Living missionally is not about doing missions; it’s about embracing a missionary lifestyle. It is an awareness of your individual circle of influence and seeking to make the Savior known within. It is an understanding of your distinct context and purposefully living out the Gospel within. It is a determination to live in such a way that others will see the difference the Gospel makes by the way we love, care for, and serve others in Jesus’ name. People are watching. They make determinations about the validity, worthiness, and purpose of our faith by the way we live out our faith and not the way we talk about our faith. Christians today are viewed much differently by the world than they were in the first and second century.

“They dwell in their countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all others; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death and restored to life. They are poor yet make many rich, they are in lack of all things an yet abound in all; they are dishonored and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of and yet are justified; they are reviled and bless; they are insulted and repay the insult with honor; they do good yet are punished as evildoers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred. To sum it all up in one word – what the soul is to the body, that are Christians in the world.”

The Epistle to Diognetes, early Christian writing – AD 130

Early Christians understood missional living before missional living was a thing. Early Christians were living on-mission long before living on-mission was a thing. One can only imagine how different our world would be today if the same things were being said of the Christian community the twenty-first century.

Jesus Christ left the task of making disciples to His Church. A disciple is one who intentionally places themselves under the authority of one more experienced, so they may learn from their life and experiences. In context of the Great Commission, a disciple is a person who intentionally places themselves under the teaching of God’s Word with the goal of becoming more like Christ in their actions, attitudes, passions, and priorities. Before a person can place themselves under the authority of Christ for instruction, he/she must first know Him. Knowing Christ and sharing Christ are inextricably linked. Sharing Christ is the responsibility of every believer. Our sharing of Jesus with others is to be a lifestyle rather than an activity. Why should we share our faith with others? Why should we take time to tell others about the message of hope through Jesus? Why should we take time to verbalize the heart-change we have experienced? Let me suggest a few reasons.

1. Jesus left every believer the command to testify of Him. There is something special about the last words a person speaks. At His ascension, Jesus told His disciples, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
2. Lostness is real. Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Real people die a real death and will come face-to-face with a real God who will execute a real judgment. That a person’s lostness will place them on negative side of God’s judgment should frighten us.
3. God’s chosen method for the lost to hear the gospel is for the believer to tell them. I don’t know why God left this tremendous task to us. We are so unfaithful. I am certain God could have found a more productive and effective method of gospel delivery than us. Perhaps His doing so has something to do with the fact that God, through Jesus Christ, redeemed us. Only the redeemed can testify of redemption. Those who have been changed by God’s grace are the most obvious ones to communicate that message to others.
4. Someone once cared enough about us to share Christ with us. Do we care enough about the souls of lost friends and family members to tell them of the hope that Jesus Christ offers? I hope we do. Our actions will tell the tale.

 

 

Within every profession, service industry, and organization, there are secret languages understood only by its patrons. For example, walk into a Starbucks and listen to the customers order their favorite drink. You are likely to hear a combination of words and phrases that would lead you to believe aliens had landed from the far side of the moon. My usual Starbucks order sounds like this, “I’ll have a venti bold with no room.” What I am saying to the barista is this, “I will have your largest and strongest coffee, and by the way, I do not need room for cream.” Businesses have created environments that require consumers to learn a language specific to the product they wish to consume. This may or may not be intentional. What they are saying is this, “If you want to be part of our group you need to learn our language.” Sound unfair? Before you answer, think about the church?

Before we blame businesses for requiring us to learn a foreign language, let’s look at how the Christian church is at times guilty of the same practice. I believe most would agree that Christians have a specific lingo and vernacular that we are comfortable with. We use phrases and words that may leave the first-time guest in our services scratching their head and asking, “What are they talking about?” We use words such as advent, apostle, disciple, rapture, righteous, sanctification, elect, trinity, covenant, redemption, and salvation much like we would car, home, cheeseburger, chair, or grass. Phrases such as “washed in the blood”, “give your heart to Jesus”, “profession of faith”, and “walk down the aisle” roll off our church-influenced tongues the same as “turn off the light”, “answer the phone”, and “wash the car.” Think of the questions that must run through the mind of the person who has never been in church before: “Is that going to hurt?”, “You’re asking me to do what?”, “Is that legal?” I may be exaggerating a bit, but I think you get my point.

