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).
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.
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