Hub Sunday: “Let Them See You” by Mike Lewis

So, I compare this to the time about 2.5 years ago when we went to Andy and Susan’s house to look at pictures from Africa. Almost before Andy got it out of his mouth, I told him that I was going to Kenya when he decided to go back. When Andy called to see if I wanted to preach today, I said yes pretty quickly. Then, when I got off of the phone, I thought, “What are you thinking? You can’t preach!!!” So here I am...don’t expect an Andy, Reggie or Rick!!!!

Today is HUB Sunday. A day where we traditionally look at the places that we have ministered to, the possibilities that might be coming up and the opportunities that we have sitting before us. I want to dig a little deeper into the why and maybe show you how this goes farther than we can even comprehend.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So what this tells me is that we were made with a purpose. A purpose to serve Him by serving people. He didn’t make us to serve ourselves. He designed us with a purpose. We were made to be a blessing to others. It’s his plan for us, all of us, not just some of us.

In other words, He has given to us, certain people that we are supposed to help. Some that we can serve, some that we can care for and some who we can lead to Him.

For those that were here a couple of weeks ago and heard Andy tell about the gentleman that asked him a question about scripture, did this bring up any certain event that made you think? Should I have helped that person? Should I have done whatever was necessary? Was this one of the people that He sent to us, that we were supposed to help? I know it did for me.

We all have God-given talents that we can utilize to help people. We need to be faithful in doing just that. He made us all different and all of our talents different for a reason. We can use our talents to complement each other. What I can do is probably different than what Roger can do, our Leon can do...but together, we can accomplish what God planned for us. In 1 Peter 4:10 it says “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” A perfect example of this is our upcoming Wounded Warrior Guide Service waterfowl hunt. I’m not the best waterfowl hunter that there is but I know people that are pretty good at it. They are willing to use those talents to help. If these veterans coming to hunt had to eat my cooking, they would probably lose weight while they are here. If any of you have eaten Robin’s cooking, you know that she’s a pretty good cook. I know for a fact that they go home with a belly full of great food and a few extra pounds because she utilizes one of her many talents to serve others. These people are fulfilling God’s plan. Jesus said in Matthew 20:28 that we are to serve others “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...”

So what happens if we choose not to serve? I want to give you an example. Imagine a pond. Just your little run of the mill pond. The only water it gets is rain water. It gets a little water in to it every once in a while but it has no outlet. The water just sits in this pond. What happens to the water? It becomes stagnant, right? It’s the same with us as Christians. We get knowledge of the Bible coming in...through Church service, Bible study, reading the Word. If that all comes in and there is no outlet, we become stagnant. Our spiritual life become stagnant. God expects us to fulfill His plans for us. We need to be doers of the Word. The Bible says in James 2:20 that “Faith without deeds is useless.” God didn’t design us, before we were born, to be useless. Admittedly, it’s easy to know what needs done but not do it. It’s comfortable...for a little bit. God, or your conscience, will eventually push you to do good works...or, at least, He has me.

God puts people in front of us, all of the time, that need help. It may seem like a burden at the time but maybe, just maybe, He is giving us the opportunity to be like Jesus or at least the opportunity to practice being like Jesus. Even Jesus took a towel and a bowl of water and washed His disciple’s feet because the need was obvious.

I know there are some of us that think, “What can I do? Even if I can do something, it’s not that big of a deal.” I’m here to tell you that all good deeds are important. God doesn’t keep track of how big or important they are. Just like a sin is a sin, one is not bigger than the other...the same applies for the blessings that you give out. The work that you do is important, no matter how big or how small. Proof of this is in Mark 9:41. It reads, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ, will certainly not lose his reward.”

We are to be faithful in the things that God has for us, we need recognize these opportunities.

