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Dear Friends,
I am surprised at how often I hear people critique or criticise the church. Barely a week goes by without someone commenting on how the church is not working, or how the church needs to change, or how the church is now irrelevant to society.
At one level I get this, but I suspect we are inadvertently inspiring a generation who are quick to deconstruct church rather than love the church. Perhaps we are way too prone to tell others what we don’t like rather than what we love?
I wonder if you’d join me in checking your language around church? For too long we have listed all of the negatives, defining that which we are against, rather than articulating that which we are for!
For the record… I love the church.
I love the church because……
We are a hope filled community set apart to live the way of Jesus;
We are light and salt, called to season others with deeper conversations;
We are the living bride of Christ, a community of love and compassion;
We are agents or disciples of Jesus, set apart to transform culture and society;
We are upside down servants who choose to minister in grace and love;
We are a community of sinners, saved by faith, on-route to heaven as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling;
We are a people of the kingdom, orientated to explore fulfilment and purpose;
We are body – organic minds, hearts and hands interconnected and worshipping in spirit and in truth;
We are ordained, the priesthood of all believers, exploring our gifts in synchronisation for God’s purposes;
We are His people, followers and agents of change;
We are Spirit-filled fruit producing community of capacity;
We are Word-anchored, wholeheartedly engaged together to sharpen our lives in truth and freedom;
We are mission ready, living lightly in high expectation and fresh hope; and
We are being completed daily in the knowledge and love of Christ.
I so hope you love the church. Enough to champion what we stand for, rather than what we are against. Without the church, our world will be a dark place.
Dr. Andrew Ball
Executive Ministry Director
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