As a pastor, I believe the church has a responsibility to remove barriers that keep individuals with no personal relationship with Jesus Christ from coming to know Him. Barriers such as personal preferences, fear, and past hurt are hard enough to overcome without imposing a new language for which Rosetta Stone hasn’t even written software yet. I am becoming increasingly aware the guests in our worship services have no idea what we are talking about at times. What should we do? First, it is important to acknowledge the fact that we are guilty of speaking “church.” Second, I believe every ministry leader should ask this question when communicating: “Will the words I have written and spoken be clearly understood by someone who has never been in church before?” We owe it to the first-time guest, the seeker, and the believer desiring to serve the Lord our commitment to remove the barriers that would hinder them – including our church language.

Aristotle once said, “The desire for friendship comes quickly; friendship does not”. Within each one is the desire to share life with others. There is a desire for intimacy. There is a desire to have people in our lives with whom we connect on a deeper level. There is a desire to be part of a community that shares the same beliefs, values, and interests. Building healthy and meaningful friendships requires work. They do not just “happen”. It is real work. When I speak of work, I am not saying that making friends and building lasting friendships is a job. I am saying that it requires giving up time in our already busy lives to the pursuit of friendship.

I believe we structure ourselves out of the opportunity to build authentic and lasting friendships. We learn to make friends at an early age. Remember as a child the times of simply “hanging out” together. Kids would spend the night at each other’s homes where they would get to know the family and vice versa. Tree houses, sandlot football, bicycle riding, fishing, and camping were not just ways to pass the time but were avenues to strengthening and deepening friendships. We don’t see too much of this anymore.

Social media has taken the world by storm. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, and other social media sites are growing in popularity among all ages. The very essence of platforms such as these sites is that of friendship and connection. They offer an avenue of keeping up with established friendships and for the establishment of new ones. These sites allow for the constant and immediate answer to the questions, “Where are you and what are you doing?” Having “friends” on Facebook and “followers” on Twitter assists in connection. The only question that must be answered is this one: Are these social networking sites capable of reproducing authentic and genuine friendships in the lives of people? I would have to say no.

Aristotle also said, “Close friends share salt together”. I believe there is a great deal of truth in his statement. Close friends share meals together. They sit across from each other and share time, struggles, victories, tears, family, hurts, and laughs.  I am not saying that social networking sites are bad. I am not saying that they do not have a purpose. I blog, use Facebook and Twitter too. Is social networking eroding the fabric of genuine authentic friendships? I would say. Social networking sites promote social connectivity. This is not the same as intimate friendships. I see this erosion, or the slow wearing away, of authentic friendships taking place when the preference becomes a computer or smartphone screen instead of a face-to-face conversation. This erosion can be seen when we would rather engage in online chatting instead of in-person communication. Although we hail the progress of technology today, and there have been some good advancements, I believe that making it possible to communicate and never have to sit down face-to-face separates us as people. Instead of saying, “Let’s get together for lunch and talk”, we say “I’ll email you.” Instead of picking up the phone and phone and talking to someone, we text them. If we are not careful, we will forget how to relate to people all together.

Again, let me say that I am not against social networking, or technology for that matter. I believe strongly in the value of face-to-face communication. We should make every effort to maintain personal contact with one another. It is invaluable.

 

With the Thanksgiving holiday over, our attention turns to Christmas. Among the many things the Christmas season brings, one is the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The LMCO is Southern Baptists’ annual missions offering which supports the work of our missionaries on the international field. This offering aids in keeping our missionaries on the field. They continue to disciple new believers, teach, preach the Gospel, plant churches, and build partnerships within their people groups without the burden of coming state-side to fund raise. Every single dollar collected directly supports our missionaries and the work in their respective countries and among their respective people groups. This offering is especially close to my heart. Since 1996, I have been a part of seven International Mission Board Short-Term Work and Witness Teams, serving alongside three missionary couples in Honduras and Nicaragua. I have witnessed how the money collected through the LMCO is used in every day ministry. Our missionaries are very mindful of the sacrifices believers back home make to support their calling and work. Not only are they mindful of the sacrifices made, they are incredible stewards of the gifts. Our missionaries stretch every penny knowing that someone they have likely never met, in a church they have likely never been to, decided to give in order to help connect the lost to the Gospel through their efforts. Having witnessed this first hand, I can wholeheartedly champion the cause for their support and advocate for the continuance of God’s work around the world through these selfless individuals.

