as we began speaking with this congregation years ago about the possibilty of leading them as their pastor, i began trying to seek what the Lord what have me to teach, to lead, what vision did He have for me to impart to the people. the Lord's reply within the stillness of my heart and mind was not a new mission/vision, just to help them accomplish the one they had--to help the congregation engage the world in a way as if Christ were moving through them.
as i prayed and thought, wrote and dreamed, the verse from Micah 6:8 continually came to my heart, "He has shown you, o man, what is good. and what does the Lord require of you? but to act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
as i medidated on these three godly requirements, it became increasingly clear to me that these would become the strategy, the means to which every member could commit themselves individually to fulfill the mission, and the framework around which we could focus our existing ministries or build new minsitries. the challenge became, how can we communicate these godly requirements strategically, creatively, simply so that anyone could remember them, but also in a way that it reminded them to act on them. so i summarized those three requirements in these three words, serve love pray
i never thought that these three words would make such a mark on my life -- i wanted them to mark our congregation, and be embraced by them to fulfill them, and thus fulfill our mission. i never anticipated how the linking of these three terms would resonate with others and become a source of inspiration and conviction. i never imagined simply typing these three words in a search engine would lead to our ministries. those things weren't on my radar -- i simply wanted a plan to help the congregation know how to do the thing they felt the Lord impressing on them to do.
to act justly means to bring about justice (equity, fairness, righteousness) in an area which lacks or is suffering from injustice. to do this means to get involved--to serve the need. but when you get involved in injustice, you're getting into a mess. you're getting involved in some "stuff." you're not going to be able to walk out clean -- you'll get dirty, you'll get challenged, you'll get broken. you can't make a checklist of injustices and start planning your palm and calendar around how long it will take to correct or bring it to justice. it's a day-to-day, relational, involved process -- often 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Just as God sent the Son out of glory to step into our mess, so we as his ambassadors with his servant-heart ought to likewise step into areas of injustice. acting justly may best be imagined through muddy feet.
to love mercy is to love completely. it's easy to love with grace--many believers and churches exel at love with grace, but fail in the area of mercy. as i've written on this blog before, grace begins the relationship. grace says i'll accept you with a clean slate and begin relating to you. but when there's a wrong, an error, a mistake, an abuse, or the mundane, routine -- mercy steps in and keeps you in relationship. mercy doesn't write you off, but it doesn't excuse away the wrong, either. mercy says, 'you're valued, this relationship is valued--let's begin again, but figure out how we can continue better than before." our God is rich in mercy, according to the Scriptures; so when we, His church/His people, are called to love as He loves us, then it ought to be a complete love, including both grace and mercy. if acting justly is best depicted by muddy feet, then loving mercy may be the extension of warm hands.
to walk humbly with your God, is perhaps the most beautiful and complete Scriptural imagery. i love the idea of walking with God -- that we're not just sitting on a hillside, basking in the sunlight. no, God has places to go, people to see and love, and we get to go along and participate--we're moving with Him. humbly--that is, not defiantly, not proud, not independently--when we recognize who God is, and who we are in relation to him, the result is humility. as i've said before, i say again, "if our relationship with God can be likened to a walk, then prayer is the road." prayer is communicating with the Lord to know where He's going, what He desires, what He's up to -- prayer is also the humble recognition that we need God. to not pray is a proud and defiant posture to His presence, that's why it should become a natural expression, as Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, 'pray continually' (1 Thessalonians 5:17). the final imagery then is with calloused knees.
God's instructions are always so complete--these Godly requirements that have formed our ministry strategy, also form the beginning of core values. we value service to the needs of others. we value loving one another in accountable relationships. we value prayer--individually, corporately, for others and with others--prayer of all types for all seasons.
so, we've seen the mission give way to the vision. we've seen the ministry strategy and the core values--but that's not it. if it were, it would still be just good intentions. there are other levels that have to be fleshed out so that the intention becomes practice and the practice become reality. the next level is the tactical level -- what tactics go along with each strategy to help create the reality. the tactics become the filters -- what are we doing, how does it fit through the filter? if it does, keep it--if it doesn't, tweak it or toss it.
