February 25, 2002
TOGETHER:
'Be the presence of Christ' in Texas
___A consultant came to work with the church where I was pastor. Overall, he was very helpful, but he became frustrated with me because I could not put into one phrase the mission of our church.
___I told him we couldn't focus on just one thing, because Jesus' ministry was about more than one thing. He worshipped God with prayerful intensity (Luke 11:1-4). He evangelized by preaching good news of repentance and salvation (Luke 19:9-10). He discipled his followers (Matthew 5-7). He ministered to the needs of those around him and instructed his followers to care for the physical needs of people (Matthew 25:34-40). And he created a fellowship in which love for one another would be the distinguishing mark (John 13:34-35). This must be the way the church lives--paying attention to the things Jesus paid attention to.
CHARLES WADE
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
___But the consultant replied: "People can't remember five things. You have to focus on one."
___Out of that conversation, I began to seek the essence of the church. I found it in the Apostle Paul's use of the metaphor, "the Body of Christ." The church is the continuing incarnation--the presence of God in the world--as the Holy Spirit fills the life of the congregation. The one thing that describes the church is that we are to be the presence of Christ in the world. As God came in Jesus to live in the flesh among us, so the church is to be the fleshing out of the presence of Christ in the world in which we live.
___And it is worth noting Jesus told us the two things that mattered most to him were for his people to love God as they love nothing else (the vertical relationship) and love others as they love themselves (the horizontal relationship). It's life lived in the shape of the cross. We began to ask our people to live their lives individually and as a church in the shape of the cross--worshipping God and serving others.
___When the Baptist General Convention of Texas' Strategic Planning Committee asked me to speak to them, I told this same story. After long study, they recommended the following mission statement for the BGCT: "The BGCT exists to help churches and related ministries be the presence of Christ in the world."
___The committee wanted to talk about being before doing. If institutions and local churches see themselves as being the presence of Christ, they will ask: "What would Jesus do and say if he were to walk into our community? Where would he go? What would he see? What would move his heart?" Then we know what our agenda should be.
___The committee continued by suggesting to Texas Baptists that we work especially on seven matters--reaching all people, beginning new churches, improving church health, encouraging healthy families, meeting human needs, equipping the laity and enhancing theological education. The BGCT Executive Board staff has developed specific strategies to help churches and related ministries in each of these areas.
___The entire report of the Strategic Planning Committee can be read on the BGCT website at www.bgct.org.
___Be the presence of Christ. It is the only thing we can do that will truly change Texas and the world.
___We are loved.
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
