This is Ministry!

I attended a Leadership conference recently - the Summit sponsored by Willow Creek Community Church and Bill Hybels. There was so much good stuff offered by the speakers, interviews and extra resources. I loved it and learned so much.

There was one talk by Hybels where he was giving us his AXIOMS (a new book he has published). You know AXIOMS; they are those pithy statements that communicate profound things in a few words.

One AXIOM was "This is Church!" And what it communicates around Willow is that when something is hard or shows a dose of reality - they will say "Well, this is Church." It has nothing to do with the meeting or the program or the building or the things that run right, but it has everything to do with going through the tunnel of chaos with those we rub shoulders with everyday. For instance, when there is a man in the church who serves faithfully, gives generously, provides for his family, is always available for whatever will benefit the fellowship goes through the tunnel of chaos (or as Dick Woodward says: "Going through the Wringer."). Perhaps he gets a bad report from the Doc, or loses his job, or some financial issue - and the people around the church meet him where he is at and bring to him the Grace of God. Hybels' folk say - "Well, this is Church." This communicates that life is hard, and often unexplainable, but when the people of God come around the needs of hurting people. - well, this is church! Does that make sense?

So I am starting to do some of this applying myself. I have seen and talked to a lot of people this summer: friends, family, InterVarsity staff, WM alumni, missionaries, new acquaintances, etc. There are a lot of people going through the wringer! There is a lot of hurt out there. And while this idea of CHURCH applies in the general sense - much of what I do is more itinerant, or independent - rather when I visit with someone, I don't necessarily represent a particular church. I am a pastor, but not of a particular congregation - I am a floater, as it were! So if I started saying "This is Church" people would ask me, "Where?" So I think a parallel that would work for me is "Well, this is ministry." As I walk through the Tunnel of Chaos with people I want to be able to look up to the Lord and say: "Well, this is ministry. Well, this is what the ministry is all about! Well, this is what you've called me to do."