“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
I believe we are in a huge time of social transition. We’ve experienced a decade of open and unhinged idolatry. Rather than worshiping a golden calf, our society has been experiencing the idolatry of gold, from the White House to the false promises of tarnished crypto. Young people are beginning to feel the emptiness of material gratification without spiritual meaning. False spirituality, based on monetary dominion, is finally becoming noticeable and shameful. Thank you, God!
Returning to God and the Body of Christ, the church, is a process. People won't return to worship unless we Christians and churches earn the right to be considered. Before they will open their minds to the truth of Christ’s loving care and promises of eternal life, they must witness Christian love at work in the world. Too frequently, people have witnessed churches focusing on material success and bending the knee to those with the gold, instead of caring for the least of God’s children.
Caring for others is a huge job and requires organization, emotional commitment, and spiritual commitment. Those outside the church expect church people to care for their own. So, we must continue to nurture our Board of Deacons and the pastoral leadership who reach out to our church family in their struggles. Yet those outside the church yearn for a church where that loving support extends beyond the walls of the church membership rolls. This is where the church's Mission Committees step up and into the lives of those they serve.
At Westminster, it has been my long-standing commitment not just to throw money at Mission projects. We’ve had to make tough decisions over the last decade and a half. If we do not have a hands-on component to the Mission activity, we try not to include it in our ministry focus. We cannot support every worthy activity, so we must choose, and we choose to focus our money where we can also focus our emotional and spiritual support. For example, we don’t just write a check to the Central Iowa Shelter. We also cook and serve food there. We visit with those in line, making each one feel heard and valued. That is holistic care that God blesses, and those outside the church appreciate. Step into the lives of others, in God’s name, and you will model true, untarnished spirituality.
