|
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
[Matthew 28:19-20 HCSB]
|
|
Exceptional
The congregation I lead is in the midst of a wonderful campaign designed to reform the church in preparation for massive growth coming to our area. I have been blessed to attend dozens of meetings within our church family, where I have heard a few versions of this excellent question:
I adore our church and think it is exceptional! Are you concerned that if we keep growing we will possibly lose what makes the church so exceptional?
I answer that the scriptures call us to live in tune with God’s Word and in touch with God’s world. So long as the church draws its marching orders from scripture alone, the tone never changes despite any shifts in scale. Conversely, if we stop resonating exclusively with God’s Word, we will become unexceptional – and that quickly – no matter our size.
In the same way, we will lose any Christ-like distinctiveness the moment we stop reaching out to touch God’s world. This is especially important where I live, as most of our newcomers are relocating from dramatically unchurched parts of America. Our situation is very similar to what Eric Metaxas describes in his new book If You Can Keep It:
There’s a paradox at the center of what’s been called American exceptionalism. It’s that a significant part of what makes us exceptional is that in some sense we are nation with a mission beyond ourselves and beyond our borders. We are a nation with a mission to the rest of the world. The idea is startling but inescapable. If we are to keep the republic, then, our keeping it is not merely for our own sake. This is a big idea, not often heard. And it can be stretched in the wrong direction. But at its core it is true and extremely important.
Substitute “church” for “American” and “body” for “nation” and this becomes a pretty good commentary on Jesus’ great commission. By the way, Metaxas goes on to point out that America learned that exceptionalism from her churches. He also stresses the import of laws for the country even as we would stress the significance of a church staying in tune with God’s Word. The goal is never to lose what makes us great – by inviting and training others to participate in it.
|