Missional...like a flock of geese

In late September or early October Canada fly south in V-Formation to get to winter feeding grounds. Then they turn around in the spring and do the whole thing over again. Hundreds, thousands, millions of these geese form into perfect V shaped squadrons at altitudes 3,000 to 29,000 feet.

Two engineers calibrated in a wind tunnel what happens in such a V formation. Each goose in flapping its wings, creates an upward lift for the goose that follows. When all of the geese do their part in the V formation, the whole flock has a 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Each then depends on the other to get to the destination. That phenomenon is called LIFT.

The same thing can happen when a genuine missional movement gets going in the body of Christ or even in one little corner of it like the Texas District Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

God's Word given through Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" {22} On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable

As more and more local churches catch a new vision for church planting to connect new people groups and new generations to Jesus for eternity, we can experience the same kind of lift exhibited and experienced by Canada geese in V formation. Networking, encouragement and a Kingdom vision will overcome fears, turf protection and the wiles and discouragement of Satan. I'm praying for powerful mission lift from the Holy Spirit as churches work and encourage each other in advancing the Kingdom of God.

Real Love in the Christian Church

I work with many churches. When I ask folks what they most value in a local church, one of the comments I hear most often is "I want a church that is really a loving place!"

When people say that, I think they most often mean that they want the church to be a place where they are loved, valued and accepted. That's important but it is not enough be truly loving in the best sense of the word.

Antoine de Saint Exupery, French writer of the early 20th century made a statement which I found profound:

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction."

And what direction should those of us who value real agape love in the church be looking?

Hebrews 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. {3} Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

In a church that wants to be about the mission of Jesus, it is not enough to love each other enough to gaze into each other's eyes. That's a phony community and if that is enough for folks in a church, they really miss out on what real love is all about.

The direction we look together is on Jesus and His cross. That cross becomes the center of the lens in which we look at the world. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

That's a description of real love. We love those who are hearing God's word so much that we delight in sharing God's word and our lives with them in an every expanding circle.

We see those far from God's Kingdom with the love of Jesus...those who are right in our local corner of the world and those who live on the other side of the globe. That kind of love breaks our hearts for those who are still not aware of the vast love the Father has for them. It leads us to action, praying for those lost and creating relationships that allow for the Spirit to penetrate hearts and sharing God's news directly with them through witness of care and spoken words.

Then we know and live real love.

The "Holy Dissatisfaction" of Missional Living

I haven't had a Susan B. Anthony dollar in my pocket for quite a while, but she said something which people who want to live for Christ's mission might find challenging:

"Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation...and bear the consequence."

Paul said something similar: 1 Corinthians 4:10-13 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! {11} To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. {12} We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; {13} when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

Missional Living in individuals and local churches creates a "holy dissatisfaction" in followers of Jesus that creates a willingness to be "anything or nothing" as Susan B. Anthony said which often does lead to being "dishonored...cursed...persecuted...slandered...the refuse of the world" as Paul said.

"Holy dissatisfaction" is the unwillingness to stand by and feel OK while people without Jesus are destined for hell. What does that "Holy Dissatisfaction" look like?

Paul put it so well when he said 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. {23} I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

On the bottom of all of my Emails is the following: "Without Jesus Christ, people will miss the best in this life and everything in the next." I really believe that and I pray that God will continue to cultivate in me a "holy dissatisfaction" for those without Jesus. I pray He will do that for you as well.

Like Paul, we need to do whatever it takes to reach lost souls.

• not to be edgy, but for ultimate Kingdom purposes
• willing to risk failure in order to reach people
• willing to be misunderstood or criticized even by fellow Lutherans or Christians
• fully committed to the concept that "Eternity Matters Most!" (from my friend Patrick Miller, Mission Planter at Water's Edge, Frisco)

That takes prayer and ultimate action to go beyond feelings and words. Each of us individually needs to be ready to "give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15. Each congregation needs to be ready to say as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 10:15-16 "Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, {16} so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you."

What Do You Think About Fast Growing New Missions?

Sometimes, members and leaders of existing churches watch what is happening in new missions that are growing and wonder if what is happening there is "Kosher" (i.e. really Lutheran) or not.

Shawn Lovejoy noted in his blog that sometimes the comments about growing missions sound like the following:

• "They must be watering down the Gospel"
• "They're probably just telling people what they want to hear"
• "All they care about is building a big church. They don't care about people"
• "All they care about is drawing a crowd"
• "I've heard they sell beer in their lobby" (Well - probably not that one, but one never knows).

I must say that I rarely hear those comments first hand, but sometimes hear them repeated by someone who has heard someone else make them.

Luther's explanation to the 8th commandment tells us "We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way."

I see this cutting two ways. As mission planters here in Texas find the Lord blessing their labors in introducing people to Jesus so that their eternities are changed forever, I trust that their motives and methods are intimately connected to Jesus' Great Commission. I know that for those front-line mission planters "Eternity matters most!"

Second - I also trust that those who express concerns like those listed above truly also love the Lord and those not yet connected to Jesus.

Each of our planters works hard to share a Law/Gospel message of sin, grace and redemption in such a way that it impacts the particular culture where God has placed their new church. It is hard work. Pastors' of existing churches do the same.

So, I celebrate wherever I see signs of God's mission breaking out to permeate culture, ethnicity and generations. I pray God's blessings on those planters, pastors and leaders as they trust one another to carry out the mission of Jesus.