over the next several weeks, we're gonna lay the foundation of tactics for the love strategy--specifically, how do we move people into deeper, accountable relationships with each other and with God. we could easily lay out all kinds of tactical projects/programs/services/events for the serve strategy -- we have many, and many are talked about each week. but how do we move folks into relatiohship, because that's what the love of God desires and what the church should facilitate. if we can begin laying this foundation, and begin filtering our ministries and our efforts, then as we serve we can also take the few that come in and want to know more, who want to connect, and help them know our Lord and one another.
these tactical strategies wll be based upon a home--they're loosely based upon the imagery of the Northpoint (GA) Church's assimilation strategy known as "foyer, living room, kitchen." the serve tactics will be under the "welcome mat" category once we start elaborating on those. the love tactics will be "front door, dining room, family room," and we'll start speaking on these next weekend.
Mission UK is quickly approaching, July 20-30 -- it's quickly approaching because i have to set our reservations in the next month and i've not yet raised all my funds!!! i'm not doubting i will be able to go, i would just like to ask again for your help.
i of course need prayer for our group - we need prayer for preparation spiritually, relationally, politically, and financially. pray for our spiritual preparation as we get ready to learn about the challenges of ministering in western Europe--the lessons learned here will help us in preparing a strong missional partnership with our UK brothers and sisters, while also encouraging our own witness here in the states. pray for our relational preparation that we can overcome any cultural, linguistic, or preference barriers that the enemy may use to discourage us or our hosts. pray for policital preparation that those still awaiting passports to clear may see that quickly issued. pray for our financial preparation as we raise our funds, secure the best airfare and other expenses that we'll be facing.
to support financially, please send a check payable to "6th Avenue Church of God" to 716-6th Avenue S.E., Decatur, AL 35601. indicate "Mission/pastor" on the Memo line of your check. we will send you a receipt for your contribution that you can use in the preparation of your tax returns next year.
to add some motivation for your support, i will send you a gift based on certain donations. look at the list below and see how you may want to contribute. supplies are limited, so please act quickly...
$15 donation - first 5 donations at this level will receive the book "Know Him, Serve Him," a helpful book connecting the love of God and the love for others (paperback)
$25 donation - first donation at this level (1 book available) "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell -- a great book with a unique perspective on faith and discipleship (paperback)
$100 or more donation -- Framed motivational prints -- each of the pictures are poster prints with a metallic frame. The first four donations of $100 or more, will receive one of these prints -- you can indicate your preference, but i can only send what i have left. the quotes on each of the pictures respectively are:
Leadership - A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, shows the way (silver frame)
Teamwork -When we all work together we all win together (black frame)
Possibilities - The only way to discover the limits of the possible are to go beyond them into the impossible (gold frame)
Challenge - Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction (gold frame)
thank you for all your prayers and support
over the next several weeks, we're going to be laying the ground work to share a new tactical strategy to how we move ourselves and others into deeper love relationships with God and each other. this strategy will become the filter for how we construct ministries to fulfill the "love" component of our overall ministry strategy, "serve love pray."
but before we start talking about the ministry strategy, we've gotta begin on the foundations of that strategy--the mission, the vision, and then remembering what the big picture of that ministry strategy meant. then we'll start looking at how we can fulfil the love aspect.
so each week, i hope to re-write parts of the Sleepyheads message, maybe with more detail and examples than that service time allows. if you would like to listen to any of those messages and the resulting dialogue, you can always go to the Sleepyheads site. eventually, parts of these will show up on our church visit6th site.
so here's the schedule based on the Sunday date,
April 15 - Mission/Vision
April 22 - serve love pray
April 29 - Front Door
May 6 - Dining Room
May 13 - Family Room
May 20 - Conclusion
so, the mission and the vision...