For 2018, the International Mission Board has selected Every Church. Every Nation. as the theme for this offering. This is a powerful and challenging. It is not possible for every person to serve on the foreign mission field. In addition to those who would go, there are more needed to pray and give. The LMCO allows churches of all sizes, styles, and structures to be involved in funding our missionaries. Because of our cooperative effort, we are all equal partners in this endeavor. We are called to every nation. There is no one, regardless of their remoteness, that does not deserve to hear the good news of the Gospel. The Gospel must reach them in time. The LMCO allows our resources to be pooled in order to reach every people group from every nation. It is a monumental task. It is a non-negotiable commission. It is a gospel-driven responsibility we all have. Together, we can.

Pray. Give. Go.

I am thankful for the many voices, resources, institutions, and ministries that are actively assisting churches today in living out a missional lifestyle. Our communities, cities, and states are ever-evolving. For that reason it is critical that the local church be the missionary for the gospel in their given field. I hope this collection of thinkers and ministries will further challenge you to live a missional lifestyle. They have certainly challenged me.

Read: When Missions Shapes the Mission; You and Your Church Can Reach the World by David Horner. Born out of a research study of evangelical churches and their commitment to making Christ known worldwide, Horner makes an impassioned plea to place the biblical missions mandate at the center of the church’s life. He offers theological, practical, and personal implications of missions shaping the overall mission of the church. This book has made an impact on our missions team who worked through it this year.

Follow: Mark Clifton. Mark is the Director of Church Replanting at the North American Mission Board author of the outstanding replant book, Reclaiming Glory; Revitalizing Dying Churches. His passion and concern for seeing dying churches live again through replanting and revitalization is very much needed today. His experience in replanting and revitalization makes his voice worth listening to. Follow him on Twitter – @johnmarkclifton

Meet: Heifer International. Their purpose is to “empower families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity”. Heifer brings sustainable agriculture and commerce to communities with a long history of poverty. This happens through the provision of farm animals that provide both food and reliable income in the form of agricultural products such as milk, eggs and honey that can be traded or sold at market. Families in turn pass on farm animals to other communities who have similar need. This sustainable income brings opportunities for building school and funding small businesses. Follow them on Twitter – @Heifer

FYI: According to NAMB research in 2017, more than half of all churches started by Southern Baptists each year identify as ethic or multiethnic.

 

I enjoy writing. I enjoy turning internal thoughts, ideas, fears, feelings, and emotions into external words for others to read. I enjoy the process of organizing thoughts, arranging sentences, revising, revising again, and presenting the thoughts I have wrestled with. I enjoy the sound that a pen makes as it pushes its way across the vast emptiness of paper. There are days when writing is very easy for me- almost second-nature. There are days and seasons when this is agonizingly difficult. It almost hurts to have something to say and not be able to put it into words. I do not make a living through writing primarily. It is however a big part of who I am as a person and a pastor. You may ask, “If it’s not your primary task, why?” You may ask, “With all the other duties and responsibilities you have, why take the time and write?” “If it so agonizing at times, why bother?” All good questions. Allow me to answer.

I write because blank pages hold great promise and immense potential. The Declaration of Independence began as a blank page that would later be filled with words decrying the British throne and words confidently for the establishment of a new nation anchored in certain personal freedoms. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation began as a blank page that would later cry out against the human tragedy of slavery and state the truth all men all created equal. Iconic poems, short stories, and sermons by Frost, Angelou, Wells, Poe, and King all had their beginnings as blank pages. Works by authors such as Melville, Dickens, Aquinas, Twain, Augustine, Faulkner, Woolf, Austen, Lewis, Rawlings, Hawthorne, Homer, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Orwell, Stowe, Mitchell, and Salinger all began as lifeless blank pages- until the author made them come alive and speak.