I want to take a look at the maps that Reggie made for us. We see here all of the places that we have served. Whether in person or by sending supplies, we have served. Let me tap in to your imagination a little bit with something my wife said to me about a year ago. Imagine, if you will, that this person that we helped here in Fairfax, helped someone else in Wyoming. We in essence could put a sticker here. Or this person that we helped in St. Louis, helped someone in Texas. I know for a fact, that we don’t, or can’t, have a clue how far reaching our Good Works go. These people, if they see God in our works, will pass the blessing forward. It is His design for us and for them. In reality, we could cover most of Missouri with stickers. We could color a lot of states in stickers and we could eventually put more stickers into other countries. Andy just got back from Honduras...there’s a sticker and because of his work, those people will bless others. How cool is that? It’s the perfect pyramid scheme!!!!!

I read a story this week as I was preparing the sermon. It’s about a pencil. I’d like to share it with you:

“The pencil maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box and said, ‘There are 5 things you need to know, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.’

• ‘You will do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.’
• ‘You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.’
• ‘You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.’
• ‘The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.’
• ‘On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.’

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in his heart.”

Just like the pencil, we need to remember these five things in order to be the best person we can be:

• You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other people to access you for the many gifts that you possess.
• You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through numerous trials, but you’ll need them to become a stronger person.
• You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
• The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
• On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark.

It doesn’t matter what situation we find ourselves in, we must continue to do our part. Use our gifts. Bless others lives. And maybe, just maybe, they will see God through our good works and be led to Him through us.

There are many people that you see during your daily routines that need our love. There are people here that need our love. There are innumerous people that need to hear about Jesus. We need to focus on these people. We need to do the good works that God prepared for us to do. We need to diligent and deliberate in doing these things. Be the good that people want and need.

One of my favorite songs is, “Let Them See You in Me”. Let the people see Him in you and all of the things that you do. Let them see Him in the gifts that you intentionally use to help others.

Hub Sunday – “Gifted to Serve”

This week is Hub Sunday. I know many are still wondering what that means because this is only our fourth one and for the second meeting we only met for a few minutes before going out to serve. So, let me provide a brief reminder.

The idea is rooted in a conversation between Roger Martin and I from mid-June. The following week, he used the word, “missions hub,” in a deacon meeting and that got me thinking how we could better promote missions – not just in the sense that we give money to some cause, but in how we are involved, and how we should be involved.

So, at the end of July we had our first Hub Sunday and I talked about these origins and why we would focus on this idea occasionally. I still do not know if it will be monthly long-term, but for now it is.

On Labor Day weekend, we used Hub Sunday as an opportunity to serve people around Fairfax on what we called Labor for the Son Day. I anticipate that is the first annual such day.

At the end of September, we brought out the boards showing various areas we served – in Fairfax, in NW Missouri, in the United States, and around the world. Lord willing, we will continue to add more to these boards over time. As a part of last month’s service, I invited Dr. Jeremy Burright to come and share, as the Superintendent of Fairfax Schools, how we might be able to serve the school. Some interest was generated and we will be determining a date to do some of the interior painting soon.

So, that brings us to today. And today I want to focus on the fact that God has gifted us to serve. I will present a few opportunities for us to consider, but first I want to review a familiar parable. This parable fits well with last week’s message related to the fact that the Spirit has given one or more gifts to every born-again believer as we saw in 1 Corinthians 12. Those gifts, called spiritual gifts, are a gift from God to us so that we may, in turn, give ourselves to Him through our service.

Before I begin to expand on today’s text, let me first read today’s text. The passage is Matthew 25.14-30. Please read Matthew 25.14-30.

The Master’s Journey

The man in the story is a wealthy man. We know this because He has servants and only those with some amount of wealth could afford to have servants. Furthermore, we will see by his gift, how wealthy this man really must be.

