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“Being a Disciple Instead of
Joining a Church” |
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A number of years ago, I accepted a call
from our denomination to move to Indianapolis, Indiana to be the Director of the
Art and Design Studio in their international offices. After twelve years of
pastoral ministry, I was no longer the pastor of a congregation. Suanne and I
had to do some “shopping” for a congregation with which to share our own
ministries and gifts. For the first time in my adult life, I found myself
choosing a congregation instead of waiting for a congregation to choose me. What a delight! How scary! On our first Sunday, we visited a congregation because we got two invitations to worship with them. The first was a friend I had known in college. The second invitation came from a friend who was that congregation’s Associate Minister. Suanne and I loved it: uplifting music, solid biblical preaching, people who introduced themselves and made us feel welcome. The congregation also had an outstanding young children’s Sunday school class and one of the best co-op preschools in Indianapolis – just right for our young children. “But wait,” I told Suanne. “For the first – and maybe the last time in our lives – we get to church shop. Let’s not be too hasty! We have a great opportunity here. Let’s look around – try some other congregations.” The next Sunday, we worshiped with another nearby Disciples of Christ congregation where we knew some other church-related friends. It was nice, but it just wasn’t the same. Over lunch that Sunday afternoon, Suanne and I looked each other in the eye and we knew. We had consensus! We both felt the same call. Why put off the inevitable? The connection with the first congregation, Downey Avenue Christian Church, was so strong that we went back the following week, and placed our membership with them the third Sunday we worshipped with them. Our experience gave me a new appreciation for the laity in the congregations to which I have been called to serve as their minister. What draws you to a congregation? What brought you to participate in Bread of Life Christian Church? Do you have some sense of this congregation choosing you – or have you chosen this congregation? What are you doing here? Are you crazy? Don’t you know how hard it is to be a part of, and help to grow a new congregation? We don’t have a youth group for your children – yet. Our worship experience on Sunday mornings is a work in progress. We don’t have a choir or a Minister of Music – yet. We have no sanctuary or Christian Education building to call our own – yet – and it’s going to be a while. We are too small for you to be anonymous or sit on quietly on the sidelines as a spectator in our congregational life – the needs are too great, and challenges to ministry and service are put to you too often. Why are you here? I have known people to join a congregation because the sanctuary was pretty – and they wanted to get married in it – and church policy was that the use of the building was cheaper for members. I’ve known people to join a church because the worship service was entertaining – or there was a fun youth group – or they liked the Senior Minister – or the time of worship was convenient – or because they never asked for a financial contribution or talked about money. Why are you here? An invitation from someone – it might have been me, or a family member, or a friend, brought you here the first time – but why did you come back? Just think about it for a minute. What are you doing here as a participant of Bread of Life Christian Church? What has drawn you? Why do you keep coming back? There must be a reason. What is it? I invite some of you, who are willing, state your answer aloud for all of us to hear. ..... Jan Linn, in his book, “Rocking the Membership Boat” (2001, p. 58), writes that “joining a church is actually a response to a holy calling.” That is what I personally felt when I attended Downey Avenue Christian Church more than twenty years ago. I believe that God led me – not to be the congregation’s pastor – but to be a servant of Christ, participating as a lay minister within the congregation. That’s why I was there.
Have you heard a call from Christ to be one of his followers? Have you started the life long journey of spiritual growth, ever moving toward a Christ-like life? Is that why you are here? On April 3, I began a series of six sermons on what it means to enter into “Covenant Discipleship” with members of Bread of Life Christian Church. You might have not been here all six weeks to hear them, but they are all posted on our congregation’s website. As a covenant pastor of the “Jesus Connection,” my vision for our congregation has always been that we will emphasize your life of discipleship as a Christian more than trying to get you to put your name on a Church membership list. Today is a test of that vision. Our congregation began to meet together and worship one year ago, tomorrow: May 23, 2004. We’ve been worshipping together, growing spiritually, doing outreach and mission together for a full year. Some of us – many of us – are ready to make a personal and intentional commitment to give our Lord Jesus a greater part of our lives. Many of us have been living this new life for the better part of the past year. For others of us, this is a new and exciting – and scary – beginning to living a new way. Covenant Discipleship is an opportunity to intentionally take on the priorities and commitments of the Christian life in partnership with others in our congregation – for one year. The cards you have seen for the last several weeks clearly define what we are inviting you to do: give your time weekly in worship; give your energy and spiritual gifts to a ministry to which God calls you; pray to God daily; be a participant in a Spiritual Life Group; and grow in your financial stewardship to the Church toward a tithe (10%) and beyond, as the Holy Spirit guides you. Pretty demanding, isn’t it? But guess what? Jesus doesn’t want a list of names on a church roll. He wants a community of people who are living in discipleship. Covenant Discipleship reminds us that, to quote Jan Linn, “… life in the church is not seasonal, nor is it secondary to everything else that might be put on the schedule. Not to participate in weekly worship, study, retreats, and ministry, and supporting all that with daily prayer, is the same thing as being a non-functioning organ of the human body. That is how important church members are to one another and to Jesus, who is the head of the body.” (2001, p. 62) This morning, I invite you to take this important step in your relationship with Christ. I invite you, on Christ’s behalf; to sign the covenant card, tear off the bottom stub as a personal reminder of the covenant, put the card in the envelope (unsealed). In a moment, you will be asked to bring the envelope forward, drop it in the special basket on the Communion Table, and then take one of the glass stones to symbolize what we have done today. Take the card stub and stone home. Put the stone in a place where you will see it daily to remind you of your covenant. Maybe you will carry it in your pocket or a change purse, or set it by your bathroom sink or on your dresser. You decide where it best needs to be for you to remember. If you are not ready in your life to make this kind of intentional commitment, I still ask you to bring the envelop forward, card unsigned, and take one of the stones. Although, I will keep the cards, there will never a list of covenant disciples made. We are not to try to identify who is a covenant disciple, and who isn’t – this decision is between you and Jesus. Let us pray: Gracious God, the more we know about Jesus, the more he asks of us in discipleship. Today is a momentous day in our personal lives and our congregation. Lead us through this challenge to deeper commitment. No matter where we are in our spiritual journey, may your Holy Spirit lead us to a new level of Christian commitment. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication Let us pray: Loving God, source of all blessings, give these, your servants, grace and power to fulfill their covenants of discipleship. May they be faithful to serve and willing to grow, led by your Spirit, constantly uplifting their Lord Jesus by the living witness of discipleship. May their actions continually support the Church and contribute to the strengthening of Christ’s body and the building of your kingdom on earth. In Jesus’ name we pray it. Amen. |
