Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Using Your Tools
Chaplain Mike says:
In light of that fact, we do not need to learn how to do things differently or in t the current context, we need to learn how to do what the church has done since its inception well.
I am convinced that one of the reason we focus on the new so much is that it keeps us from focusing on what matters. In the end, it is not about what we do, but who we are. Christ did not come to build a "ministry" he came to build disciples. Such disciples will, of necessity, be the church - just like a bunch of trees together constitute a forest. The forest does not; however, spend a lot of time worrying how to be a better forest - it spends a lot of time making new trees.
Does that sound like Evangelicalism? To the contrary, the forest does not spend its time making saplings, it sends its time making trees. Saplings are a step on that road, but they are not the journey.
In fact, I would assert that, in essence, no new tools have been invented since the days of Jesus and the apostles (save one) that are absolutely essential for us to fulfill the Great Commission or encourage spiritual formation in the church.He fores o to talk about what those tools are. I think he is right and I want to make a related point that he does not.
In light of that fact, we do not need to learn how to do things differently or in t the current context, we need to learn how to do what the church has done since its inception well.
I am convinced that one of the reason we focus on the new so much is that it keeps us from focusing on what matters. In the end, it is not about what we do, but who we are. Christ did not come to build a "ministry" he came to build disciples. Such disciples will, of necessity, be the church - just like a bunch of trees together constitute a forest. The forest does not; however, spend a lot of time worrying how to be a better forest - it spends a lot of time making new trees.
Does that sound like Evangelicalism? To the contrary, the forest does not spend its time making saplings, it sends its time making trees. Saplings are a step on that road, but they are not the journey.
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