And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick." Luke 5:31 NASB
As I was writing to various people yesterday, telling them about In Our Midst, I experienced one of those "aha" moments; the kind that makes you sit back in your seat and go, "Hmmmm." I was telling someone about our ministry to the Church -- equipping the Church to minister to those hurt by abortion and sexual sin -- referring to it as a unique mission field. As I wrote those words it occurred to me how appropriate and yet incredibly unusual it was to refer to the Church as a mission field. Unusual and uncomfortable.
Africa is a mission field. Eastern Europe is a mission field. Even the good ol' US of A is a mission field. But the Church...?
The truth is many of our churches are made up of walking wounded. Those who have trusted Christ for their salvation, and even some who have surrendered to Him as the Lord of their life walk around attempting to serve God from still broken lives. Abortion, infidelity, pornography addiction, eating disorders, food addictions, codependence, control issues, rage, and even the seemingly lesser sins of gossiping and harboring unforgiveness keep the body of Christ from walking free and serving Him unhindered.
We are called to "run the race," as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 9:24 and Hebrews 12:1. We are to be as disciplined as marathon runners, strong, conditioned, toned, running with all our might toward the goal of bringing glory to God. Yet many of us though trying to run faithfully are limping at best. Sadly, some are lying along the side of the road, too wounded to participate in the race.
Although some parts of the body are strong and effective in fulfilling their purpose and role, the parts that are wounded and weak hold back the body as a whole. If a runner has rock-hard legs but his lungs are weak, he will never make it in a marathon. If his heart is strong but his knee is out of joint or his foot is infected, the best he will be able to do is limp.
Perhaps it shouldn't be such a unique and unusual thing for us to think of our churches as mission fields. After all, Jesus referred to them as hospitals. So why then do we walk around ignoring the wounded in our midst? Is it because their wounds are so well hidden? Or is it that we don't want to see them? Perhaps the true reason is somewhere in between.
One thing is certain: we have our work cut out for us!
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Hebrews 12:12, 13 NASB
 Our hats are off to Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Pastor/Teacher Dennis Newkirk has begun a series of sermons dealing with some of the deepest hurts, habits, and hangups in life. Newkirk takes the listener through 12 completely biblical, Christ-centered steps based on the Celebrate Recovery program developed by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.
It takes a lot of courage to bring such rubber-meets-the-road truth to the church. Too often we in the church believe somehow that we are free of every hold of sin over us simply because we are Christians. (Note: Having the ability to be free and experiencing freedom are two different things.) Or if we're not, we should be! It is pastors such as this one that are willing to hold up the mirror enabling us to see how bound by sin we still remain that open the door to true freedom. More of our churches need to follow this model.
To hear this wonderful, truth-filled series, go to Henderson Hill's web site.
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:9, 10 NASB
This work we've been called to can be difficult. It can be exhausting. In any kind of ministry work there are always more hearts to tend to than there are hours in the day, and after a time it can begin to wear us down. But this is especially true when the hearts we're caring for are wounded so deeply by a past abortion or sexual sin.
Add to that the frequent and persistent attacks of the enemy on those of us who bear the name of Christ and seek to serve Him with our lives, and we become wearier still. Temptations, irritations, frustrations, roadblocks, illness, discouragement -- all tools the enemy uses to chip away at our resolve, beat us down, and crush us.
Sadly, his plans succeed all too often. Good pastors, teachers, and ministry leaders take early retirement, or worse, they fall into sin. Too weary to keep fighting the fight and running the race they throw in the towel or stumble and tumble off the road, wounded and defeated.
However, the Word tells us not to lose heart -- notice our hearts are important to Him as well -- that in "due" time -- His timing, not ours--we will reap what we've sown. What we have through the ministry God has called us to is an opportunity -- an opportunity to partner with Christ, to be used by Him as He fulfills His purposes in and through us for the Kingdom of God. What an awesome opportunity that is! How privileged we are to have been chosen for such a task.
The one thing this passage doesn't disclose is "how" we keep from losing heart -- the key to success in ministry. But we know what that key is, don't we.... Yet how easily we forget sometimes. We are merely the vessels, the clay pots, the conduits. The strength, the power, the ability -- all of it comes from Him. Our job is simply to show up every day prepared for service. He does the rest. If only we could remember that!
The last line of this passage refers to doing good "especially" to those of the household of the faith -- our brothers and sisters in Christ.... another reminder to us that we need to be locking arms, supporting, encouraging, and praying for one another. The burdens we've been called to bear aren't merely the burdens of those to whom we're ministering, but to our co-workers in Christ.
