THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

What does the blank do?

 So, I hope you can see that the way we fill in the blank changes the way we live, gather, and worship. Just think with me about the example of a worship service…
 If the purpose of the church is mission, we’d be structuring our church and worship experience to be the most inviting, welcoming, and appropriate experience as possible to outsiders. What we like wouldn’t matter as much as what others would like. The songs we like shouldn’t matter as much as singing songs the people we’re trying to reach would like. The way we decorate shouldn’t be what we like the best, but what we feel those who aren’t coming on Sundays would like. We think of others, or those outside of the church, more than we think of ourselves. 
 This isn’t always easy to do. There are things about church that we really like. Things that we are used to. Traditions we have come to accept that we feel can’t or shouldn’t be changed. 
 But what if changing would help others outside of the church to feel God is more relatable and relevant? What if changing how we do things without changing the message of what we believe would help others experience God’s love and forgiveness? Would that be worth it? Wouldn’t that please God? Wouldn’t that be in line with the reason church is designed to exist? 
 The one thing we can’t do anymore in heaven is mission – or reaching out to other people. 
 That’s why Jesus said, “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 all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:19, 20). 

Pastor Steve