A Church On Mission
We made it home from our trip to Alaska last Friday, exhausted but also overwhelmed with gratitude for a great trip. There were thirteen of us who made the trip, and as I said on Sunday, you would have been so proud of your TCASC team. They worked so hard, and served so faithfully, in the name of Jesus. More than anything, we worked together as the body of Christ, in a way that was honoring to the Lord, "as each part did its work." (Ephesians 4:16).
It was the second "mission trip" for our church this summer. Earlier in June, a group of 32 of our youth and their adult leaders made the trip to Chickasha, Oklahoma to serve alongside a sister church there to provide an all-day Vacation Bible School to the children of their community. They worked long, hot days serving those kids and sharing the gospel with them and their families. And only eternity will tell the impact that was made through their ministry that week.
But those who went to Alaska and Oklahoma are just a small number of those from our church who have lived their life "on mission" in the past year, sharing the gospel with the lost, caring for the hurting, discipling new believers, serving food to needy families, providing support and care for families of children with special needs, and reaching out to those in prison, among other things.
And that doesn't even include the dozens of ministries and missionaries around the world with which our church partners, both with our prayers and our financial resources, to share the gospel, plant churches, and meet the needs of the orphan and widow. As you may know, our church budget takes a very generous percentage off the top of our general offerings that goes straight to missions causes, administered by our Missions Team. And don't forget the special offering of over $1,200 collected by our VBS kids in June, which went to the VFS "Backpack Buddies" feeding program to provide food for local students considered at-risk for food insecurity.
Theologian Emil Brunner famously said, "The church exists by missions, just as fire exists by burning." He was saying that a church that is not "on mission" is like a fire that is not burning. In other words, there's no such thing. Whatever it is, it's not really being a church. When we cease to be missional in our theology and our methodology, in how we think and in what we do, then we stop functioning as the New Testament church. We're merely a social club, interested only in our own comfort and well-being. And that doesn't look anything like the Biblical picture of the Body of Christ.
One of our themes we shared on our last night in Alaska last week was that even as we got on a plane and headed home our "mission trip" continued. And that is true for each and every one of us. The mission never stops. We all have a role in our being a mission-focused body, whether it's going, praying, giving or just living the gospel on your block every day. Thanks be to God that we're doing that a little more each day. And thanks to each of you for your obedience in following Jesus.
John Piper once wrote that all of us as Christians really have just three options when it comes to missions: "Go, send...or disobey." I hope you will find your role and be an active participant in the mission to which each of us have been called.
And in that light, I also wanted to express, on behalf of our team, our appreciation for our church sending us to Alaska last week. We truly counted it a privilege to serve the Lord and the people there as representatives of The Church at Shelby Crossings. Likewise, let me say that it is such a joy to serve you--and serve with you--as the pastor of such a great church. I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
--Pastor Ken