Throughout human history, great leaders and thinkers have used the power of words to prick our emotions, enlist us in their causes, voice frustration, challenge our convictions, and shape the course of destiny. These words, when digested, created actions. Many famous works moved readers to think differently, act violently, and dream confidently. Hitler’s Mein Kampf details the political ideology of one of the world’s most notorious dictators. His work would later become the basis of Nazi Germany and impassioned millions of German youth to his cause.  Darwin’s Origin of the Species put forth a theory of natural selection that profoundly challenged orthodox thought and belief; introducing the theory of evolution. Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984 sounded the alarm to the dangers of totalitarianism, surveillance, and censorship. Today, Orwellian phrases like “Big Brother” and “doublespeak” are part of our vernacular.  Augustine’s City of God challenged society to choose which city it wishes to be a part of; marking out the parameters of each choice. He concluded that the purpose of history is to show the unfolding of God’s plan. A notion hotly debated to this day. Paine’s Common Sense presented an argument for independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic among the 13 colonies. Because of its treasonous content toward Britain, it was written anonymously and later framed the discussion for a formal declaration of independence.

I write because words wield great power. Words have the capacity to educate, to inform, to bless, to express love, to articulate hate, to cry out against injustice, to declare war, to call for reform, and can transport us to different times and places. It has been the consistent combination of pen and paper that has for centuries called for revolutions, brought the news to our mailboxes, challenged Americans to serve their country, institute treaties, and dissolved nations. I believe in the power of the pen. Therefore, I write.

Over the past three days I shared what amounts to my heart when it comes to seeing the church engage in ministry and fulfill its God-given assignment in its specific context. I shared our purpose. A carefully crafted statement is not the end goal. I shared our vision. If we’re not careful we will only talk about what we want to become. I shared our core values. These values hold meaning only when we remember our desired outcome – a life transformed for and through Jesus Christ. As I mentioned yesterday, Alan Platt’s book City Changers was impactful and resonated with what I believe God was/is desiring to do with the people who make up First Baptist Church Perry. Platt wrote:

If the church is going to positively affect and even transform Babylon, we’re going to need to make a fundamental paradigm shift in how we approach ministry. A paradigm is a framework of assumptions. True community transformation will mot succeed if all we do is add programs to our existing paradigm. What we’ve been doing in church ministry up to now has been good, but it isn’t big enough. Much of the church’s engagement in the community in the past has focused on benevolence, not really on transformation.

I shared two strategies with you yesterday. Strategies tell us how something will happen. They articulate the path to be taken toward a desired result. Strategies move purpose/mission/vision from the air to the street. This was an important part for our people. If members of churches are consistently told how important mission and ministry is and encouraged to be involved (the air) but are never given a place to live out what they have been encouraged to do (the street), they will remain in a constant state of frustration and confusion. Below are our two remaining strategies for moving forward.

 Strategy #3: We live in a community suffering from the breakdown of the physical, emotional, and socioeconomic health of the family unit. We will be prepared to assist in ministering to the needs of families and be a source of hope and help in our community. 

 Neighborhood Adoption

• We will seek neighborhood/multi-housing units with whom we can form partnerships with the goal of establishing Bible studies that would serve as a bridge from the community to the church. This will require meeting with housing unit managers and asking them how we may serve their residents.

Evangelistic Block Parties

• This is linked to the point above. Block parties are key to forming relationships within neighborhoods through activities for children. It is very important that we put in the work necessary to form/strengthen relationships within the community.
• We have purchased our own portable ministry trailer and equipping it with bounce house, concession equipment, tents, and games that will allow us to enter a neighborhood/event and set up for block party with little effort. We envision its use during VBS, Upward, Back to School Bash, Fall Festival, and other community events, as well as for carrying equipment for our mission teams serving within the state/region.

