As followers of Jesus, you and I find ourselves to be in Sacred Relationship with God. As I
wrote last month that Sacred Relationship involves a Sacred Calling, Sacred Gifting, Sacred Service, and Sacred Generosity. This month I would like us to consider Sacred Service. Previously I wrote that our Spiritual Gifts and talents are given to build up others and the Body of Christ, the Church. Since our Sacred Calling woos us to make disciples, I would like to suggest that our Sacred Service might be primarily expressed in making disciples, not of the Church but rather of Jesus.
Take a moment and read Matthew 28: 18-20 and then Acts 1:8 and the verses around it. We clearly have a mandate to make disciples, at home and abroad. Heaven will be populated by the nations! There is a difference between making disciples and telling people to be disciples. We tend to stage events for disciple making instead of relationally and intentionally engaging folks in their journey of becoming a disciple. How might we do this as a church? Vicki and I have learned that in our technologically focused society, people are hungry for friendship and so we like to connect with them one on one, over coffee or breakfast. We then invite them into our home to be part of a huddle that eats together, gets to know each other and then talks Bible. We find that building relationships breaks down walls and barriers. We have also discovered that learning happens around the table.The Word of God becomes relevant to real life.
Why am I writing about this? I would like to encourage you to connect with the people who are all around you. Don’t view them as them. They are potential disciples. Meet one on one. Intentionally. Not everyone will be responsive, so ask God to guide you to People of Peace, individuals who you connect to, that you have relational capital with. Invest in them. Intentionally invite them into your home, weekly or monthly. By the way-they don’t care if you have a clean or nice house. They care that you care.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Brian