One mission, one message, one people.
Witness, mercy, life together.
Do you see a similarity? The priority is telling what we have seen and heard, being all about God's mission, bearing witness to Jesus. The outward action is connecting people with the Gospel through word and deed, sharing the message, showing and speaking the mercy of God. The solid foundation is the community of faith, the church, God's people, our life together.
When our focus is truly on the mission of God given in the Scriptures, changes in leadership or the tweaking of programs do not move us away from what we are called by God to do.
This is the beauty of a Biblical church.
Personal agendas and axes to grind may be floating around the periphery of the mission. Quests for power or desires to control may simmer beneath the surface of personalities involved. Ministry emphases may be articulated and prioritized in different ways. In the mix of it all, some personalities will be more abrasive than others. But if the Word runs the show, the head of the body, Jesus Christ, will prevail. His Church will move forward.
Of course, we must be good and attentive stewards of the mysteries of God. We are called to unity, kindness, forgiveness, and love. But we do not have to be afraid. As the Bible says, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). By God's grace, we are equipped to move forward with strength--even in the midst of change and turbulence. Hebrews 10:39 declares, "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."
In His grace and mercy, God moves us forward in His mission. With humility and gratitude, we are called to run the race set before us as servants of the risen Savior. We need to be on guard and always be watchful, but we do not have to be afraid.
God's mission is going to be okay.
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