What's the saying? A burden carried alone is multiplied; but a burden shared is cut in half. Or perhaps what's even better is a reminder from the Word of God itself:
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation. Psalm 68:19 NASB
"Therefore we said, 'Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us...." Joshua 22: 26, 27a NASB
 We have a Yorkshire Terrier. Actually he's my dog. I wanted him. I picked him out. I bought him. And I am the one in the family he is most attached to. This little dog was something I had wanted for a long time. I had a couple of dogs in my growing up years, but they were never the companions I had wanted them to be. This dog, however, has become a beloved member of our family -- as I'm sure those of you who are dog lovers can understand. But suffice it to say, I love this dog.
I had let the dog outside a couple of days ago to chase the birds and squirrels and to do his "business" but had forgotten him. Meanwhile it began to pour, and it was a solid half hour before I remembered he was out there. When he came in he was soaked to the bone and not the least bit happy about it. He was even less happy that I had to use the blowdryer to dry him off. Of course I felt terrible at having forgotten him, but we made things right and carried on with our day.
Anyway, this morning I noticed two muddy pawprints in the kitchen floor. Now some people would have to wipe them up immediately. After all, what would people think?! As the saying goes, cleanliness is next to godliness.... But not me. When I saw them I smiled. They were sweet reminders of leaving him out in the rainstorm which in turn reminded me just how much I love this little dog. I can assure you those stains will be on my floor for a while!
For a lot of Christians, reminders of a muddy past are best cleaned up, hidden away, or destroyed altogether. That's especially true when their past has been muddied up with such devastation as abortion or sexual sin. They don't want anyone to see those stains. After all, what would people think? But for me, the muddy experiences of my life are nothing to hide away because it was through them that God revealed the depth of His love for me. It was through those painful, shameful, and difficult times that He pursued me relentlessly, and when I couldn't stand it anymore and turned back to Him, it was then that He showed me what real love is. Sharing those experiences from my past are precious opportunities to magnify and glorify my God, and to comfort and encourage others with the comfort and healing grace that He pours out on those who give their lives over to Him.
Our churches should be, I think, like my kitchen floor.... Marked with the muddy pawprints of our lives, not as tracks of tragedy but as trophies of God's grace. If we were more open with our own past sin and shame in light of His mercy, others would be freer to share their struggles with us. If they knew what we had been through and that we're not all that different from them -- that our sin is not all that different -- then perhaps they would feel safe to entrust their burdens to us. Instead of the enemy maintaining a stronghold in their lives because of the burden of secret sin, they could find freedom and forgiveness from that sin, likewise becoming witnesses of God's amazing grace to others.
When we can let down our guard and be real with others about what we have been through, God can use our muddy past to pave the way for healing for others. We have to stop worrying what other people might think of us and be willing to lay it all bare for the cause of Christ.
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB
One of the most remarkable things about these verses is what they don’t say. Nowhere in this passage does Paul mention any denominational affiliation. He doesn’t endorse the Baptists over the Presbyterians or the Methodists over the Assemblies of God. In Christ we are one body united by one Spirit. He doesn’t even tell us we have to agree on everything. The only point Paul emphasizes is who we are in Christ. This passage of scripture is for those of us called by Father God in the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is because of Him and through His enabling that we are to walk in a worthy manner, representing Him with all humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance for one another in love.
Isn’t it interesting that Paul mentions tolerance! Even in those days there were different factions of believers, each with their own ideas of what living the Christian life was supposed to look like. Things haven’t changed all that much, really, in two thousand years. We still have our different factions and our different perceptions of what appropriate worship styles are, about social issues and even how to interpret certain passages of scripture – things that can be very divisive indeed. And sometimes, honestly, we aren’t very tolerant with each other’s different beliefs, are we? Paul doesn’t tell us here we have to agree with one another… Our responsibility is simply to be humble, gentle, patient, and tolerant with one another…in His love.
But the idea Paul is driving home here is that because we are one in Christ we should behave that way. In Mark 3:24 Jesus says, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” We who are called by His name comprise the kingdom of God here on earth, and as such we all serve the same God and Father who lives in us all. But if we allow doctrine or dress or worship style to divide us, we are not acting in a manner worthy of Christ. As long as our doctrine of salvation lines up with scripture, the rest is simply not worth bringing down the kingdom of God.
Instead of segregating ourselves by adhering to labels for this denomination or that denomination, we should be locking arms together, combining forces to fight for the chosen flock of God and against our common foe – being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. When we accomplish that, no kingdom will be able to stand against us and our God will accomplish mighty things through us!
All Scripture NASB unless otherwise noted.
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