Life in the Way

Thoughts on Prosperity.

Prosperity takes on different forms for different people (and for different groups of people or cultures). For some it is financial gain, while for others it may be environmental and so on.

Do you believe that when someone’s purpose is focussed on the “fringe benefits,” they can be lead to purpose in Christ? Were the first disciples were lured by Jesus’ teaching and his invitation to become “fishers” of people? So, how strong can a connection with a fringe benefit be before it is “promoting” something that detracts from what the church is selling (opps, I mean it’s mission)?

For the church, I would say it is Matthew 28:16-20. (But the discipleship aspect of the church is true for any operation - right? If I sell widgets, I want you to believe in my product and enjoy it, benefit from it, and tell people about it. What if instead of “selling” widgets, I evangelized the gospel about widgets. The good news about widgets is that they can change your life, extend your life, help you to life a better life, etc.)

As I think about the purpose of the church, I feel that it might not center around making disciples, but instead on Jesus’ last statement, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I feel the focus of my Christian life centers on my relationship with the living Christ who is “with [me] always, to the very end.” I believe that the purpose of my life in the Way is to grow in deeper and deeper relationship with the God who created the universe through Jesus Christ and to point others in the same direction (which is part of the development of the relationship).

Tags: Evangelism, Theology