"The Church as SHIP"

Men...        ...'it's time to go to work!"

St. Paul once wrote, "transformation comes via the renewal of your mind..." We all need that from time to time… and as Lent approaches… here’s a hope-filled transforming thought…

We all know the CHURCH is people...but we also refer to the ‘building’ as church… but whether it be people or structure… what if we considered church as ship?

One of the first images of the Jesus’ church is the "sailing ship". The Armenians adopted this image early on as they claimed themselves to be the first “Christian nation.” They sailed to the Holy Land to see where Jesus lived, taught, died and came back to life! Even today, they are the caretakers of the Chapel of St. Helen, Constantine’s mother, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Having the sailing ship as a Christian symbol points to the idea that the church is in "mission" and when we read the writings of St. Paul, we recall that the fulfillment of the "mission" often required a vessel… From the earliest days to spread the message of Jesus to Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, the British Isles, the New World of the Americas, the south Pacific islands and even back to the continent of Africa the sailing ship was an essential tool. Without a ship the message would have been passed on much more slowly…

Now, some church sociologists liken the modern 21st Century church to a ship... remaining ‘in mission' but some have suggested that there are now 2 kinds of churches...the Aircraft Carrier church and the Cruise Ship church… similar but not the same… How do you know?  Which is which?? What makes them different? What kind of ship is your congregation?

The Aircraft Carrier is prepared for battle. It goes to where the needs are greatest. The carrier is prepared to engage in battle and has provided "training" so that each person is equipped to enter the battle with confidence. The aircraft carrier is a 'launching' station for those who are ready for flight and now wanting to take on the battle face to face. Sacrifice is the theme of the day. It makes a noticeable difference. Right away. This is the kind of image of church that Martin Luther wrote of as he shared his thoughts about the "priesthood of all believers..."

The other kind of church is the Cruise Ship church. It's fun. It's easy. People just pay the fee and take a ride. It only makes fun stops and doesn't require anything except to pay for the ticket and show up! Everybody who rides the cruise ship church expects to be served...not to serve... Everybody who rides the cruise ship church is wanting to dock quickly when the waters get rough...Everyone who rides the cruise ship takes the journey that is equipped to meet their personal needs…

I could go on here about lights and glitter and sumptuous meals vs. blood, sweat, darkness and toil, etc...but by now you already see the difference. You get the point. You're smart people.

But, which one is your church? Are the members of your congregation on the Aircraft Carrier? Or are some of the members of your congregation wanting the church to be the Cruise ship? And what about Captain Pastor?  Where does he or she lean?  It all points to what Dietrich Bonheoffer (the German Lutheran pastor who plotted to kill Hitler) wrote about in his book, The Cost of Discipleship when he addressed "costly grace" vs. "cheap grace." Costly grace is just that. There is a price to discipleship--the total of one's own life. "Cheap grace" is the trust that God will bail me out of all my messes because that's God's job... God works... I cruise...

Taking stock of these distinctions can really be at the heart of the matter  where your mission is headed and as you look ahead to the season of Lent looming before us.... you may find value in having this kind of conversation with your ministy leaders and partners....

So, as you prepare yourself for worship each week and as you ponder what Lent might be for you… take a moment to look in the mirror and consider that...

• The time of the Lent is about knowing oneself, the renewing of spiritual disciplines and sacrifice;
• A life that does not take time for confession… is already dead… some suggest;
• There are men in your life… in your family, congregation, workplace and neighborhood are ‘wounded’ and are looking for an invitation to get things right with God and themselves;
• Getting on the ship and taking part in the battle DOES save lives;
• Your getting on the right ship reflects YOUR life!

Take comfort in the wisdom of St. Paul...as he wrote to his friends in Corinth...

"17 God didn't send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn't send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center - Christ on the Cross - be trivialized into mere words. 18 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense." -Corinthians 1:17-18

Ok, it's time to load up the Aircraft Carrier...or would you prefer this Lent to take a cruise...????

One man at a time; no man left behind,

     Brian



NOTE We had a great time in Brenham for our Tri-synod Lutheran Men in Mission gathering last weekend... thanks to our Tri-Synod LMM Leader team for all the planning, Ps. Phil Fenton and the men of St. Paul's LC, Brenham for hosting and to all who attended...