However, we must also note that he is a trusting man. Verse 14 says he entrusted his property to these servants. So, this wealthy and trusting man gave a certain amount of his assets to three servants as specified here. One servant received five talents, another two, and another received one. Before I describe a talent, let us understand that this distribution is fair. The Bible does not say this is a father trying to make certain that three of His children get the same portion of a candy bar. These are servants and the reason he gave more to certain servants is because of previous experience. The Bible tells us this – the master gave to each “according to his ability” (v. 15). This practice is good stewardship and, thus, good leadership. I teach this principle all the time. You give people certain responsibilities and as they succeed you give them more responsibility. A responsible adult does not give a 16-year-old $500,000 to do with as s/he pleases. The responsible adult gives a child a little bit of money and see how that amount first. If it is handled well, then more is given. Etc.

And we should be thankful for this because Luke 12.48 says that to whom much is given, much is expected. That verse is the verse I fear the most because I have been given much – and that would be true if I had nothing else but the grace of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus. From there, God has given me a beautiful wife, wonderful children, a loving church to serve, opportunities to use my education to benefit others within this country and now abroad. Again, much has been given. Therefore, much is expected.

So, in this text, what has truly been given to these three servants?

The Master’s Gift

In our culture, many will see the word talent and think of something they can do. Perhaps it is an expression of art, or working with certain kinds of tools, or playing sports, etc. But in ancient times, a talent represented a type of currency (in many different cultures). The key for our understanding this parable is to approximate the value of a talent. I know when I look at this story, it is easy to consider that the master gave $5, $2, and $1. If that is the case, what is the big deal?

Well, let me put it in better perspective. A talent of gold or silver weighed between 45-90 pounds. The standard was about 75 pounds, so this is a large amount of precious metal. In modern terms, the value of one talent would be about $16,000 for silver, but over $1.25 million per talent for gold. Those are based upon recent prices of those metals, and that is a large discrepancy in value. But many centuries ago, silver was often more valuable than gold.

Another way we can look at a talent is to consider its value compared to someone’s wages. Many Bible scholars believe the talent to be the equivalent of 20 years wages. But even the most conservative estimates place the value at over $1,000 per talent. So, let’s use 20 years wages. An average salary can be skewed because some people make enormous salaries ranging well into the tens of millions or beyond. So, let’s use the median salary for the US. As of tax year 2014, the median salary was about $40,000 per year. So, based upon that number, this master gave a gift of $4,000,000 to the first servant, $2,000,000 to the second, and $800,000 to the third. Now, we have perspective on why burying the talent in the ground is such a big deal. But let us first look at the rewards given.

Our Reward

The master went away for some unknown, but long, period of time and when he returned, he did not expect the second servant to have as much as the first servant. Nor, did he expect as much from the third servant when compared to the second – suggesting interest would have been something beneficial.

But it is only the first two servants who received a reward. And the primary reward is the same – entry into the joy of the master. (Yes, the first servant also received the talent that the dishonored servant did not steward correctly, but that was not the primary reward.) The latter servant did not receive a promise of joy; rather that man (the text says “him” – v. 28) was cast into outer darkness and would be in a place that knows no joy (with weeping and gnashing of teeth, v. 30).

Our JOURNEY

How does this passage apply to Hub Sunday? If you are a Christian, you have a God-given gift designed to serve His church for the benefit of His Kingdom. And because you have a God-given gift, you have a God-expected responsibility to serve – that is, to use the gift(s) He has given. How do I know? Verse 19 says that the master returned to “settle accounts with them.”

One day our Master will return to settle accounts with us. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3 that many will enter heaven, but will have nothing to show for it. Why will tears be wiped from our eyes in heaven? I think multiple reasons are possible, but one is that we will truly realize how much Jesus did for us. Certainly, that begins with His death on the cross and His resurrection to bring life after death. However, I believe we will also realize how many opportunities He gave us to serve and how little we did in response.

What’s Next? The Challenge

Like the master in the parable, our Master has been away for a long-time on His journey (v. 19). But Jesus is not on vacation. In fact, He is quite busy, as He is currently preparing a place for us (John 14.2-3). The question is: Are we idle in our response? Again, the Christian life is not about waiting to die so we can go to heaven, it is about us bringing a bit of heaven to earth and extending the reign of God across this earth. Or is that not what we pray with the words, “on earth as it is in heaven?”

