Where We're Going

One of the challenges a church family faces is how to know if we're making progress toward what God has challenged us to be and do. But because we're so accustomed to thinking of our walk with Jesus as an individual pursuit we often overlook, or even ignore the fact that when we enter into relationship with Jesus we enter into relationship with His other followers. What that means for us is that our walk with Jesus is no longer only about us and where we want to go, but rather about us together and where Jesus wants us to go together.

This may seem like a strange thing to say considering our cultural ideals of independence and isolation, but those two ideals go against the current of what Jesus desires. It's clear from scripture that He asks us to enter into a dependent relationship with Him and with other believers.

Having said that when we are asked to describe how were doing in following Jesus we look at that questions as an individual instead of as a part of the ekklesia (assembly of believers) that God has called us to be dependent upon. Consider the letters to the seven churches in The Revelation. The diagnosis of each church was based on the church together not individuals. He didn't call out "Joseph of Laodicea" as being lukewarm, He called out the church together. That seems to indicate that the church isn't measured on merits of one or two but rather on the faithfulness of the whole to the specific calling that each church has received.

What that means for the church family at CLC is this: We are called to share Jesus with reckless compassion. That being the case we better be aware of whether or not we're being faithful. One of the ways we'll know is by determining how many of our families are stepping out of their comfort zones and recklessly serving others in our community.

Know where we're going as a church family is important if we're going to be faithful to the calling that Jesus has given us. To help us understand it we'll look at two bold declarations in the next two weeks.

Share you comments and thoughts below....

Reckless Compassion 2

Reckless compassion is something that causes us to evaulate our priorities. We can't say we're compassionate if we find ourselves constantly finding excuses for not touching hurting, lonely people. Let's face it there are always reasons for not doing things, but reckless compassion doesn't really allow us to make excuses for not doing something, rather it challenges us to make excuses to find ways to serve others.

So what will we do?

Post your comments below......

Reckless Compassion

Sharing Jesus with reckless compassion is our one reckless ambition as a church. Of course the idea of being reckless might surprise some and raise a few eyebrows, but when you think about it the whole idea of following Jesus seems a little reckless to those who don't understand. Just look at some of the ways Jesus described the idea of following Him. He said that we have to lay down our lives, take up our cross and follow Him. Not exactly as safe sounding propostion. Think about what the disciple's families thought when they took off with this new 'messiah' and left them alone for long stretches of time. It probably seemed pretty reckless.

So with that in mind sharing Jesus with reckless compassion means that we're willing to do some things that others might assume are reckless. In fact when we leave our comfort zones to serve others with the love and compassion of Jesus we might think we're bing a bit reckless ourselves. But when it all come together the idea of reckless compassion is all about leaving the false security of routines and rituals in order to touch hurting people who need to experience the compassion of Jesus.

In the C. S. Lewis classic "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" Lucy asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan the lion is safe and Mr. Beaver answers "Safe?' said Mr. Beaver...'Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. but he's good."

Maybe Mr. Beaver is onto something.

What act of reckless compassion is Jesus prompting you to do? Share your thoughts below.....