“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it…”

There’s a lot of talk these days about what it means for the church to live and act as the body of Christ. There are lay people and pastors who exult in opportunities to work together, intercongregationally. However, there are also those who tend to work only within their own congregations. These folks are sometimes derisively called “lone rangers,” because they do not participate in the wider church — the body of Christ on the grand scale.

These issues are paramount when we examine how we are working together in mission. As the January 31 date for submitting mission strategies approaches for our congregations, it’s wonderful to see some of our pastors and congregational leaders, for the first time, talking to each other about how their mission impacts other congregations, and vice versa. It is as if the dawn is breaking, and in this new light (the light of Christ?!), we are growing in our acknowledgement that what we do impacts our partner congregations, and for the glory of God and the building up of the church, it is high time that we pray and talk together about how we can act in concert!

On February 9, the seven congregations which comprise the Central/Downtown/North Mission Area of the Toledo Coalition – Ascension, Christ, Glenwood, Messiah, Redeemer, St. Paul’s, and Salem – are going to meet together to study their mission plans together. First and foremost, they are doing this in order to learn and understand what their neighbors in Christ are doing, to celebrate with them, and, when necessary, commiserate with them.

Those seven ministries will explore where they might invest in shared ministry, and, if God gives them the courage, they might even mutually admonish each other about mission plans that seem misguided or unfaithful (or both). But I am certain that they will find joy in this process, because Jesus will be working in their midst, as he promises, and wherever Jesus’ Spirit gathers God’s people, his joy is present!

I commend these pastors and lay leaders who have the courage, the commitment, and the intentional desire to work as the body of Christ. God will bless this work, of that we can be sure. If you would like to find out more about the February 9 event, you are welcome to call Pastor John Norquist at Redeemer (419-536-3781). John will have some wonderful stories to tell!

As you consider your part as a leader of the church, please consider how you and your congregation (or ministry) are working as part of the body of Christ in mission. This is work that God calls us to attend to. Besides that, working together in God’s name, in trust and in fellowship, is just an awful lot of fun!

Remember who you are!