So, as we consider our journey, let us consider how we might better serve our Lord. Let us recognize the gifts He has given to us. (If you do not know what spiritual gift, let me know and I will give you an item that can help you to begin to discover it.)

Before I close let me mention three final thoughts.

1) Yesterday was a difficult day for many because of Ferd’s funeral. As we do several times per year, our church not only hosted the service, but provided a meal afterward. I know many people were involved in buying and/or preparing items to make that meal possible. But I want to especially thank the four ladies who spent upwards of six, maybe seven hours at the church setting up, preparing, serving, and loving on the family. I can say thank you. But you will have to wait for the real blessing because it is the Master from whom you wish to hear, “Well done.”

2) Let me now mention a couple of opportunities for us to help the BSU in Maryville.

• First, the students in the ministry are holding a coat drive for international students. Some of these students come from warm climates and have no idea what is about to happen related to our weather in northwest Missouri. If you have any lightly worn coats or if you wish to purchase a new coat, that fine too. But in addition to our OCC collection, please feel free to bring any coats you would like to donate and leave them behind the sound booth near the window. We will have another collection box back there for these coats.
• Also, the BSU has been hosting a dinner for college students for years. This dinner is on Monday evenings and they are asking churches to sponsor a Monday evening. I will have to get more details as to how many people are needed to serve and how much food should be prepared, but as a part of our church being a hub for missions, this is a great opportunity for us to partner with another ministry and allow them to make connections that can lead to gospel conversations.

These brief mentions are simply other ways that we can serve. The goal for all of us should be to hear our Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

As we fulfill our responsibilities as individuals, we will realize our potential as a church. We have done some, but if we have been faithful with a little, then He will give us more to do. Let us respond, serving Him with the gifts (and talents) that He has given us to become the people and the church He has called us to be – a church that is truly a large church in a small town.

Hub Sunday – “The Hub”

Today is our third Hub Sunday. In the initial one at the end of July, I discussed the concept of WHY, we are doing this. That message was about our need to be missional wherever we go and whatever we do. Early this month, we went into the community on Labor Day Sunday to serve the town on what we called Labor for the Son Day.

Today, I want to provide some updates on WHERE we have served to reveal the significance of the idea of being a hub. As a part of the where, I have invited Dr. Jeremy Burright, the superintendent of Fairfax Schools, to share a little about his vision for the school and how our church might serve the school.

Before we get to that point, I want to share some things we have been doing. Some of you may be aware of some or most of these items, but one of my goals of having Hub Sunday every month is for us to share what God is doing through this church – wherever that may be. Why should we share this? Primarily to celebrate what God is doing. But, as we celebrate, these days can be an encouragement to each one of us to do some small part. As I mentioned in July, one set of passages where Scripture supports this idea comes from Paul (and Barnabas) who returned to Antioch to share what God did on their travels. (Read the following verses – Acts 13.1-3; Acts 14.26-28; Acts 18.22-23.)

But, Jesus did the same thing with His disciples as they went out into the towns of Israel. (Read Mark 6.7-13, 30-32.) Matthew 10 and Luke 10 share the same basic story with more of Jesus’ teaching the disciples.

So, what are some of the places we have/are serving?

Of course, this month, we focus on raising funds for the Missouri Missions Offering. But let us briefly review some of the places members of our church have served over the past few years. We will track this with some board that will have colored paper taped on them where we serve. We have served: 

• Locally – VBS, God Squad, No Hunger Summer, Labor for the Son Day, preparing church for the renovations, serving meals to families after funerals, Adopt a Family (as a church, and through Community Groups), Food Drop, our annual dinner to serve widows which has now expanded to the community, etc.;
• Throughout This Area – Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Baptist Student Union;
• Within Missouri – God’s Mountain, Grand Oaks, etc.; 
• In Illinois – helping to build a church; 
• And around the world – Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Kenya, OCC. 