Seasonal Events

• We will seek to schedule events throughout the year that allow First Baptist Church to serve people in a meaningful way that strengthens families (back to school events and school supplies, outdoor family movie nights, etc.)
• I envision one Sunday a year to be designated as “Be the Church” Sunday where we will mobilize our people to serve in strategic, pre-arranged projects throughout our community in lieu of our traditional worship service. What better way to show our community what we care about them by giving up, for one day, our time of corporate gathering to serve them.
• I envision a city-wide initiative under the name “Serve Taylor.” This initiative would bring together churches once a year for a few hours on Saturday in service projects all around Perry/Taylor County simultaneously. Our community needs to witness the body of Christ in action together.

Social Service Agencies

• Services are needed for struggling families that will aid them in becoming better equipped in the workforce and at home. We should work alongside agencies who are providing job skill training (resume writing, interviews, etc.) and determine how we can be of assistance. Perhaps space in a newly renovated Missions Center could be devoted to this effort (computer lab, etc.)

City/County/Law Enforcement/Judicial/Business/Health Facilities

• Pastors and church leaders from across the county meet weekly with county, city, and school district officials. These officials share with the pastors their challenges and how they can be prayed for. Churches are being asked for help in making a positive difference in our county.

• Our county judge has asked churches who have parenting classes to make them available that he may offer them as an option when such classes are mandatory.
• Business owners, how can you leverage your influence for the sake of the gospel in the community?

Strategy #4: As Southern Baptists, we are connected at the denominational level. We will strengthen our cooperative partnerships that advance the Gospel.

Taylor Baptist Association

Florida Baptist Convention

• Opportunities exist for church to partner with church planters in South Florida through an initiative called “Send South Florida.”
• It is important that we provide opportunities for mission work that does not require our people getting on a plane.
• Disaster Relief

North American Mission Board

• Explore initiatives within NAMB that seek to address generational poverty, literacy, and church revitalization.
• Explore the possibility of partnering with churches within the 32 identified Send Cities with large populations and minimal evangelical presence.

International Mission Board

• Although not an IMB work, we should strengthen our partnership with Clubhouse Guatemala.
• I envision an additional international partnership in the future. To best utilize the various gifts and talents of our people, this additional partnership should consist of work different from that of Clubhouse Guatemala.

There are questions we are asking and must consistently ask if we are to be a Sending Church:

1.  Does our current ministry programming reflect an outward focus?
2. Does our current staffing/committee structure facilitate an outward -focused ministry?
3. How are we preparing people for outward-focused ministry?
4. What are the needs of our city?
5. Who can we partner with?
6. How can we get more people involved?

All of this looks good and easy on paper. I know I am asking a lot from our people. Some of these ideas will come to pass and others will not. Some of these ideas are ongoing and others are seasonal. Some of these ideas will be comfortable for our people and others will not. These strategies embrace a true paradigm shift. What excites me moving forward and encourages me a pastor is the willingness of our people to attempt new things and embrace a way of thinking that may be foreign to them. Will every single member of First Baptist Church buy in and go all in? I would be naïve to say yes. First Baptist Church has a long and storied history: most of it good and some of it bad. I am sure there are certain perceptions of us in our community that are false and others that are true.  What has happened in the past is just that -something that happened in the past. For me, it’s all about moving forward and becoming a Sending Church. We have stayed long enough.

One of the books our Missions Team has been reading together this year is City Changers; Being the Presence of Christ in Your Community by Alan Platt. He challenged us to consider a hard truth: those outside the church will see as meaningless the church’s attempts to engage and connect if we do not genuinely care about them as people first. This became an important truth for us. Platt wrote:

“We can engage Babylon by caring about its people. If you’re bringing a message of change but your attitude and actions reveal that you don’t really care for the people you’re offering it to, not many are likely to want what you’re selling. But if you demonstrate a burdened heart for the people and their hurts, the situation will be different. If you actually care for them as people and families, not to judge them or preach to them but to love them as fellow sojourners, they’ll be more likely to want what you’ve got. This is how we become God’s presence within the world.”

