Mission as serve and go – go and serve

It’s been my custom since the early 90’s to read emails early in the morning. Mind you they now download quicker than those times. Their range has broadened from notice boards to blogs. Among my “blogs followed” range is Seth Godlin’s daily offering – here’s today’s offering . . . 

Sold or bought?

Some things are bought--like bottled water, airplane tickets and chewing gum. The vendor sets up shop and then waits, patiently, for someone to come along and decide to buy.

Other things are sold--like cars, placement of advertising in magazines and life insurance. If no salesperson is present, if no pitch is made, nothing happens.

Both are important. Both require a budget and a schedule and a commitment.

Confusion sets in when you're not sure if your product or service is bought or sold, or worse, if you are a salesperson just waiting for people to buy.

Seth, you’ve got me ruminating; being a churchperson and all (used to be a churchman) . . . 

I’m resonating on your third paragraph; I’m hearing you say, “it’s not either or, it’s both and.”

And this fourth paragraph; “not sure if your product or service is bought or sold” . . . now I think I hear Jesus resonating to “my churchperson” . . . missional thinking is “kicking in” . . . now I’m picking up on Matthew’s blog . . .

• “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you:  Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." – Matt. 28:18-20 (Message Bible)

Thanks Matt, that helps my “sure.”

Yes, it’s both and for us churchpersons – it’s mission all the way.

It isn’t a “be available with the Goodnews product, or go with it by communicating to others quandary.” It’s both and. No confusion needed.

Mission is “serve and go – go and serve.”

Oh, by the way if you’re not sure if you are a churchperson, check this reality out; “if you are a Christian you is” – It’s both and.

Now back to ruminating over Seth’s third paragraph.

• “Both are important. Both require a budget and a schedule and a commitment.”

Bible and Church Belong Together

For over forty years I've acted as celebrant at many, many, many weddings – how many is many? 

Two common statements about weddings kind of “ring in my ruminator” when thinking about the title line to this stuff I’m writing.

“The two were just meant for each other . . . “

“What God put together, let no person put apart . . .

Not woman and man - Bible and Church, or if you prefer it the other way … Church and Bible. They are meant for each other, and belong to each other.  To the Church the Bible is “community property”.  Split from the Church, you don’t get to take the book away as part of the “settlement”.

The Bible’s role within the church has always been central to its life.  Church is the book’s birth place and natural habitat.  This “tradition” flows from Jesus’ own shaping by the scriptures he knew.  From the Hebrew Scriptures earliest Christians developed their understandings of what the living God was accomplishing through Jesus, and the reshaping of their lives.   The earlier Hebrew scared writings expanded with the emergence of the New Testament, which enjoyed the same reverence and status as the existing Hebrew writings, the church continued in its growth, expansion and life.  Church fathers and mothers over the first 1500 years of Christian history never considered any division between theology and biblical studies. 

The Bible as “common property amongst the People of God” provides an authoritative voice.  Not just because it’s there in an old book in black and white – it’s also there in flesh-n-blood, incarnated in the new community (aka “church”).  Hey, not very “Kiwi” (read “PC” if you don’t live in New Zealand) to think in terms like that, readily accepting authorities other than me and my opinion!  

The authority of scripture is from God.  Recently the Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright put responding to authority of the Bible’s voice this way; “in responding to the Bible we are responding to the exercise of the authority of God and the risen Lord Jesus the Son of God.”  Bible, Jesus, God the Father and church are linked; they belong together, because they are together.  

Church and Bible, the two were just meant for each other … Bible and Church, God put them together, let’s not be silly enough to think any person could really put them apart …” 

  

Oh, by the way … Bible and Church are not marriage partners.

I’m not really talking about marriage . . . really, I’m not . . . hey, read my title!

Does God exist, speak, and act?

Let’s ruminate -- for starters . . .

God exists, speaks, and acts throughout scripture. Its’ text record things God says, things others say about and to God; in fact more is said about and to God, more than the Divine ever say for themselves. Likewise divine action and activity, God acts alone, acts with others, others act with God, some against God, some just act, while others don’t act at all, and at times God also doesn't act.

Have I covered all the bases?

If so, its "chewing time" . . . 

Speaking and acting implies existence . . . so also does silence and inaction – if you don’t exist, you can’t be silent or inactive . . . what’s not there is absence, not silence . . . silence and inaction isn't absence, it’s silence and inaction . . .

Don’t get off your bike . . .

When I was a youth (aka ‘kid’) … yes, I was not born this age – there was a common saying amongst us kids when one of the gang “lost-their-cool” . . . it came from the centre of our youthful mobility means; bicycle riding.

A simple adage was aimed at the kid “mouthing-off”. . .

 “Hey man, don’t get off your bike; I’ll pick up your pump!”

Today I’ve been doing some research-reading in the Petrine writings (cool academicese for the apostle Peter wrote this stuff) – anyway I read this;

“When Peter in his second epistle speaks positively: ‘But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ Remember both he (in 1:3-11) and Jude (1:20) have already stressed the necessity for progress in Christian living.”

Then the commentator added . . .

"The Christian life ... is like riding a bicycle. Unless you keep moving, you fall off!"

Happy pedaling!!

Thinking about what you’re thinking . . .

Been thinking that when Jesus said to Peter in a post-Cross environment, “do you love Me?” He was not checking him out; Jesus was calling him into a new phase of relational service with Himself.

So far in my summarizing of the rumination factors, focuses, and flow on this meditation read . . .

The challenge to love Jesus for Himself is a “calling voice”.   Christianity as a discipleship of the cross is both "call to glory" and "call to suffering".   Both calls must be answered concurrently.  Love for Jesus calls for attachment to Him, through “ongoing un-attachment” to this world, myself, my comfort, perceived possessions, self-centeredness and self-interests.   To follow Jesus of the cross is simply, “to give up what I cannot keep (and would not keep me) to gain what I cannot lose”.

Why not have a “think-chew” for yourself . . . how does the flow of your ruminations read?

Oxymoron or opportunity? – “hearing silent words”

Silence is not merely the absence of voices without – it’s the opportunity to listen to the voice from within.

In ruminating on this “silence axiom” . . .

Methinks – it’s not getting me some needed peace-n-quiet, it’s my taking silence’s opportunities.

The prophet records God’s words to a restless Judah . . . “If you return and be quiet, you shall be saved: in silence and in hope shall your strength be.” Then the sad rejoinder “and you would not” - Isaiah 30:15 (Douay Rheims Bible)

Don’t know about you, I’m for some ruminating in silence, not just on it . . . 

Easter’s over and I’m still ruminating . . .

Here’s what I'm chewing-over  . . .

• Going and growing, growing and going are Christian discipleship’s synergisms.

• The Jesus who called, commanded, and commissioned His disciples’ missionality; fed, formed, and fostered their spirituality.

So, what on your post-Easter mind?