That reminds me a little bit of Jesus statement of proclaiming His Name in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of th earth.

Some projects are short in duration – like our Labor for the Son Day. Some spent 30 minutes, others an hour or a little more. Some did physical labor, and others made visits to members who had not been here for awhile.

Other projects take a while. You have heard about the plarn mats for months, and I have held one up when we were downstairs last month. But we are getting quite a few done now and will be shipping a batch to Kenya in a couple of week to make certain these can be used.

And speaking of Kenya, here are a few pictures of the well that was repaired last month in Lesurwa – where Benson is pastor.

Also, I have been promising a video for a while, but we had trouble getting sound through when Simon sent the first set of videos. After the well was completed, this came through just fine.

This well is from donation made through our church. Most of the money came from people out of town and out of state, but what that means is that people are hearing about what we are doing and are wanting to partner with us to make a difference. Consider our vision verse from Matthew 5.16: we are being salt and light in order that others would see our good works and glorify the Father who is in heaven. People ARE glorifying God because of what Fairfax Baptist Church is doing. Perhaps people are not beating down our doors to come, but our tasks is to be faithful in going and God is blessing us because we are starting to do more.

One of the joys many of you have is contributing loose change each month during the piki offering. As we prepare to sing, let us take a moment to take this offering again so our brothers in Kenya – Michael and Benson – can have gas for their motorbikes for another month.

BEING MISSIONAL

Dr Burright and I meet each month to simply talk. I began having discussions with Dr. Garrett during his last year here – which is part of how NHS came to Fairfax. When Jeremy came to Fairfax, my intention was to continue those discussions. Last year, we met two or three times, but our schedules got in the way. This year, we have both committed to the hour or so being more of a priority. Why?

The reality is that the school and the hospital are the primary institutions in this town. The Church (even this church) might have been a part of that conversation in the past, but that is not true any longer. But we do not need to lament that fact. Instead, let us celebrate that this town is still alive and well because of the school and because of the hospital. And if we are to be a large church in a small town, then we need to engage where the opportunities allow. Remember, being a large church is about influence, not necessarily numbers. So, where can we have influence? Well, the school is one of the greatest areas we can have influence.

Therefore, I have invited Dr. Burright to come and speak today in order to share a little about himself, about what his vision for the school, and how we might help.

Dr. Burright’s portion of the message was here.

OUR JOURNEY

Our strategy is comprised of the acrostic JOURNEY. One reason that word was chosen is that we are all on a spiritual journey – some with Jesus, some towards Jesus, and others away from Him. But another aspect of the JOURNEY is that we each have an opportunity to prepare those who are younger to be better prepared for their geographical journey. We know that most of the students who graduate from Fairfax do not return to this area. So, the question we must ask ourselves is: What can we do to help the students commit themselves to letting Jesus be the guide on their life’s journey? The Children’s Festival yesterday was one aspect. God Squad starts this week – that is another. The new Root Group starts on Thursday as well. VBS is still very important. We have the Community Youth Group. But all of those are about others coming to us. No Hunger Summer is one way we go out to the families and children in the community. Serving the school is a way to go to them. Sure, we cannot go in and sing Jesus Loves Me or stand and preach whatever we want, but that is no different than when Paul travelled to other places. He went to the synagogue to teach (where people generally believed in God) and then went from there.

It is possible that any service we provide for the school will not cause one person to come into this church. Am I ok with that? Well, again, our purpose is to be about loving God and loving others even if that love is not returned as we might expect. But I can assure you this. Someone will ask, “Who painted this?” Or “How did this get done?” And the answer will be someone from the church, maybe even Fairfax Baptist Church. Again, remember the passage related to our vision is that we are salt and light. Verse 16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

If we serve – and do it well, God will be glorified. If God is glorified, that is what matters. If He chooses to have someone come and be a part of this fellowship of believers, let us welcome them. If someone decides that seeing what we have done causes them to return to God, but do so in another Bible-believing church, Amen! Again, our competition is not other churches that teach the Bible. Our competition is any part of the culture around us that is against, or even apathetic toward, God.

