Church, or Mission?

By DANIEL OVERDORF

Pastor

Last summer I traveled with a group from our church to central Mexico for a week-long mission trip. On our first Sunday back home I shared a new passion from the pulpit.

"I wonder," I explained, "what it would look like if we functioned more like a mission and less like an Americanized 'church.'"

What did I mean? Well, the mission we visited in Mexico functions like most I've encountered. They focus the bulk of their time and resources on ministering to their community. The leaders of this particular mission conducted summer camps for native youth, provided a home for the elderly, took medical teams into poverty-stricken villages, and conducted Vacation Bible Schools for community children. Members of the mission's churches poured their efforts into ministering to people outside of the church walls.

In contrast, most American churches I've encountered (including ours, I confess) focus the bulk of our time and resources on ourselves. We conduct programs for ourselves. We hold classes for ourselves. We plan activities for ourselves. We pour our efforts into ministering to ourselves.

What if that changed? What if we functioned more like a mission, focusing the bulk of our time and resources on ministering to our community? What would that look like in Fayette County, Georgia?

In the last year, the church where I minister has made significant strides in this direction. Do you mind if I brag a little bit? I'm not bragging on myselfmost of the ministry I'm about to describe has been initiated and carried out by people within our church. I'm proud of what they've done. I'm their number one cheerleader. And, I thought sharing these examples might encourage others to consider how they might minister to their communities.

* Last summer we joined a few other churches to finance and construct a Habitat for Humanity house for a single father and his children.

* Last winter we joined two neighboring churches to provide a basketball league for community children.

* This spring we hosted a "Family Health and Safety Fair" that included everyone from the county health department and medical personnel to local firefighters and U.S. Marshals.

* This summer we donated an acre of our land to the Fayette Samaritans, who have built a new building and will continue their benevolent ministry from this location.

* Last week we sent letters to one thousand families in our neighborhood, explaining that we plan to pray specifically for them this summer.

* In August we will host a Back to School party for one hundred needy children and their families, providing back packs full of school supplies for the upcoming school year.

We've certainly not "arrived;" however, I'm excited by these strides we've taken. Many other churches in the community perform similar ministries. Perhaps together, as individual churches, we can become the Church God called us to bea Church focused on a world that hungers for the love, grace, and compassion we're uniquely equipped to provide.

Daniel Overdorf is the senior minister of Fayetteville Christian Church, located at New Hope and Hickory Roads in Fayetteville. He may be heard each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as a part of the church's weekly worship. Daniel may be contacted at the church office770-461-8763, or at fayettevillechristian@juno.com.