“Be” the Church

I’ve been working with the Spiritual Growth Team over the last 2 months to define what our goals should be for the next 5 years. This has been fun and also a difficult process. Especially when you think about all the age groups represented: Birth - Sr. Adult.

One thing that all of us, in one form or another, have mentioned is that we desire to help believers “Be” the Church. What’s meant by that is far reaching. I read today in a blog what might be the best definition so far.  Ponder this:

A common definition of discipleship might be:

• Accept Jesus and ask him into your heart.
• Don’t do bad things now.
• Withdraw from culture.
• Hang out with Christians.
• Go to church.
• Read your Bible and pray.
• Be happy that you are saved and not going to hell.
• Tell other people about how happy they can be if they follow those seven steps.

Jesus actually calls us in this way:

• I want your whole life - everything - including your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
• I want to form myself in you.
• I want to transform you and then have you transform culture.
• I want you to be in the world as I was.
• I want you to be the church, the incarnation of me.
• I want you to embody the Word to others.
• I am giving you abundant life now and will do so throughout eternity.
• Be my hands and feet in this world and see people as people, not projects to convert.

Kary Oberbruner is defining discipleship and I love his definition. There is such a fundamental problem in defining what a “Disciple of Christ” is with the first list. The second list is much more like what we were trying to describe.

Think about how different “The CHURCH” would be viewed if we as believers lived like the second definition. Think about how “The CHURCH” should be taught if we used the second definition.

This information was posted on: Mark Waltz:..because People Matter. He is quoting from the book CALLED: Becoming Who You Were Born to Be, by Kary Oberbruner. Looks like I’ve got another book to add to my reading list.