Last week I laid out 2 ways of being, and investing time and resources that God has placed on my heart and challenged me with:
| 4 Corners | 4 Walls |
| TCC changes BD forever for Christ | Every hope, dream, and wish of yours for TCC comes true |
| New believers baptized, those far from Christ come near | Members retained |
| We make Kingdom decisions | We make decisions with people in mind mostly |
| Families, marriages transformed | We have nice programs for most people |
| Disciples empowered and sent | Disciples learn about God |
| On fire believers living missional lives is key result of our church | Church members are the key results of our church |
| Worship is dynamic and evolving, while rooted in deep theology | Worship is perfect (in your opinion) |
| Church challenges me
Driven by faith and empowered disciples |
Church is safe place
Driven by structure and control |
One list is driven by what happens inside the 4 walls of a church, and has a very narrow and people centered perspective. The second the 4 corners is a broad vision that is God’s Kingdom centered. Each next few weeks I want to look at the items on the list and share more specifically what these ways of being mean. Today let’s look at Trinity Community Church (TCC) changes Brown Deer (BD) forever for Christ. I reflected on these words from Jeremiah 29: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Or again in the book of James: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction..”
We are called to be responsible and care for “the other.” People who are not me, who may not live, look, or act like me. This passage among others challenges believers to take responsibility for the brokenness, the challenges and the hurt of the very place they life, and to work to transform them. For me to care for the welfare of the community I live and work, means shifting my focus from my own welfare, causes, and desires.
And if you are like me that is a big calling, one that as I read it is overwhelming. Do I have the time or ability to change all of that? Stop right there. You are probably saying, this is so big I won’t try, or if you are type A, you are going to try and change the world, by yourself. And both are less than effective. Pastor Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon says in his book, The Art of Neighboring, “The problem is, that when we aim for everything we hit nothing. So when we insist we are neighbors with everybody, often we end up being neighbors with nobody.”
I believe I am called to be a catalyst in transforming my own community, and the community our church “lives” in. I also believe scripture calls for you to be a catalyst that transforms the land also. Which brings us back to the quote from Pathak and Runyon, where specifically are you going to be a catalyst for transformation, where is God calling you to make an impact for God, and to as Jesus calls us in Matthew 28, “Go and make disciples.”
Pastor Bill