It is imperative that we find ways to reach out in mission and in faith to those who have not heard the Good News. It is not enough to tell ourselves how friendly our churches are while the attendance stays stable ”“ or worse. We need to be praying for opportunities to invite people into a relationship with Christ and then be on the lookout for the person God sends. When new people come to our churches, we need to offer the kind of hospitality that Christ has offered us. This is more than handing them a bulletin and ignoring them. Who is that PERSON that Christ has sent to you today? How can your parish serve them? If your parish can’t do it, help them find a church that is willing to do so! Making disciples, growing disciples, and equipping lay people for ministry will make it possible for the other marks of mission to flow. As people animated by the Holy Spirit, we can count on God wanting to work through us. If we teach others how to live with Christ, more can happen.
I am aware that some congregations are very tired and that there are limited resources. The model that we have been using is not working for everyone. That is why I suggest that the leadership of each congregation prayerfully consider taking on one new thing and letting go of one thing. What if we were to spend the next year keeping track of our opportunities to teach, baptize and nurture new believers? What if we were to reach out to the people around our churches and invite them to Messy Church or an Alpha Course? What if you were to set yourselves an audacious goal centered around the first two Marks of Mission? I hope to hear from you and to be able to share stories about the ”˜One Thing’ you took up and the ”˜One Thing’ you let go of. Both are really critical!