This is a neat follow up to yesterday’s post on $4 gasoline and the many fine comments. Even before the higher gas prices, people in our city were beginning to wake up to the need for mass transit in a city our size. A couple of years ago we surprised ourselves by voting in favor of a light rail proposal and this seemed to catch everyone, including the politicians, by surprise. Since then there have been endless talks, many different plans, proposals and all sorts of movement trying to find the right direction to go forward.
Today, several metro mayors and other elected officials from three of Kansas City’s nine county area met with Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser to begin working toward a consensus. Raytown Mayor David Bower moderated. The boundary between Kansas CIty and Raytown runs through the lobby of our church. If you live in this area and were watching the reports on TV you might have noticed that this meeting took place in our auditorium. You can see the coverage in the Kansas City Star here.
If you know me at all, you know that I adamantly refuse to engage in politics in my role as a minister of the Gospel. Hosting a public meeting of this kind is not political but community involvement. Throughout our nation’s history churches have been polling places and community meeting venues. We saw this as a great opportunity to serve the people of our city.
Cheryl and I had an appointment on the other side of the metro early this morning and didn’t arrive at the church until the meeting was in full gear. I was blessed to see how smoothly this event went. All the media were there and a host of politicians, elected officials and public servants. Our staff pulled extra duty to make this happen and did an outstanding job with an even better attitude. We also had some great volunteers who were there to help. I was very proud of all of them. No fewer than half a dozen people stopped me to offer how amazed they were with our staff, volunteers and facilities. Mayor Funkhouser introduced himself to me and make two geat comments: 1) he sensed a different but wonderful spirit in our place, and 2) he liked the coffee we served! Pastor Tim was surprised to be asked to lead in prayer to open the gathering this morning and his prayer was greeted with a smattering of “amens” from those in attendance.
Most of our folks are pleased to be able to serve in this way. Last year we painted a couple of public schools and are getting ready to paint a new middle school next month. We have been involved with the City Union Mission, the Salvation Army, Community LINC and others. On our leadership team, Pastor Alan is president of the board of a charter school, and Pastor Marco is a police chaplain. Pastor Jay is active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, and Pastor Tim is constantly working with community leaders in different capacities. I don’t want to leave anyone out, but these come to mind.
This is not to pat ourselves on the back, but simply to say that we are trying to learn how be salt and light in our community, responsible citizens and good neighbors. Honestly, few people invest more than a few hours to paint a school, minister at the mission or whatever. We are simply seeking ways to do more than we have done before to present a more Christ-like image to our community.
Very occasionally I hear comments that express concern or confusion about such community efforts. Some think it might be a return to what we used call the “social gospel” that some more liberal churches promoted several decades ago. Others just think such efforts are not worth the time and effort involved and that we really don’t stand to gain that much. Those are reasonable concerns and I understand how some folks could have them.
There is a difference between preaching a salvation by works and the building of a social kingdom through human effort that marked some of that old modernistic theology. However, in all fairness, we need to recognize that this was on the other end of the spectrum from fundamentalist theology that created fortress churches that isolated themselves from society and actively attacked it rather that positively influence it. Somewhere in the middle we can usually find solid biblical truth. We should not do these things for what we can get out of them, but simply because they are the right things to do. Seems to me that sounds sort of like some of the sermons I have heard (and preached) on tithing and giving — just do it because it is right, not for what you can get in return.
I find it unfortunate that many churches are viewed as interested only in their own programs, buildings and interests. They seem to outsiders as little kingdoms, often with an elitist and judgmental attitude. Some churches are not known for what they believe, but for what they are against and protest. While we can always comfort ourselves by pointing to others more extreme than we are, I must confess that we have not always offered a positive, biblical face to our community. I want to be known as the church where people are learning to live like Jesus taught us to live.
Preaching against sin and promoting godly righteousness is not a problem. People really do expect that from churches, even people who do not profess to know God. They are free to listen, repent and follow him, or to reject the message. What gets us in trouble is when we continually lambaste society yet refuse to lift a finger to help. We are self-professed experts in criticism, yet novices in service. I think Jesus said something about serving.
