One thing I’ve learned over the past 30 or so years serving as a mostly bivocational pastor is that people matter. It took me a while, but, with the Lord’s help, I finally figured it out! I know that seems obvious in a church setting, but it seems to me that way too many other things are a priority. In most churches, evangelism or “winning souls” is the priority. Some churches focus on “fellowship.” And yet other churches focus on preaching. While all of these things are good in their own ways, and each of them has a place, if those things are the focus, then people are just a useable commodity. Most churches I’ve pastored and/or attended want to put people to work even before they become members. While we say we don’t believe in “works salvation,” giving someone a job before giving them Christ seems counterproductive. It appears to me that the goal of most churches (read pastors of churches) is to grow a big church. In fact, the bigger the better. And we rationalize that attitude by saying “we can reach more people if we are bigger because we can offer more programs and spend more money to reach more people.” Personally, I think that’s one of Satan’s lies.
What if we changed our focus? What if, instead of focusing on programs to “grow the church”, we focused on people? What if we genuinely cared for people enough to teach them how to be Christians? The Apostle Paul put it this way:
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10(and for this we labour and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11Command and teach these things. 1 Timothy 4:7-11
What a novel idea – training God’s people to be godly! That might even shed some new light on Matthew 28:16-20, that as we go about our daily lives we should be making disciples. Not just converts!!! Disciples…perpetual learners who want to learn to be like their Master, Jesus Christ. Perpetual learners who want to teach others to be like their Master, Jesus Christ!
God’s two biggest commandments were summed up by Jesus when he was confronted by one of the “teachers of the law”:
37Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. [{Or the Lord our God is one Lord }] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27He answered: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’" 28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Maybe we should return to the basics of Christianity and learn to love God and love people. Maybe we’ve been focusing on the better things at the expense of the best. What do you think? Comments are welcome, just be civil!