The Greatest Ever

 
I was only thirteen when I saw him in the flesh.  A mob of people rushed past me, but quickly in my youthful exuberance I caught up and passed them.  Fact was, I didn't know where they were going, or who we were pursuing. The noise before us and behind us made it clear we were getting closer.  And then it became clear.  A small group was already around him and in my haste to get there I had arrived before the mob.  And there I stood alongside one of the bodyguards of him: Muhammad Ali.  Quite arguably the greatest boxer of all time.  Some have deemed him the greatest athlete of all time.  

Surprising thing was he was not so daunting.  The onset of his Parkinson's was certainly apparent.  He walked without a real pep in his step.  He was notably shaky as autograph seekers put pens and papers in front of him to sign.  Words fumbled off of his lips.  Something didn't seem quite consistent.  This was supposed to be "the Greatest Ever", but now he was but a mere shadow of that.  

Of course for the remainder of time we shall continue to stack up on top of each other the accolades of mortals so that we can make comparisons.  We will continue to assess just who it is who is "the Greatest Ever" with the passing days of those from times of old with those current greats.  I guess it all shows the inadequacy of our particular perspective and definitions. 

"So when are you going to LAUNCH?"

The aforementioned is a fair question.  This is the world in which we live, and as church planting has become more and more commercialized, even industrialized, we expect to see the proverbial "finished product."  I have been asked this often.  Of course there are so many others who want to know where our building is, or at least where it will be.  I am glad to tell them that the Miller's house is suiting us quite nicely right now.  

There is a certain apprehension in many people upon learning that I cannot be so bold to circle a day on my calendar any longer.  I have no qualms with anyone who does such, that is their prerogative and the freedom they are granted by Scripture to do such.  My mind has shifted on this matter though, far as what is best, at least in my context, consistent with how I am wired.  

I care much about Sunday mornings.  I care much about the corporate gathering of God's people to celebrate the Risen Christ (when is the last time outside of Easter that we reflected on the decision of the early church to meet on Sundays?).  I make a big deal about the proclamation of the gospel from the Word as it is read, recited, preached.  That is all important, and I celebrate each and every church, pastor, Christian who is so bold to engage with God and God's people on Sunday.  However...

I have made too little of the rest of the week.  I have thought little about the life that is being lived, the pains that are being felt, the Sunday messages that are long forgotten by the Tuesday following.  And so I am challenged.  I am challenged to become mobile.  I am challenged to stir others unto become mobile.  Much of my time in church planting and in ministry has previously been preoccupied with sitting behind a desk and preparing.  I cannot at all cease this entirely.  But I must at least cease in portions or periods so that I am actively engaging my community.  Push back on me if you can find in Scripture where Jesus' desk is.  

And so we will aim to gather corporately, indeed we are doing it now.  We will aim to keep doing a weekly service where Christ is exalted in song, giving, reading, prayer, and the Word.  But we will not inadequately define "launching" as that Sunday we are open to the public.  Rather, our launching is constantly ongoing.  It is about being so compelled by the beauty, glory, work, love, grace, mercy, wrath, holiness...of Christ, that we are launched into our community, into our world, to put this Jesus on display.  I am trusting our celebration on Sunday will only be louder and more heart-felt as a result. 

How to Plant a Church

Consider the fellowship, caring for felt needs, unity of the early church.  None of us would ever say we wouldn't want to be a part of something like that.  Few church planters and church members would ever argue that we should strive for anything more.  But to merely set up a model like that is not only wrong, it is utterly impossible.  That is, we can quickly gravitate toward establishing something that looks so much like the original, but lacks every bit of its essential components. 

There is a great backdrop to everything that is going on in Acts that we quickly miss if we just approach it for methodology.  It never dawned on me until I paused and realized just who these were that are involved in the planting of the early church(es): the Apostles.  They had been with Jesus.  They had sat at the feet of Jesus.  They had marveled over miracles of Jesus.  They had been dumbfounded at the teaching of Jesus.  This is the great backdrop against which all the book of Acts is set.  And so we cannot start with methodology, we start with Jesus.  We need to spend time with Jesus if ever we are going to plant churches.  Methodology doesn't matter.  Jesus matters.

It quickly becomes apparent that the gospel is what is so pervasive throughout the Acts.  The willingness of the early church members to sacrifice, is in light of their knowledge of the gospel.  Their willingness to go bring hope to the nations, is reflective of the gospel and Christ's condescension from heaven to earth.  The breaking of bread together in their homes is modeled every bit after the unity that has been brought to them by Christ, who ultimately united them to the One with whom no unity was otherwise possible.  The gospel drips off of every action, every word, every sermon, every servant, every day of the week, every mission trip, at least when they are done in a fashion that is amiable and desirable.

So we push aside our methodology, for the sake of Christ.  We push aside our agenda for the sake of the glorious gospel of Christ.  Those things all naturally fall into place when Christ is at the forefront.  Methodology is not the gospel.  Instead, the gospel transcends all methodology.  We don't aim to plant a church indifferent to methodology, but it will not be our savior.  The gospel can stand alone, methods can't.  The gospel saves, methodology doesn't.  The gospel is beautiful, methodology is boring.  The gospel is glorious, methodology is pale, worn, and rusted.  And ever will it be the gospel that is our objective, our goal, our focus, or song, our sermon, our joy.  And upon/by/through this gospel God will plant His church.

Counting without Numbers

In my effort to see what God is doing in my community I stepped into a new church recently.   As I walked up to the front door I was warmly greeted by the pastor, who I had met previously.  He recognized me, reached out his hand, welcomed me with a "it's great to see you Nathan."  Then he added, "Oh man, we are missing so many people this week.  It is just going to feel really empty in there."  

I cannot say this surprised me.  I have been a part of churches that counted heads in every service and would have weekly totals, monthly totals, yearly totals of numbers of people.  And of course in  church planting we can't help but feel somewhat validated by numbers.  But when did numbers of people become the measurement of success?  When did we become so shallow?  I wonder if that pastor would have delighted in 10,000 in attendance that particular Sunday if he had to preach a heretical message to get them there.  I wonder if he would have cared about the broken marriage in his midst, or the homeless man in the front row, or the young man who was broken over his sin, if there had been a full church.  

Numbers are such a deceptive means of measuring success.  I find it very curious that in all Paul's many letters to churches he never once gives or asks for a report on the numbers.  Paul is a forerunner in church planting, and if ever he needed to validate himself, or validate others would it make sense to get a feel for numbers?  I suppose, if that is how he were measuring success, but he didn't measure that way.  It is a much higher bar for him.  He says in his letter to the Colossians that the ministry he does is to the end that he may present these people to whom he ministers "mature in Christ" (1:28).  When is the last time we got to know those we minister alongside, let alone those who sit in the seats every week?  

I am beginning to marvel at the work God is doing in the lives of the people I am getting to know and ministering to/alongside of.  I rejoiced as Steve, Jan, James, Jodi, John, Emily, Loren, and Kelli recently gathered to open the Word, share their hearts with one another, and pray together, and eat a meal together.  These are real people, and a number is not worthy to talk any bit about them. 

We need to engage with those God brings our way.  We need to put away our pens and papers used for counting numbers (as though people are just numbers).  We need to know these people, their stories, their pains, their growth...  We need to strive to see Christ formed in them and in us.  Anything less just ends up becoming about us, and ultimately draws attention to us.  But may we learn to draw fixed attention to Christ, the only worthy.