April 28, 1999

Churches: 'This is not rocket
science; this is mission'
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___HOUSTON--A church can transform its community for Christ, but most members don't really believe it, Milfred Minatrea told participants in Beyond These Walls, the Texas Baptist missions conference.
___Minatrea, director of the Texas Baptist church ministries department, described "the church that will transform its community" in a series of small-group sessions.
___"So many churches don't even expect to be an agent of transformation in their communities," Minatrea lamented. "What a tragedy--that we can have a church that doesn't see its mission to be an agent of evangelism and transformation of communities."
___But churches can do it, he asserted. "This is not rocket science. This is mission."
___That mission is comprised of 10 "premises for transformation," he said. The church that will transform its community must:
___ Remember who it is. "It must be the church--the body of Christ. God doesn't have another plan" for reaching the world and transforming communities, he said. "People are hungry for 'Immanuel--God with us.'"
___Church isn't where people go, and ministry is not what people can do, Minatrea said. "Church is what people are, and it's what God can do through his body--the church--that transforms communities."
___ Be in the community, but not of the community. "Jesus has sent the church into the world," he explained. "Some churches have become almost retreat centers--isolationist, not connecting with the world. But the church must be a center of renewal, engaging the world."
___ Be a transformed/changed people given to a ministry of reconciliation. "It is the longing of God that the church may be the reconciling agent, bringing people back to God," he said.
___"Baptists tend to be elitist in terms of mission. If we don't own it, it's not good enough. We're to be kingdom people, joined together working with others as part of the body of Christ. A church's name doesn't mean anything to somebody who's never been in church."
___ Commit itself to the word of God. Healthy churches balance Bible study and ministry to others, he observed. But focus on Scripture empowers people, enriching them so they can serve others without weakening themselves.
___ Recognize missions as spiritual warfare. "Know who the enemy is," Minatrea urged. "We have an opportunity to tear down (the devil's) strongholds."
___Christians must see crack houses, prostitution, broken homes and similar situations as evidence of the power of Satan in the world. "In every situation, society is going to identify (someone as) the perpetrator," he said. "But the real enemy is not flesh and blood, but 'the powers of this dark world ... and the spiritual forces of evil.'"
___However, he pledged, Christians have divine power from God, which is available to help destroy Satan's strongholds.
___ Compassionately confront social and political systems. God has "deep concern for those who can't speak for themselves, the disenfranchised, the 'have-nots' who get the leftovers of society," he said. "The church must be in city hall, speaking to the issues and looking out for people who are not getting services and who are powerless to help themselves."
___ Spend time getting to know sinners--worldly people. "Jesus came for the sick, not for the well," he advised. "A church is not going to transform a community it is not connected to. We must structure our churches so our people are meeting worldly people, sinners."
___For example, he advocated enrolling church softball teams in city leagues, "where people cuss," so that the church's team members can meet and reach out to people who might never enter a church building.
___ Communicate core values. "It is out of our values that we recognize what needs to be changed in society," Minatrea noted. However, these values "are not shared by our culture any longer."
___"The Christian and non-Christian alike used to value industry rather than entitlement, self-denial rather than self-assurance," he said, acknowledging a societal change.
___Still, "communities value values," he declared, noting many non-churched people want their children in church preschool programs because they want their children exposed to solid values.
___ Not become entangled in "earthly things." Most churches follow the "40/40/20 principle," he said. "Churches spend 40 percent of their time and energy on caring for their own needs, 40 percent on maintaining the facilities and perhaps 20 percent on reaching beyond the walls to other people."
___"Churches that will transform community will give 40 percent to equipping believers for ministry, 20 percent to maintenance and care of resources and 40 percent to reaching beyond the church walls."
___If this new formula is followed, "our external focus will result in establishing ministries and planting congregations," he predicted.
___"We will be learning the needs of the worldly people we are meeting. We will be moving to meet those needs in the Spirit of Christ."
___ Set members free and send them out. "Every member is a minister," Minatrea insisted. "God is calling every member to the task of ministry. Every church is tasked to equip them for that.
___"I have quit enlisting people and am instead praying for God to impassion people. Once he does so and they respond, they will be hooked forever. People living out their passion are unstoppable."

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