Transforming the world.
August 22, 2008 – 10:37 amThe mission statement of the UMC is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I am always challenged by the idea because it implicitly requires the "Methodist" and local church to disciple individuals who don’t have a relationship with Christ.
An example of the way I gauge meeting this mission statement for myself is through my development of new relationships. I am not trying to make anyone anything, but instead I am just trying to have deep genuine relationships with people around me and let God do whatever God is going to do. Bill Hybels expresses this concept in his book, "Just Walk Across The Room." For me, (1) how often I listen to the Spirit’s promptings in me to reach out to specific people who I don’t know, and (2) how I develop those Spirit-led promptings into genuine relationships with those individuals (whether they are interested in Jesus or not).
Are you reaching out to people? How?
Bishop Whitaker published an interesting article about what would your response be if some said "why should I be a Christian?" Whether my story is compelling or not, it is the story that God gave me and it is genuine. Give me a call, send me an email - I would be happy to share it with you personally. Maybe I’ll post it tomorrow for you. What is your story, why are you a Christian or not?
I am a Christian because…
One Response to “Transforming the world.”
While I’ll honor the new mission statement I’m going to pattern my ministry not on making disciples but on being Christlike.
By Questing Parson on Aug 22, 2008