of God for our ministry? Do we desire to grow deeply and richly in our faith? Then each one of us needs to make a commitment before God to build up others of the community (Body of Christ) using the gifts and strength God gives. Let us do so with joy and zeal, to the glory of our God.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 1 Cor 12:12

What about numerical growth? Throughout the book of Acts, Luke tells us that it was God who added to the numbers of the first century church. As the church grew in their love for one another and as they grew in their fear and worship of God they naturally loved others into their fold (see Acts 2:42-47). In the same way, God will continue to grow us numerically as He directs.

That is what we mean by a growing community. The statement reminds us that we cannot effectively carry out any stated church goals or mission if we are not first a community--a family. 

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