Just Outside the Church Door.

As we have discussed this week, there is a problem in the Church and it has to do with a misunderstanding of our Church mission. The problem is deeper than our colleges, theologians, and ministers. From the earliest age, we teach our children that the world consists of two realms: the Sacred and the Secular. This is a multi-generational problem; you and were taught the same thing. Church is sacred; work is secular. Sunday school is sacred; public school is secular. Sunday morning is for God. The rest of the week is for man. When you grow up, you can choose to serve God or choose to get a real job like your mom and dad. This kind of thinking is the root of the problem with churches today. The concept of the sacred and the secular are a construct of man. When we are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, everything that we do, everything that we are, and everything that we ever hope to be is sacred, set aside for God’s service. Tuesday night – out with the boys… How is that sacred? It should be. Working with that crew of heathens – how is that sacred? It should be. That is the mission of the Church. Are you a part of the Church?

The Mission Field begins 2’ outside the church door.

Just as we compartmentalize our lives into the sacred and the secular, we have relegated missions to missionaries. Maybe we entertain one missionary a year. Maybe we talk about missions in our Sunday service twice a year. Maybe we have a WMS program three times a year. Some of us might actually read a mission book. But do you see the problem? We think of missions as a department, for people who are called to that duty. And, those of us who have a burden for missions, we may even spend our vacation on a work and witness trip. But we forget that the mission field begins two feet outside the church door.

The Mission of the Church is not just missions. Missions is only part of the mission of the Church.

We are the Messengers of Jesus Christ

Chris Wright, in his book, The Mission of God’s People, asks this question: What kind of person is your mail carrier? Is he a good man? Or is he a bad man? Does he go to church? Does he cheat on his wife? Does he rob his favorite magazines from the mail? Does he follow children through the park? You don’t know because it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters to you about your mail carrier is what should matter: does he or she deliver the mail safely, faithfully, and on time. He is simply a messenger and can be replaced easily by a mail server and two computers. The same cannot be said about you and me. We are the messenger who delivers the Good News of Jesus Christ. For us to be most effective, we must surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and allow Him to make us Holy and Pure.

How many people do you know that are pure and holy? How many Nazarenes do you know that are pure and holy? How many people do know in the Nazarene Church that even believe they can live a holy life? That believe in Entire Sanctification? That even believe in REPENTANCE?