“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23a (NRSV)
Recently, we began a new journey of “ReThink Church” where we investigate and discover the answers to the question, what if the word church was not a noun but rather an active verb? What would we do as individuals and as the Body of Christ if we came and celebrated who God is, and what God has done on Sunday, and take action with God in Christ – do church – through us in our communities the other six days of the week? We would definitely discover how God calls us to action as the church in our sharing.
Bishop Robert Schnase speaks of the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. One of the practices that intrigue me, especially in our perceived economic demise, is extravagant generosity. Bishop Schnase is on target in reTHINK Church, during these perceived times where fear rather than hope prevail. I am encouraged by Bishop Schnase words of remembrance in Five Practices: Extravagant Generosity (study book):
Every sanctuary and chapel in which we have worship, every church organ [or piano] that has lifted our spirits, every pew where we have sat, every Communion
rail where we have knelt, every hymnal from which we have sung, every praise
band that has touched our hearts, every church classroom where we have gathered with our friends, every church kitchen that has prepared our meals, every church van that has taken us to camp, every church camp cabin where we have slept – all are the fruit of someone’s Extravagant Generosity…Generosity is the fruit of the Spirit, a worthy spiritual aspiration (Schnase, Robert. Five Practices: Extravagant Generosity, Abingdon Press, 2008, page 8).
Extravagant generosity is just what the Christ orders during these times to recapture the hope before us. How is our extravagant generosity of time, talent, prayers, presence gifts, service, and witness going to affect those who come along with us, behind us? What are we going to do now to improve our extravagant generosity, to open hearts, open minds, and open doors for the Kingdom of God to come upon us? How is our extravagant generosity going to affect our rethinking of church? May we produce the fruit of the Spirit, generosity…extravagant generosity! Christ would have it no other way as we ReTHINK Church.
ReTHINK Church in grace and peace,
Jack
No comments:
Post a Comment