“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:8-9
As summer comes to an end, Messiah Lutheran prepares to dust off its welcome mats in preparation of welcoming people back from vacations, new people to our community, and those who will come back home to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary in ministry this fall. As I think about this, I know fixing up our building and property remains part of that effort, but just part. I hear the cautionary words of author, Christianity Today blogger, and pastor, Karl Vaters, “People aren’t won to Jesus by a church building, but they can be kept from knowing more about Jesus by one that isn’t prepared to receive them.”
Yet what does it mean for our church to be prepared? Well, I think Pastor Vaters would agree with me that it goes beyond addressing property needs. After all, as Luther argued, the church isn’t a building at all, but the body of Christ – you and me with all who believe. People need to encounter our faith-filled hearts dusted off and open to others as we find them. We gather for worship in order to be sent. The church needs to be active out in the world, so that people can meet Jesus. The church needs to come to them much as Jesus came to the first to believe. Yes, we will be having some special events to celebrate our 50th anniversary, but our shared life together is what people need to experience. This isn’t ever restricted by our building’s walls.
Paraphrasing Pastor Vaters’ teachings on small church health, I urge the following:
- Invite those you meet to come and help with us. We offer many ongoing, uplifting service projects and have volunteers performing all kinds of service in the greater community.
- Invite them to come and give with us. We regularly collect money and items not for our benefit but as a gift for others. We remain a church with an outward focus and open arms.
- Invite them to come and have fun with us. Much of Jesus’ ministry was centered on table fellowship and relationship. We have fun at our building to be sure, but also in the community. Bring someone along.
- Invite them to come and learn with us. Biblical principles can help people live life to their fullest no matter where we are on our journey. We offer educational faith events on and off our campus. Share that gift.
- Invite them to come and worship with us. Even if new to faith or spiritual practices in general, guests will sense the presence of the Holy Spirit as we love God and one another through our shared worship.
When it come to Christ’s Church, “build it and they will come” doesn’t work. We have to seek those outside the church or struggling with faith, and then we engage them. If we invite them to “Come and see,” to walk with us as we walk with Jesus, we can be sure miracles will happen, and Christ’s Church will grow.
Its the season to play ball…Don’t bring the ball of faith dejectedly home. Take it to others with joy.
Originally published in Messiah Lutheran’s newsletter, The Messenger (August 2018 edition).
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this article are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Vater, K. (2018) Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested principles for leading a healthy congregation of under 250. Chicago: Moody Publishers.
© 2018 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.
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