It is hard to believe that a week from today is Christmas Eve. I am in the preparation for the services that night. At the same time, I am trying to take some time to reflect on where God is leading me. I have felt for a long time that God is leading us to re-examine what is our purpose as a church. A comment was made in a meeting that the purpose for what we do was to fill our pews. I was struck with that statement and failed to comment on that. As I have had time to reflect, our purpose is not to fill our pews but to make disciples of Jesus Christ who will transform our world. In fact I would even go to making committed disciples of Jesus Christ who will transform our world. I am always amazed as to how much emphasis is placed on having numbers rather than disciples making up the church. I believe that if a person is given the opportunity to become a committed disciple of Christ the pews will fill themselves. It is almost having the cart in front of the horse.
Maybe that is why Jesus did not start with building a new church or synagogue but rather started with teaching and living the good news with his followers. His emphasis, especially found in the transfiguration, was not to build tabernacles, temples, or even tents. His commission to us was to make disciples throughout the world, teaching them what he has taught us, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For three hundred years there were no churches. People met in their homes or in the catacombs. When we who are called to be disciples begin to reach out to others in word and deed, we become what God has ordained.
This Christmas may be a time of reflecting on the stories found in the Gospels about Jesus, not only his birth, but what that may mean for you and I. Take some time this Christmas to spend with family and friends and share the good news of Christ. That will do more to fill the pews than anything else.
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