Scripture: Romans 15:20-21
Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news, not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”
Thought for the Day: The church of tomorrow arrived but we were too busy with the church of yesterday to actually notice! Let that soak in a bit, and then ask yourself: Can the church of yesterday be relevant today? As someone who grew-up in the church and is defined by that experience in ways I cannot even begin to imagine, I must be willing to pack a bag for the long journey of self discovery that is necessary to begin separating the Gospel from the traditional conduits by which that Gospel was shared. That process of separation includes some intentional grieving, yet it is necessary as a person begins to discover how the tools s/he enjoyed and declared as meaningful yesterday may in fact be irrelevant for those today who yearn to know the holy. “But I love the… (insert your word here), and if it was good enough for me, then it should be good enough for others without modification.” Those thoughts have come to my mind on more than one occasion, but that’s the grief talking.
The Apostle Paul seemed to appreciate those who had already experienced Christ, but he was willing to leave them behind, listen to the uniqueness within each new community, alter his approach and change his language in an attempt to engage those who would otherwise not experience Christ’s unconditional love. The question for every church is simple: Do you wish to be an Apostle Paul – one who is concerned about the yearning and hurting of others above a strict allegiance to the traditional conduits once enjoyed by the church of yesterday. Please understand, I’m not suggesting we toss out everything. There is much that remains useful, meaningful and even relevant…but let’s not cling to old ways at the expense of those who have never been told and have never heard.
Prayer: Make it my ambition, O God of All People, to share the Gospel through creative conduits and meaningful methods. I do not wish for even one person to be left out because I wanted to protect yesterday’s church. Amen.
