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.