From Bushnell to WinCo
Where are you doing ordinary ministry?
Be Ready
One of the most profoundly important things for a Christian to understand is that the Great Commission is not for those “called” to be missionaries. It’s for everybody. To evangelize and teach others wherever God has put us. He has surrounded us with lost sheep who need to hear their Shepherds voice. We can offer that!
1| The Duty of Ministry is for Everyone
In our professionalized culture, we hire the best of the best and let them do the work. We want specialists, those who can be entrusted to do the work we can’t. Could you imagine if I ran your electrical for your house? One flip of the switch and whoosh, charcoal!
So then, with an arguably infinitely more important responsibility like evangelism and discipleship, how much more should we seek out the best professionals in the biz? I can’t be trusted with this task, I’ll mess it up, and this is their eternal souls at stake! Better to leave it to someone else.
Our pragmatism forces us to forget that the onus of this work is Christ through the Spirit according to the Father. We are jacked up earthen vessels. It’s not our proficiency that determines the outcome, it’s our Triune God who is sovereign over such things.
One writer put it this way:
“What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use -- men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men -- men of prayer.”
To put it simply, God doesn’t need a better program, He needs faithful people.
2| The Work is Accessible
If you’ve ever felt butterflies or heart palpitations at the thought of bringing up Jesus to your spiritual-but-not-religious, pot-smoking neighbor then you’re not alone. If anyone says they haven’t they’re either liars or they are perhaps dabbling in sociopathy. While it gets easier with practice, we have all felt the anxiety of sharing the Gospel. I once asked a tenured pastor who cut his teeth on campus evangelism if he still gets nervous sometimes and he affirmed that he did.
The point is this, we are nervous because we think it hangs on us, and if they reject it they’re rejecting us. The truth, however, is that we uphold the insignificant end of the operation. We bring the message. It is Christ who raises the dead, frees the captives, and gives a new heart.
Unless we violate the Gospel to a point that it is no longer mighty to save (which brings up other issues) we can know that we’re relying on God for the rest of it.
So, as you go, make disciples through evangelism. Trust that Christ has those who are His out there and they will hear His voice in the Gospel and come to Him.
The Ministry
This last week was ripe full of ministry for me. Some scheduled, some accidental. There was coffee, Gospel presentations, and conversations about the church. I’d like to highlight a few high points to illustrate my points above.
Bushnell
Our church was invited to the Freshman event at Bushnell University alongside dozens of other churches. I got to see a lot of faces of brothers, meet a few new friends, and extend cordial friendliness to my Roman neighbors.
Rachel and I were accompanied by a newcomer to the church who had some free time. We chatted with many young men and women who were out on their own for the first time in their life and now looking for a church. There were lots of spinning wheels, candy, prizes, and fresh-baked cookies, to catch the attention of these folks. We simply had smiles and information to offer.
One observation from my conversations was that none of them seemed to have a grasp of what it meant to be the church. This was heartbreaking. There wasn’t a sense of what belonging to a people meant. How Christ knits the body together for their good and His glory. Much of the metrics for finding a church was a) a sense of obligation or ought to b) where their friends attended c) where the vibe was right d) where the opportunities for professional pursuits resided.
Our conversations were warm and we attempted to present a compelling image of the church wherever we could, to stir the affections for something greater than a Sunday to Sunday exercise. We leave the results to the Lord.
Sunday
On the Lord’s Day we were invited to Elm St. Baptist in Sweet Home. So we drove up and worshipped there with them. They have been praying about planting in Springfield/Eugene and so there might be a strategic relationship forming, Lord willing.
The church gathering was beautiful. So many young families, seasoned saints, and great warmth. There was a potluck afterwards full of mirthful conversation, introductions, and laughter. We stayed too long, but it’s hard to pull yourself away from that.
One notable quality was the singing. It was piano and hymnal, though I believe they also do some contemporary. The room was full of voices that could be distinguished from the instruments. It was glorious. Then the hospitality and wonderful conversations that threatened our timeline. We ended up staying longer than anticipated because the conversations were so life-giving.
Our worship service was wonderful with new guests and more friends from Roseburg visiting. We rallied a gang of them and went to Dave’s Hot Chicken where we stayed til after dark. The sermon of course can be found below.
WinCo
Since I’m trying to take Mondays off, we made plans for dinner with some dear friends, including one family from our church. While picking up groceries, someone tapped my shoulder.
I was met with a stranger half smiling at me. Because I am well aware of my inability to remember things, I led with, “Where do I know you from?” He said, “Your shirt”. I then realized what I had put on that morning.
I get that Christian shirts can be cheesy. I feel that way about most of them. However, I do make it a point to advertise some with my apparel and this shirt said, “Tap my shirt if you need prayer”.
Rachel was faster than I was and asked him what he needed prayer for. He said everything. I want to point something out that’s important, it could’ve ended there. I could’ve said, “Well I’ll pray for you brother,” and went on with my grocery shop. But, I asked him probing questions, “Work, family?” He shared only a few words and then I asked him if I could pray for him right then. He agreed and I prayed for him. We swapped digits and I invited him to church.
Conclusion
My goal is not to trot out all the great things I did, it’s to show you how mundane ministry is. How opportunities exist at the grocery store, fellowship after church, coffee shop, and even at Dave’s Hot Chicken. So what’s the common denominator? It’s people! All these places have people. If we would turn ourselves towards them, be available, show interest, perhaps God might use us.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SEPTEMBER 12th | 4-10PM (TOMORROW)
Springfield Block Party
Coram Deo Baptist Church will have a presence at the Springfield Block Party right outside the gym we gather in. It shuts down 10 blocks of downtown Springfield and hosts thousands of people.
This is going to be a great opportunity for us to share the Gospel, raise awareness about the church, and hopefully extend many many invitations to join us on Sundays. If you would like to come and support us at this event please reach out!
SEPTEMBER 12 (POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER)
Riviera Baptist Church Yard Sale Fundraiser
3071 River Road, Eugene, OR 97404
SUNDAY SERMON
Sunday we examined the tyranny of the urgent while engaging with Catholic Mariology. If you have Catholic friends and family, or perhaps have felt the draw yourself to the Roman Catholic tradition, I encourage you to listen.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for our time at the Block Party in Springfield. It’s a big event with lots of potential. We want to see Christ exalted and the lost saved.
Pray for Linda as she anticipates back surgery.
