One of my favorite enjoyments is looking at maps and atlases. I love seeing the possibilities for new routes and adventures by simply gathering knowledge. Another joy comes from using that knowledge to take my family to places and locations that we would never have known about had we just followed the GPS, Siri or the Waze app. Those journeys have taught me a lot and have helped tremendously at times I have been lost.
One could argue that the state of Christianity is lost, not seeming to know what direction it is going. When it goes the way of popular culture by revamping how it looks, what it says and what it does, the essence of Christianity can be lost. The mission Jesus called us to becomes corrupted and no longer relevant.
We at the Lubbock Seventh-day Adventist Church, in particular the Church Board and leadership, have been striving to define the path of where we are going. Last Fall we began the “Start With Why” series and have continued developing it throughout the last few months. We also looked at Matthew 28:16-20 and as we analyzed the various components of the “Great Commission,” we noted a few things about Jesus’ final command.
We noticed there was a non-negotiable command to go! This means that the Apostles, just as we today, were not, and are not permitted to stay still and languish. We were commanded to go and to do big things! All with Jesus’ authority. Then we noted that as we are supposed to go we need to do three things: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey.
As we looked at these principles we spent time in prayer asking God to show us the direction to take. As a Church Board we started compiling a list of ministries that we do well and want to do better. We chose a top five list of ministries that are going to be leading us as we move forward:
Health Ministry – Children’s Ministry
Community Service – Lubbock Junior Academy
BibleWorker/Outreach.
These ministries will be the directions we follow on the road map we need to look at as we keep the “Great Commission” of Jesus. Next week, we will look at the final destination and what it looks like there.
For now, as we continue our “Start With Why” Journey, keep developing your WHY. Then you will be able to answer the question a future disciple might ask you:
Why do you follow Jesus??
– Pastor Geraldo
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