It is important for a church to go outside the walls of the building and into the community. I think most churches believe this, at least in theory. It’s difficult to move from the academic understanding to the practical application. First Baptist Church had struggled with this for years. God is preparing the people here for a different future. We desire to see the people who make up First Baptist Church mobilized and involved in their communities for the sake of the Gospel. Therefore, we want to sponsor or participate in opportunities and make strategic partnerships in the community where First Baptist Church is represented by her members and attendees. These events and partnerships will provide opportunities to engage with individuals and the community at large in ways that are meaningful.  I share the following strategies not as a means of prideful boasting, but as a demonstration of how First Baptist Church will move community ministry from the abstract to the concrete – from somewhere in the air to a certain spot on the ground – from theory to practice – from a good idea to strategic plans.  Based on our context, resources, and vision, we’re pushing forward in four areas. I’ll share the first two today.

Strategy #1: The Taylor County School District is our largest mission field. We will seek to establish long-term partnerships that positively affect the lives of students and their families.

1. Academics

• At Perry Primary School, we have adopted the 2^nd grade for the 2018-2019 school year. This adoption includes prayer support for teachers and students, an annual recognition during Teacher Appreciation Week, assistance with school supplies, etc.
• Also, at Perry Primary School, with Florida Baptist’s Write Beside You School Initiative in view, we are enlisting volunteers to spend one-half hour a week, every week with a student who struggles reading on grade level. Our volunteers will see the same student every week. Consistent time spent with the same student fosters a sense of consistency and trust that many children lack today.
• Our school superintendent has asked for help from the churches of our community. His desire is to have mentors in all schools.

2. Athletics

• Several times last year, First Baptist Church worked the concession stand during Friday night football games. This gave parents of the high school band members an opportunity to watch their children perform on the field. We will continue this partnership this year.
• We will seek opportunities in other sports where our people are already involved as coaches and staff. to be of service to athletes and parents.

Strategy #2: We live in an area prone to natural disaster (hurricanes, storms, flooding, etc.). We will be prepared to assist the members of First Baptist Church, as well as the members of our community when their lives are disrupted, or they are displaced by natural disaster.

 1. Taylor County Emergency Management

• We will strengthen our partnership with TCEM. This partnership will include, at a minimum, the use of our buildings and property in times of sheltering and evacuation. We will continue our service, in conjunction with TCEM, as a cold-weather warming station.

2. Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief

• We will make/have made ourselves available to serve as a place of staging/service in times hurricane/storm relief. This assistance may include the use of parking lots, kitchen, student center, etc.

3. Neighborhood Awareness

• It is important for us to be aware of our immediate neighbors and assist with the after-effects of hurricanes/storms (debris removal, etc.). We will ensure the same assistance for our membership as well.

4. Facilities Renovation

• I believe we have a great deal of under-utilized space in our Student Center. This space has great potential. I envision a renovation of the Student Center. The Student Center would move from a single-use building to multi-purpose Missions Center. The Missions Center would not only be a place primarily for our students to gather, it would be a place to serve the community in a real and meaningful way. This renovation would, at a minimum, include:
  • Shower facilities
  • Laundry facilities
  • A generator that would enable consistent usage during and after a crisis.
  • An improved kitchen
• This newly renovated facility will allow us to prepare food and provide showers/laundry for our membership and community. Also, the space can be utilized by Disaster Relief to coordinate relief work in our area. The laundry facilities could serve a double purpose: usage in times of outages and as a potential outreach/ministry to struggling families/single mothers.
• This Missions Center would also allow us to host mission teams who are serving alongside us in our community. All basic needs would be available.

 

Yesterday I shared with you the beginning of a journey for FBC Perry. It is a journey I had taken before. I 2009, I was called as pastor of a church in South Carolina that I would later define as a staying church in decline. It was there God taught me some things about revitalization and set my heart for leading my congregation from staying to sending status; although I didn’t know that’s what I was doing at the time. There were convictions about ministry and people that were set in my heart forever during that time that I employ today. The people believed, prayed, and worked. It took almost three years for the vision to fully seat. It was not an easy journey, but it was a necessary one. Recently Mark Clifton shook the church-revitalization world when he asked, “What is there about a dying church that brings glory to God?” His answer, “Nothing.” Ouch. Looking back, that makes perfect sense.

