Mission-Based Communities (MBC) are groups of people sent to announce and demonstrate the kingdom of God in and to a local neighborhood or people group. So what does that look like in real life? Let’s start with an example of the outward focus of an MBC. Imagine an MBC that was sent to families with special needs children. This MBC rented out the gym and cafeteria of a school where several students with special needs attended. Members of the MBC made a simple meal for the families, then took the kids with special needs around to different stations in the gym to play games and have fun. Meanwhile, the parents got the chance to talk without interruption.
A couple things happened at this event. First and foremost, it was a lot of fun for the families and the MBC. Second, relationships started to form. Trust began to be built. Members of the MBC heard about the challenges of raising a child with special needs. Finally, the MBC discovered new ways to love and serve this people group in the future. This is what it means to announce and demonstrate the kingdom of God - a kingdom where families with extra challenges are honored and blessed. This is the outward focus on an MBC. Next week we’ll look at the inward focus.
Also, there will be a meeting after the service this Sunday, May 20 to present the ministry of “The Well,” an MBC sent to the Swiss Village neighborhood. Come with your questions and an open heart if you are at all interested.
I was talking with someone about mission-based communities (MBC) and they asked a great question: how is this different from the way we’re supposed to be living our lives? Shouldn’t we be reaching out to people wherever we encounter them? It might help to clarify the MBC concept by describing how it’s different from simply living a Christian life. There are two ways that an MBC is distinct. First, an MBC is a targeted mission. Second, an MBC is done in community. Let’s unpack this a bit.
I would hope that most Christians are looking at ways to share Christ’s love in their lives. They try their best to make the most of every opportunity that comes their way. However, an MBC is a call to share Christ’s love with a specific place or people group. It’s an intentional and targeted mission. I would also hope that most Christians are in community with other believers. However, there’s a difference between being in community and doing mission in community. MBCs are a group of people who are doing mission together. An MBC is not a higher calling. But it is a different calling than the way we are used to living the Christian life.
By the way, if you missed the interview on MBCs last Sunday, click here to listen.
We are currently introducing a new concept of mission. It's called Mission-Based Communities (MBC). Before we dive into the specifics, we need to be clear about the big picture of the Church. Throughout history there have been two key components to God's interaction with the world. The first is God's mission to the world. The Bible is the story of a Creator on a mission to rescue His creation from itself. God's mission is to demonstrate His glory by making everything new and restored. The second component is God's people in the world. From the very beginning God has gathered a people for Himself - Noah, Abraham, the Israelites. Today God's gathered people are called the Church.
What we must be clear about is the order of these two components. Often, the Church has acted as if it was the more important component. We have acted as if we were the main point. Mission was something to keep us occupied until Jesus returned. It's a good and noble thing to do. In reality, God's mission precedes God' people. God has gathered a people for the purpose of carrying out His mission in the world. The Church serves the mission. That's the correct order. All this is to say that FCC, as part of God's people, does not exist for itself. We exist to serve God's mission to our community and to the world. It's not so much that FCC has a mission. Rather, God's mission has FCC. More to come next week. And if you missed the video we showed in the April 22 service, click here to view it.
We didn’t do anything with it in our worship service, but yesterday was Earth Day. It’s a day when we renew our commitment to caring for the earth. It’s a day when we celebrate this beautiful planet on which we live. Yet it seems like there is controversy anytime the environment comes up. Some Christians are suspicious that those who want to protect and care for the planet are secretly pagan. Then there’s the science behind these issues. Some believe that scientific data points to a day in the near future when the ice caps will be melted. Others believe it’s a conspiracy to sell more flourescent lightbulbs.
To me the science and doomsday predictions have never been the issue. Regardless of how you feel about environmental issues, for Christians one fact remains: our world belongs to God. This is His creation - His masterpiece. And if we truly love Him, how can we not care for what is His? Science and sustainability must not be the main reason we care for God’s creation. Caring for God’s creation is one very tangible way to show our love for Him.
This Sunday
Worship Times: Sunday School: 9:15am
Worship Service: 10:30am
Sermon Topic: Luke 10:1-12
In our attempts to reach people who don’t know Jesus we’ve come up with some pretty crazy ideas. We’ve put on concerts, shouted down people at street corners, and even raffled off new cars and game consoles to people who would hear a Gospel presentation. But what about Jesus’ ideas for reaching people with His love? Over the next several weeks we’ll be looking at Christ’s prescription for mission. The Lord's Supper will be celebrated this Sunday, May 20.
Special Offering:
Zach and Sharon Segaar-King - Haiti
Adult Ed: Issues Facing Synod, Part 2
John Van Ryn, retired CRC pastor, will discuss an issue facing this year’s synod: a study report on a new “form of subscription” that all office bearers are expected to sign and a study report on a revised denominational structure.