I’ve got many more thoughts along this line, but right now it’s late and I am thinking only about the need to get some sleep. More later.
Light Rail and the Church in KC
This is a neat follow up to yesterday’s post on $4 gasoline and the many fine comments. Even before the higher gas prices, people in our city were beginning to wake up to the need for mass transit in a city our size. A couple of years ago we surprised ourselves by voting in favor of a light rail proposal and this seemed to catch everyone, including the politicians, by surprise. Since then there have been endless talks, many different plans, proposals and all sorts of movement trying to find the right direction to go forward.
If you know me at all, you know that I adamantly refuse to engage in politics in my role as a minister of the Gospel. Hosting a public meeting of this kind is not political but community involvement. Throughout our nation’s history churches have been polling places and community meeting venues. We saw this as a great opportunity to serve the people of our city.
Cheryl and I had an appointment on the other side of the metro early this morning and didn’t arrive at the church until the meeting was in full gear. I was blessed to see how smoothly this event went. All the media were there and a host of politicians, elected officials and public servants. Our staff pulled extra duty to make this happen and did an outstanding job with an even better attitude. We also had some great volunteers who were there to help. I was very proud of all of them. No fewer than half a dozen people stopped me to offer how amazed they were with our staff, volunteers and facilities. Mayor Funkhouser introduced himself to me and make two geat comments: 1) he sensed a different but wonderful spirit in our place, and 2) he liked the coffee we served! Pastor Tim was surprised to be asked to lead in prayer to open the gathering this morning and his prayer was greeted with a smattering of “amens” from those in attendance.
Most of our folks are pleased to be able to serve in this way. Last year we painted a couple of public schools and are getting ready to paint a new middle school next month. We have been involved with the City Union Mission, the Salvation Army, Community LINC and others. On our leadership team, Pastor Alan is president of the board of a charter school, and Pastor Marco is a police chaplain. Pastor Jay is active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, and Pastor Tim is constantly working with community leaders in different capacities. I don’t want to leave anyone out, but these come to mind.
This is not to pat ourselves on the back, but simply to say that we are trying to learn how be salt and light in our community, responsible citizens and good neighbors. Honestly, few people invest more than a few hours to paint a school, minister at the mission or whatever. We are simply seeking ways to do more than we have done before to present a more Christ-like image to our community.
Very occasionally I hear comments that express concern or confusion about such community efforts. Some think it might be a return to what we used call the “social gospel” that some more liberal churches promoted several decades ago. Others just think such efforts are not worth the time and effort involved and that we really don’t stand to gain that much. Those are reasonable concerns and I understand how some folks could have them.
There is a difference between preaching a salvation by works and the building of a social kingdom through human effort that marked some of that old modernistic theology. However, in all fairness, we need to recognize that this was on the other end of the spectrum from fundamentalist theology that created fortress churches that isolated themselves from society and actively attacked it rather that positively influence it. Somewhere in the middle we can usually find solid biblical truth. We should not do these things for what we can get out of them, but simply because they are the right things to do. Seems to me that sounds sort of like some of the sermons I have heard (and preached) on tithing and giving — just do it because it is right, not for what you can get in return.
I find it unfortunate that many churches are viewed as interested only in their own programs, buildings and interests. They seem to outsiders as little kingdoms, often with an elitist and judgmental attitude. Some churches are not known for what they believe, but for what they are against and protest. While we can always comfort ourselves by pointing to others more extreme than we are, I must confess that we have not always offered a positive, biblical face to our community. I want to be known as the church where people are learning to live like Jesus taught us to live.
Preaching against sin and promoting godly righteousness is not a problem. People really do expect that from churches, even people who do not profess to know God. They are free to listen, repent and follow him, or to reject the message. What gets us in trouble is when we continually lambaste society yet refuse to lift a finger to help. We are self-professed experts in criticism, yet novices in service. I think Jesus said something about serving.
I’ve got many more thoughts along this line, but right now it’s late and I am thinking only about the need to get some sleep. More later.