Things are different today – different people, context, resources, opportunities, expectations. Thankfully that which is the same is also the most crucial: God’s faithfulness. We have literally just started this journey and is not as easy one. That’s okay, we didn’t think it would be. It is one plagued with questions, setbacks, and misunderstandings. That’s okay, constructing something new is never problem-free. It is a journey I believe started late. That’s okay, it’s not when, where, or how you start, but that you start. It is however a journey with a clear end in mind- to be a sending church. To live in obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and embrace the imperatives of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:35-40), FBC has embraced a vision to become a sending church. The following statement offers a picture of what I believe God desires us to become.

A Sending Church – a community of Christ-followers who consistently mobilize, train, and send members to the mission field, both locally and globally, serving as a place of refuge for many people, including those who are far from God.

For us to achieve God’s vision for our church, there had to be a focus on what truly matters. We must live in the truth that Jim Collins espoused, “Good is the enemy of great.” The following core value statements serve as anchor points and a lens to filter ministry work. These core values will shape our budgeting, refine ministries, and serve as a framework for membership expectations. This is what matters to us.

 The Gospel:

• We believe the Gospel is the greatest love story ever told. It is the message that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life, and who offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, and He rose from the dead the third day. It is our desire that the Gospel is at the center of all that we do. While there are many good things that churches should be doing, above all else we are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ’s love to a lost and dying world. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Mission:

• We believe saved people serve. We choose to live on-mission and be an outwardly-focused church who engages our families, neighbors, co-workers, communities, state, country, and world with the life-changing message of the Gospel. We engage in mission work both locally and globally; putting our God-given talents, passions, and abilities to work in service to others. We long to see the lost find new life in Jesus Christ and believers discover the calling God has placed on their lives. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 10:45, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:19-20)

Growth:

• We believe living things grow. Spiritual growth is about “becoming.” As we pursue Christ-likeness, we are changed from the inside out, becoming more like Christ, and loving others the way He loves us. Spiritual growth requires commitment and focus, and is nurtured by corporate worship, personal and family devotions, Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. (Ephesians 4:11-16, Philippians 3:14, Colossians 1:28, 2 Peter 3:17-18)

Generosity:

• We believe you cannot out-give God. We believe living a significant life and foremost a call to generosity, because we serve a generous God. He has graciously given us everything we have: our life, our breath, and our abilities. He has entrusted these to us out of His great mercy and love. In God’s economy, believers are called to a life giving and sacrifice. We joyfully and sacrificially give of our time, talents, and treasure. It is through the Church we consistently and faithfully support the advancement of the Gospel. (Proverbs 11:24-25, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 1-5, 9:6-8, 1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Community:

• We believe you cannot do life alone. Genuine life-change happens best in the context of relationships. Scripture offers many “one another” statements that remind us of how we are to relate to each other. We believe life-change also happens in the context of community. This includes the concepts of discipleship, vulnerability, and accountability. The image of a solitary Christian life is foreign to the Scriptures. Biblical community affords the believer strength and encouragement, as well as fosters a sense of unity. (John 13:34-35, Acts 2:46, 4:34-35)

Teamwork:

• We believe in pulling together in the same direction. For the Gospel to be made known to our neighbors and the world, we understand the need to surrender our individual preferences and seek God’s perfect will. As we work side by side, we share in the joy of seeing our unique strengths, abilities, and gifts unite to advance God’s kingdom in our community and around the world. We will work under the banner, “In the essentials, unity; in non-essentials, grace; in all things love.” (Psalm 133, Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-33, Philippians 2:2)

Excellence:

• We believe only our best will do. God is worthy of our very best because He gave us His very best for the forgiveness of sin- His Son, Jesus Christ. We believe excellence honors God, reflects His character, and influences people. Therefore, a growing spirit of excellence should permeate every activity and ministry. We strive for excellence without compromise in all areas of our ministry and lives. (Malachi 1:6-14, Colossians 3:17, 23-24)

 People:

• We believe each individual matters to God. As a result, we believe God has commanded us to love and value our neighbors, regardless of their racial, cultural, or socioeconomic background. Because each person is made in the image of God, he/she possesses value and deserves the opportunity to hear the good news of the Gospel. (Genesis 1:26a, Luke 5:30-32, Luke 15)