So, let us be a sending Hub. Let us be a church that is known not for coming to church, but for going and serving as a part of the Church. Yes, we should still come for discipleship, fellowship, and worship, but we do so in order that we can better minister and share God’s message with others.

What’s Next? The Challenge

Dr. Burright has given us some options on how we might help the school. Some of the opportunities will requires some physical work (such as painting), others will require making a relational commitment to one or several students, etc. The question before us now is how to proceed? But before we can proceed, each person needs to consider what they will do. If we leave the idea at the level of us, then we can excuse ourselves because someone else will do it (and if they don’t then that is their fault). But if we make it personal – What will I do? (not what can I do?), then something will happen. And like the Labor for the Son Day, if you are unable to physically do something, that’s ok, you can pray! But again, our response goes beyond what each of us can do, our response is to actually do. The question we must each ask ourselves is: Will I do what God asks me to do?

Remember, our God is a sending God. He sent His Son. He is sending us. So, how will you respond?

Hub Sunday – “Sent”

Today is the launch for a new emphasis we will call Hub Sunday. The idea for these times of worship each month will be to celebrate what we are doing as a church relating to fulfilling our mission.

Why Missions’ Hub?

First, let me tell you about the origins of the name. The name comes from a couple of conversations where Roger and I were both present. One of the conversations was a one-on-one conversation while driving and the other was part of a discussion with the deacons. In the latter meeting with the deacons, Roger used the words “missions’ hub” to describe an aspect of our church and the name resonated strongly with me. So, for the last month, I have been considering how to celebrate everything we are doing as a church year-round. Thus, the idea for a regular service to celebrate was born. But beyond being a celebration, Hub Sunday will also be meant to challenge and inspire us.

Today, as we begin our first Hub Sunday, I want to share three ideas with you and then leave us with a couple of considerations. First, I want to share the “Why” of missions. That is, why should we be engaged in servings others? Second, I want to break down a fallacy regarding missions. Third, I want to briefly make a comment about the nature of a worship service. After I have mentioned each of these items, I will provide our challenge for the remaining months of 2018 and beyond.

Why Missions?

The main reason for us to be involved in missions is because Jesus commanded us to make disciples. And as part of that process, He said we are to “go.” Read Matthew 28.19-20. Thus, if Jesus tells us to go, then we are sent, but our sending is with a purpose. When talking about our purpose as Christians, we often mention the idea of being called. And that is true. Jesus called for the disciples to “Follow Me” (Matthew 4.19) and the Greek word from which we get the English “church” is ekklessia which means “called out ones.” So, we are indeed called, but our calling is so that we can be sent.

Consider some of the major characters of the Bible. Abraham was sent out from his homeland. Moses was sent to Pharaoh. The Israelites were sent to the Promised Land. David was sent to the front lines where he would face Goliath. Ezra was sent to Jerusalem to help get the temple rebuilt. Nehemiah was sent to help rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. God sent His Son that whoever believes will have eternal life. The apostles were told they would be sent from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Paul was sent to the Gentiles. Etc. So, the idea of being sent is prominent throughout Scripture.

The idea is not just for great people for none of the people mentioned (except His Son) were considered great until they obeyed their call to be sent. Again, we are sent by Jesus as He commands us to make disciples as we “go.” (Matthew 28.19). And we do not go in order to become great; rather we go in order that His Name will be made great (Matthew 5.16). Of course, some refuse the call to be sent (even if only for a while) like Jonah. However, the book of Jonah shows obedience of God’s sending throughout that short book. Consider that God sent Jonah (who initially disobeyed, but later obeyed), but God also sent a great wind and storm (Jonah 1.4),  a big fish (1.17), a plant (4.6), a worm (4.7), and a scorching wind (4.8). So, again, listening to Jesus requires us to “Go!” because like God sent Him, He sends us.

