YES!

This week a number of area pastors met with Midland's Mayor, Maureen Donker.  She is asking us to work together to impact our city.

I have a few observations from that meeting:

1.  That's not fair.  It's not realistic to ask Baptists, Lutherans, Reformeds, Methodists, and Charismatics to play together.  We've worked so hard at ignoring each other.  We have nothing in common.  Ya, there's the Jesus thing - but is that really enough?

2. It's too late.  There is an invisible line that is the, "It's Possible to Change" line.  When you've crossed it there's no hope of making a real difference.  There are too many big issues that range from poverty to prideful wealth, no one can help either of them really.  We've been who we are for a really long time.  The "It's Possible to Change" line is in our rear view mirror.  Ya, God has all the power in the universe - but would He waste it on us?

3.  I don't want to.  Building relationships take time.  I have enough of them already in my circle of friends.  Add too many people to a circle and it ends up changing shape and before you know it, it's oblongy.  I don't know what that really means and it doesn't make any sense but, it's a goodish argument because it's mine.  Ya, I know others have been called by God to unity - but did He really expect me to do it?

4.  I don't get enough out of it.  There's the whole, "What's in it for me?" issue to deal with.  If I'm going to invest my time in it and talk to my church about it I need to know that it will result in an immediate dual "moreness."  More hind-ends in seats and more dollars in the plate.  We may impact the city, but what about my statistics?  Ya, I know God said His Kingdom is more important than my kingdom - but does he really intend for me to agree with Him?

5. I've never done that before.  There is a sacred buffer that is part of religion.  We can make minor adjustments but the buffer keeps us from getting too far from where we've been.  The buffer is our previous experience.  It protects us from excess, heresy,  and discomfort… effectiveness… obedience… faith….  Ya, I know that God is not always honored by the way we've done it - but is it a big enough deal that I should change me?

6. Blah, blah, blah.

There's a call that will be coming to those who call MFMC their home (and those who don't).  I'd like to say that it's the result of a group of brilliant theologians who have discovered some new way of doing church.  But it's really a call that is almost as old as humanity.

We're going to learn from Christ how to be a neighbor.  It's time to relearn the lost art of neighboring.  Midland is asking us to do it.  But even more, the Christ of the great commission is asking us.

Note: the answer to the questions above - "yes."

Yesing,

Pastor Dave