before i get into explaining all of that, consider the following Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:13-15, 18-6:2; Romans 10:13-15
If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ...All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
...for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
the mission of 6th Avenue Church of God, as we've recently re-written it is "To lead believers, individually and corporately to Glorify God, by Touching the World for Christ." Parts of this pre-date my leadership by many years -- other parts have been added to help clarify the how and why. (we've recently put all of this together as a part of the work our leadership has been doing). the mission of the congregation is the big picture frame, that part which shouldn't change regardless of changes culturally, in leadership, or personalities within the congregation. we were drawn to 6th Avenue's statement of "touching the world for Christ" -- we wanted to know how they were doing this? what international partnerships existed? what difference was being made in their local world? after not getting very clear comprehensive answers, we knew a large part of our leadership would be to help them pursue and meet the purposes of the mission they felt called to fulfill.
with leadership comes vision. how does the leader receive and perceive the picture of what this large, gaudy mission frames. in my mind, through my understanding of the congregation God has called me to lead as a part of His revolutionary Kingdom force in Decatur and for the world, this is how i see our vision: "that others in our world, from Decatur to every continent, would be able to see and know God because we got involved strategically, creatively, and compassionately."
so, let's break down that mission and vision...
when an editor prints text on a page, he knows it is only legible if the reader is close enough, and gives attention to reading the text. but if the editor wants people not to miss the story, they will add depth, thickness, and size to the text so that it is considerably larger, and the mere passerby wll be drawn to the message of the text and desire to read more of the fine print. in the same way, to glorify means literally to "add weight, or increase worth" -- we are called as amabassadors of Christ to make the message and image of God through Jesus Christ so clear, so unmistakeable, that people will be able to recognize, come to know, and receive Him.
Touching the World for Christ, that is continuing the ministry of Christ to Glorify God, is a BHAG--Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal--especially for a congregation of 40+. But i want to be a part of trying the impossible, and watching God make up the difference because we were willing to risk, willing to reach, willing to step out for His name's sake.
the first part of Paul's words quoted above essentially say, if we're talking crazy, attempting the irrational--it's for God. i want to risk all for Him who gave all for us. but the second part of Paul's statement essentially says, if we're speaking rationally, strategically, it's for you. as a leader, i cannot just hang the BHAG out there and expect it to be fulfilled -- i have to continually, patiently, and tactfully help each to understand why, how, when, and where the different aspects of this vision can be fulfilled -- i have to help us see this strategically, which brings us through the vision and eventually to the ministry strategy.
from Austin to East Acres, from Alabama to South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand (for the Australia/south Pacific rim) -- we want to be a part of ministering and partnering with ministries that makes people in those areas say, "i have seen and know God because these people got involved."
we need to do this strategically -- each aspect of our ministry strategy (serve, love, pray) needs to be further broken down into doable, measurable, and filtering tactics so that as the strategy is fulfilled, so too the vision will be fulfilled. each part of serve love pray touches the others--enabling a recycling of effort and activities. i'm having us begin in the middle with love, for that is how others will know we belong to God, represent God, and draw others to God as well as holding us firmly in unity. we'll explain new aspects of that strategy in afew weeks. we have to likewise be strategic internationally -- if we want to have worldwide impact, we need to be in missional partnerships with a church or group of churches on every continent -- we're attempting to that by 2010 (now that's really a BHAG)!
we need to do this creatively--if we keep doing what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got. we cannot fulfill the definition of insanity (doing the same things over and over and expecting different results) on the way to touching the world for Christ. we have to understand the people in our immediate and surrounding communities--we need to understand their needs, their preferences, their language--we need to begin, as Jesus did, where they are, with what they understand, and lead them to the truth. Sleepyheads is an example of trying to creatively speak into a part of our community that has given up on church or never tried church. our use of technology and internet are also creative attempts -- we're not experts, but we're not going to wait until we are, either. similarly, we hope by sharing international perspectives, we can learn from and be encouraged, while similarly encouraging our brothers and sisters across the world, to see creative solutions to the obstacles to the Gospel.
and, we need to do this compassionately -- acting in the compassion of Christ, along with the character of Christ, is the wholeness of holiness. through such service, the love of God is fulfilled in our company and through our conduct, bringing Glory to Him. Angel Food has become an avenue of such compassion: as we serve our community, we meet them, develop trust, learn about each other, and we can offer further service along the way. our international missions trips also provide opportunities to act compassionately.
that is our mission; that is how i see the vision. our corresponding ministry strategy "serve love pray" will give us the means to fulfill them both--more on that next week...
