Real

There is a heading in the Mission Initiatives brochure that has stayed with me. That heading is Mission Made Real. The phrase resonates with me because it so clearly and succinctly states what we as a church are called to do. To make mission real means to transform an idea into practical expression. It is to take it out of the realm of the merely theoretical, a good idea we reflect on from time to time, and make it an actual, physical, living expression of that idea.

Making the theoretical real is not a new idea. It is sometimes referred to as incarnation or transformation. In its grand, theological sense, it is what Jesus has done in demonstrating the nature of God. It is why we say he is the “Word made flesh.”

Making Mission Real is the task the Christian community is always called to. This call may take different forms in different ages, but it always remains before us. How can we take the words or ideas and make them a real, physical, living expression of God’s love and will for creation? It is the task that is before us now.

To merely hear or read the words and not deeply reflect on their meaning, to do nothing, is to ignore the gentle but urgent call of the Divine. In some extreme cases, we may want to run away to avoid that call, rather like Jonah seeking to avoid his mission to Nineveh. But the call of God is persistent, and the task is always before us. Every Christian and especially every congregation is faced with the challenge. The questions become, how shall we Invite People to Christ? How can our congregation Abolish Poverty and End Suffering? How shall we Promote Peace on Earth? And, as always, the questions continue.

The need to make mission real is what lies behind the five goals of the CEM 2020 Vision. It is the call of the five mission initiatives articulated by President Veazey in his April 10th sermon. It is the task that lies before every congregation. How shall we respond?

Posted by Carman