As a National Pastor, I am
occasionally asked the question, “What value is there in joining the
Congregational Christian Churches in Canada”. I believe I understand the intent
of this question. In North America we are consumers and we are value driven. We
have become conditioned to look for the best value in just about everything we
consume. This is true of seeking out a church as well as in our shopping
exploits. Our problem is not consuming to live, but rather living to consume.
Consumption has become a system of meaning for all of us. We have learned to
not only place value but expect value upon everything we consume. In short, we
are what we consume.
When we contemplate joining a fellowship of
churches from a consumer mindset, seeking to find value, rather than seeking to
serve, Christianity can easily become just one more brand that we will consume
along with Gap, Apple, and Starbucks. As consumers, the fulfillment of what we
desire or value unfortunately becomes the highest good and final arbiter in so
many of our decisions.
Is a question about value really the correct
starting point for churches or individuals who are looking to join an
association of churches? I do not believe it is. If I was a marketing genius,
and by now you can probably tell that I am not, I would have done everything I
could to convince you to join our association of churches. But that would just
be more hype; more value centered marketing, and that would just attract more
consumer- minded churches and individuals. This is not what we would want to
encourage in any new members that would like to join our association.
A value driven focus or obsession was never at
the heart of Jesus’ message to his followers. In fact, Jesus seemed almost
eager to dampen the hopes of any would be value seekers. He said to an eager
disciple one day, who had been watching all of his miracles and probably
concluded there was selfish value in following him, “Foxes have dens to live
in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his
head.” (Luke 9:58). In effect, Jesus was saying, “If you’re looking for
consumeristic value from following me you are going to be disappointed”.
Churches and individuals who are value seekers will always be disappointed in
direct proportion to the level they fail to understand that Christ’s call was
for us to be his servants. Servants, who have a “what is in it for them kind of
value driven consciousness” are incongruent in their thinking compared to
Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God. Jesus said to the crowd, “If any of you
wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your
cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose
it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you
benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? (Luke
9:23-25 (NLT)
I believe a more appropriate question for
churches and individuals who might be considering joining any association of churches
would be, “What level of commitment to serve the whole body of Christ is my
church or I prepared to give? The degree of selflessness in one’s answer to
this question would be an indication of the level of value they have for the
kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not about what we can get, it is about
what we can give.
In the Congregational Christian Churches in
Canada, we are looking for churches and individuals that value serving other
members in the body of Christ and who constantly see a picture of the God’s
kingdom that is bigger than them.
If you are a church or individual that wants
not only to be helped but wants to help others; if you are a church that sees
the body of Christ as a whole and not an isolated part; if you are a church
that is proud to be a servant and not just a consumer; we have a place for you
in the Congregational Christian Churches in Canada.
We don’t pretend to be everything you are
looking for. We don’t esteem ourselves to be better than other associations
either. We are partners with them in God’s kingdom work. The Apostle Paul
summed it up for all of us, “We are your servants for Christ’s sake”.
Yours in Christ,
David Schrader, National Pastor