But being sent is not just about going abroad, it can mean going across the street or across the town. And that will be the next part of the message.

Being Missional

One of the primary reasons behind Hub Sunday is to help correct a misunderstanding of missions. Since late August of 2016, and particularly since late January of this year, you have heard a great deal about Kenya. And in previous years, you have heard about various mission trips to Panama, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, as well as various places within the United States. It is particularly important for a church to hear what God is doing when the church is sending people out to far away locations. The church at Antioch sent Paul (and Barnabas) out (Acts 13.1-3), and Paul regularly returned to Antioch to give reports of his missionary endeavors (e.g. Acts 14.26-28; 18.22-23).

But the emphasis in the Great Commission is not the word “go.” The emphasis is to make disciples. In fact, the verb is “to make” and the terms “go,” “baptize,” and “teach,” are all participles which explain how “to make.” So, the important part is to make disciples and that can be done “as we go.” That is, as we go about our regular business we are to make disciples.

Therefore, the idea is not necessarily about going on a mission trip. Rather, it is living a life that is “on mission” or being “missional” as is often said today. The difference is staggering. Going to and from Kenya costs between $1100-$1500 just for the airfare and costs a great deal of time (airport to airport is nearly 24 hours, for instance). Going across the street costs nothing monetarily, and perhaps five minutes of time at a minimum. But both can have eternal impact if we are mission-minded.

Every interaction we have with another person could be a difference maker in their eternity. That statement is why Matthew 5.16 is the verse for our Vision statement. We do our good works to that others will give God the glory. Being missional is more than merely setting a good example, it is about being a positive influence and leading others into a deeper relationship with God. We do this by being salt and light wherever we are and whatever we are doing – whether it is one-half way around the world or talking to our neighbor in the front yard.

So, we must break the mindset of thinking that missions as something that happens over there. Missions is about being missional and that process begins in the heart and in the brain. For, as Jesus reminded us, we are to “love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength” (Mark 12.30-31). The heart and mind set the tone for our soul to be engaged and thus we use our strength to serve God by loving and serving others as well.

Service as Worship

One last important aspect of Hub Sundays, at least future Hub Sundays, is to get more people involved in the worship service. Think about those two words. We come to worship God and part of that is done by some of the common elements we do every week. But the bulk of the time is spent with the focus on three or four people. Certainly, the time of worship should have direction (God is not a God of confusion, i.e. order is important – 1 Cor 14.33), and leaders help provide that direction. And the congregation can actively sing and actively give, but much of what is done is passive (i.e. listening). So, what if on one Sunday each month, the bulk of the congregation got more involved? That is, what if, instead of sitting and listening, the congregation contributed by sharing how they have served and then encourages others to do the same? If this is done, then the time of worship truly becomes a time of serving during worship – or a service of worship, which gives credence to the concept of a worship service.

If we think of the Old Testament priests, their responsibility was to serve at the tabernacle and later the temple. And, one of the distinctives that was rebirthed during the Reformation was that we are all priests – designed to serve God (1 Peter 2.5). Of course, we are to serve outside the walls of this building because the building is not the church, we are! But, we can also serve within the church and can do so by sharing how God is using us to fulfill His purposes in a corporate setting.

Furthermore, our service is truly an act of worship. Just as we may sing as worship, so can we serve as worship (and pray, study, etc.). Colossians 3.17 reminds us of this – whatever we do, in word or action, we do it in the name of Jesus, giving thanks (i.e. praising/worshipping) to God as we do. And, again, as we serve in this way, others will rejoice and give glory the Father in heaven (Matthew 5.16). Said succinctly, we serve as an act of worship, and others worship as we serve.

