Would anyone care?

WOULD ANYONE CARE?

I have been reading through Darrin Patrick and Matt Carters book "For the City".  It has been challenging and convicting to me as a pastor and leader.  The question that has weighed on me most heavily as I have read this is, "If FBC Seminole shut it's doors, would anyone in Seminole know we were gone and would they even care?"  This question was posed in chapter one by Matt Carter in regards to his own church in Austin Texas.  Stop for a minute and ask yourself this question.  Would anyone care if your church shut their doors for good, would they even notice?  The answer is haunting and sad because for many of our churches the answer is that they wouldn't.

Why is this happening?  For many churches their concern is not the community around them and reaching them with the gospel but instead it is focused on programs, finances, and numbers.  Nothing, by the way, is inherently wrong with these things but instead of these being secondary items to the gospel they have become the primary means for the church instead of the Gospel.  Our focus has shifted from being a church that exists to reach our communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ and instead we have been building our our kingdoms instead of furthering His.  So what is the answer?

First repentance is necessary.  Churches (meaning the people, not the building) must repent and look at the core of why the church even exists.  We exist because of what Christ did on the cross, His atoning work not our work, lest we should boast in anything but Jesus.  The very first church was focused not on what programs and committees they had but on the redeeming work of Grace they had received.  Acts 2:42-47 lays out a vivid picture of the early church gathering together.  They gathered corporately on a regular basis and then in homes to continue to worship together as a community of believers.  They didn't squeeze in church if time permitted but it was the center of their lives.  As churches we must repent of making church about everything else except Christ Jesus, including making it about us (our wants and desires instead of His).

Secondly we must look deeply at how we are ministering to our communities.  Missions are important but we must be cautious not to do all of our missions away from our primary mission field, where God has planted His body to serve.  God has planted our churches in specific places to do ministry there first and then go out.  If we fail to reach our communities then we fail at Matthew 28:18ff (the Great Commission).  The Apostle Paul was faithful to build up churches in Asia Minor and encourage them to grow where they were planted; churches in Corinth, Colossae, Philippi, Galatia, Rome, and Ephesus.  Paul was doing the work of the Great Commission and then charging churches to do that work where they were.  We must reach our communities with the gospel otherwise we are nothing more than a civic club that meets to fill our own needs instead of reaching our communities with the Gospel that saves.

Finally we must be willing to change.  This is probably the most difficult task for church; however if the answer to the initial question is "people wouldn't miss us" then change is necessary.  We are not talking about changing the message of the gospel, by no means (Gal 1:6-9).  We are talking about repenting, seeking the LORD, and then changing our methods and vision from an inward, self serving vision, to one where the LORD is exalted among the people.  We must look at how we are going to effectively minister to our communities as well as our congregations. it is a both and not an either or situation.  This is not an easy, nor should it be a quick decision that doesn't count the cost (Luke 14:28).  Churches need to know who they are, what their strengths are, and then after much prayer and fasting go therefore and reach their communities with a renewed heart and vision to take Christ out.

My conviction on this runs deep.  I am certain that the LORD wants our churches to do the work of ministry, not just become a club or daycare (for children and adults).  We are called to "walk in a manner worthy" of our calling (Eph 4:1).  If our churches fail to reach our communities with the gospel we fail to walk worthy.  The ekklesia (the church) is called to grow in the word and then to live out our faith everyday (Jas 2:14-16).  Would your church be missed if it was gone?  Would mine?  We must truly and earnestly pray and seek the LORD in answering this question, but I have a feeling most of us already know the answer.  I am even more afraid of what most of us would say.  Let us never cease to be the city on the hill we are called to be as the body of Christ Jesus, the church (Matt 5:14, Col 1:18).  May we reach our communities with the gospel of grace that redeemed us and saves us still today!