Every once in a while I hear or read a question that really makes me stop and reflect on something worth considering. That happened recently when I was watching a You-tube video. In it the person asked the question, “Do we have a church that has a mission or a mission that has a church?” 

On first glance or hearing, that question may not seem to make much sense… BUT ponder it a while… read it aloud a couple of times… and I hope you will agree with me that it is a question worth asking and not only that, but it is a question worth answering! 

My desire for the congregation I lead– Community of Joy Church of the Brethren– is to be a mission that has a church! This is particularly a challenge right now for us because we just bought and moved into our very first building… it is what you might call a church building, but we are choosing to call it a ministry center because we (the people) are the church, not the building! 

All of this and the many other things we have yet to plan or think about, will help us be on mission for Jesus! Being a mission with a church will keep us from doing only things that we like or want or meet our needs. Being a mission with a church means that we realize that our mission is not about us… but about Jesus… helping others experience Jesus’ love, hospitality, hope, healing, and peace (the key components of our mission statement)! 

What will the church of the future look like?  There is only one answer to that question! It depends on US! I pray that we will ALWAYS be a mission with a church! Thoughts???