So, let us embrace the possibilities to share how God is using us. We do not do this to brag or receive human praise; rather, we share because God has chosen to use us and in our obedience the world is changed, and He is glorified. If you recall our key verse from earlier this year, Habakkuk 2.14 says, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” That will began to happen as we serve more out there and celebrate that service more in here.

Our JOURNEY

Our strategy is comprised of the acrostic JOURNEY. Each week, I share a letter that fits with the message and provides some clarity for how the message and our church’s purpose intersect. But our JOURNEY begins as individuals. We begin our lives apart from Christ and for those that choose Jesus, we eventually take that fork in the road that leads us to Christ, but we always still have further to go. That distance to travel to be complete in Him (Col. 1.28) is our growth which is captured by the idea of a JOURNEY. More will be said about this connection in our upcoming series on the church, but for now, let me briefly share a couple of areas of service that some people have embraced related to being missional.

Again, Kenya gets a lot of attention and many contribute money to that each month through the piki offering. Other larger donations have been made recently and we are now almost able to repair the well at Lesurwa so they can have fresh water. But remember missions is not just about “over there,” it is about when and wherever.

This summer we have had people serve in VBS. Maybe it was helping serve meals, or maybe it was donating food. That can be a simple donation, or with the right mindset, that can be missional.

We have recently concluded No Hunger Summer. In all honestly, we did not help as many children and families as we had hoped, but 33 different children (and a total of 39 different individuals) consumed 190 meals (not counting VBS week). Our church had a part in that.

Each Tuesday, someone from our church delivers Meals on Wheels to various individuals around Fairfax. Serving in this way is an element of missions.

Each Monday, a group of ladies and a couple of men help convert plastic sacks into bed mats. But to do that, we need sacks. And some may simply drop off the sacks, but with the right mindset dropping off plastic sacks can be missional.

Being missional can also include bringing supplies for the food pantry or the youth group or cooking a meal for someone or making a visit to the hospital or calling someone who was missing from church or Sunday School or sending my abbreviated sermon notes to someone who is homebound. Again, all of these ideas, and more, can just be something we do, or they can be missional. It is about our mindset and our heartset.

What’s Next? The Challenge

Moving forward I want us to consider how we can fulfill two major initiatives. I am certain some may disregard one or both of these ideas, but if we are going to be a large church in a small town, we need to extend our influence (which is the essence of the word “large” in the vision).

So, first, our next Hub Sunday will be scheduled for the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. But that week we will only meet here briefly. Instead for everyone who is able, we will honor the name of that weekend by finding some way to labor for the Lord on that Sunday morning. We will call it, “Labor for the Son Day.” I realize that not everyone will be able to labor physically, so I invite you to this building to pray for those who are out serving in some way. The prayer is an important part of the service – praying for opportunities to serve, opportunities to proclaim Jesus, and even for the safety of those serving. To accomplish this, we need to have our eyes and ears open to possibilities. As you see a need or hear of someone who needs some assistance, make a note and let me know. We will compile a list and then meet here that morning to “go” and be servants within our community. We will celebrate these and other opportunities during Hub Sunday at the end of September.

The second challenge will wait until the end of September before we seek to engage. This town has two entities that keep this town afloat from an economic perspective – the hospital and the school. We can seek how to serve the hospital at a later point, but while our church is very active in VBS and is the host of God Squad each year, if we want to make a difference in the lives of the families in this community, we need to be engaged with the school. Two of the last three years, the president of the school board has been a member of our church. The current superintendent is a professing Christian. Can God make a partnership out of this? Absolutely. But the question is, if we are sent in this direction, will we go? We will have the opportunity to make that decision at the end of September.  But, in some way, we must respond to our being sent.

If we truly Exalt the Savior, we will go.
If we truly seek to Equip the Saint, we will go.
If we truly desire to Evangelize the Sinner, we will go.

So, the question isn’t if we are sent. The question isn’t if we should go? The question is when are where is God calling us to go? And within the us, how do you fit into that call?