Today's heading is the title of Sunday's message. It is based on Reggie McNeal's book entitled, Missional Renaissance. He challenges the 21st century church to think differently about how we do church. Instead of being institutionally focused, we need to change our thinking in terms of the real purpose of the church - to be missional in our thinking and doing.
One of the illustrations he uses in his book is about airports. He talks about one in particular in his travels across North America, and how it tries to make you feel that the airport is the destination. It boasts of endless shops and salons, bars and restaurants, and even hotels, and amusement activities for children, to almost make you feel that you never have to leave their property. McNeal points out that the airport is never the destination of where you are going and what you want to do. It is only the connector to get you to the places where you want to go and what you plan to do.
We tend to think in our institutional mindset that the church is the real destination for where people should be going and what they should be doing. But this does not bode well with the Great Commission. Jesus tells us to "Go" in the Great Commission, not to "Come." The church is simply meant to be the connector for deployment into the real purpose of the church - to go.
As we focus on becoming more missional in our thinking over the next few Sundays, hopefully God willl help us to see what it means to go and do as His church. There are places where God is already there, waiting for us to go and be His hands and feet, and His heart and voice, to a lost and dying world. We probably drive by these places every day never giving much thought to the needs of the people who live there.
Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the workers are few." Could it be that we are not willing to go and do His Kingdom work?
Be sure to tune into Sunday, September 11th's message to hear the voice of God say to you: "Go into all the world,..."
Website: http://www.newlifebaptist.ca/
Blessings,
-Leo
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Why can't You read the Signs?
Jesus asked this very important question in Luke chapter 12. He indicated that most people had no problem reading natural signs like, "Red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." This expression is as old as the Bible itself. We know it to mean that a red sky at night is a sign that tomorrow is probably going to be a beautiful day; on the other hand, red sky in the morning means bad weather is on its way.
We can so easily read natural signs; so why can't we read other signs from God, like spiritual signs. One day Jesus looked out over the crowds and was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36). He obviously saw great needs from many helpless people. He was reading a spiritual sign from God. His heart was sensitive to the needs of others which stirred within Him a spirit of compassion. Similar signs are all around us; but are we sensitive enough to see and hear them?
Last Sunday's message dealt with same question in terms of the great famine in the Horn of Africa (check out last Sunday's message at: www.newlifebaptist.ca ). Over 400,000 people have crossed over the border from Somalia into a refugee camp near Dadaab, Kenya. They have settled into a makeshift community designed to handle only 90,000 people.
Could these people be the same type of crowd that Jesus saw in Matthew 9:36? They certainly are helpless to the famine around them. Not only are they victims of natural disaster, but also of the greed of evil men. The innocent are trapped in the middle of political upheaval, crime, and violence.
Who will hear their cries? Who will see the injustice being done to them. Who will take notice of their squalor living conditions and empty stomachs? Could this be a sign from God to rise up the Church to be a voice against injustice? Do we have any spare change to give?
Sacrifice is almost a dirty word in our North American Society, but yet it should be a vibrant word for true people of faith. One sure way to help people in the Horn of Africa is to sacrifice some of our own comfort in order to bring comfort to them. May God help us to help others. Amen!
-Leo
We can so easily read natural signs; so why can't we read other signs from God, like spiritual signs. One day Jesus looked out over the crowds and was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36). He obviously saw great needs from many helpless people. He was reading a spiritual sign from God. His heart was sensitive to the needs of others which stirred within Him a spirit of compassion. Similar signs are all around us; but are we sensitive enough to see and hear them?
Last Sunday's message dealt with same question in terms of the great famine in the Horn of Africa (check out last Sunday's message at: www.newlifebaptist.ca ). Over 400,000 people have crossed over the border from Somalia into a refugee camp near Dadaab, Kenya. They have settled into a makeshift community designed to handle only 90,000 people.
Could these people be the same type of crowd that Jesus saw in Matthew 9:36? They certainly are helpless to the famine around them. Not only are they victims of natural disaster, but also of the greed of evil men. The innocent are trapped in the middle of political upheaval, crime, and violence.
Who will hear their cries? Who will see the injustice being done to them. Who will take notice of their squalor living conditions and empty stomachs? Could this be a sign from God to rise up the Church to be a voice against injustice? Do we have any spare change to give?
Sacrifice is almost a dirty word in our North American Society, but yet it should be a vibrant word for true people of faith. One sure way to help people in the Horn of Africa is to sacrifice some of our own comfort in order to bring comfort to them. May God help us to help others. Amen!
-Leo
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