Don't give up on doing good

Wisconsin, I am in Wisconsin.  When will this end? When will I be home for more than 48 hours in a week?  I am blessed to have my wife with me on most of these trips, but I am longing to be home.

Paul reminds us to not give up or grow weary of doing good, and that is where I find myself today.  I am at our denominational annual meeting and we are exploring the daring endeavor of being church.  It is hard to grow weary when you are being encouraged to do good.  The church has opportunities to do good every day.  How can we join in?

We must be daring.  We must risk.  It is fine to go to church, attend a service and be kind to the people there, but to be the church it requires more.  Being church is missional.  Jesus told us to go into all the world and make disciples.  Paul challenges us to do more and risk more in that endeavor to fulfill the call of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul explains to us his actions as a Missional Follower of Jesus:

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The church is not a building where we gather, it is not the songs we sing, nor the pastor we follow.  The church is the people of God, the bride of Christ, His chosen and dearly loved individuals gathered and united as one under His headship.  The church is the people that follow Jesus.

The purpose of the church is to reveal the love of God to the world by pointing to Jesus and Him crucified through the power of the Holy Spirit.  We followers are called to be witnesses of Jesus’ work.  As we share the truth of God with people we do not do it in a position of power, but in humility recognizing our own need for a savior.

We become all things to all people that some might be saved.  Our humble loving witness calls us to reveal Jesus as Savior to all peoples.  We don’t get to choose who is saved, but rather out of love we seek to understand their stories and point out how Jesus loves them.