Making Sense or Making Sents?

Right up front I have to give credit to a couple of people. First to Dawn for drawing my attention back to the question, "How is this supposed to work?" How is it supposed to look serving others instead of leading (lording) them? What does it look like to "be the church" instead of just "going to church?" Those are great questions and they don't have easy answers, or at least they don't have one-size-fits-all answers. I also have to give credit to my friend Jason who has done are really good job expressing what I believe are the answers to many of those questions. Jason has written a book called "Live Sent" and I have mentioned him and his ministry many times before. If you are looking for a good book to plunge you into this discussion, then I recommend reading his book first.

I also need to say right up front that this is not the end of the discussion, but merely the beginning. This needs a lot more dialogue and fleshing out before we will see people in masses living this way. Jason has a section of his book near the end that I believe to be incredibly powerful. As I was reading it, a question grabbed ahold of my heart and and won't let go. When it comes to church planning (calendars, programs, ministries, services, etc.) are we doing what makes sense, or are we doing what makes sents? (Thanks Jason.) You see, the number of people that show up for any of our functions isn't nearly as important as the number of people who will take what they see and hear back to their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

We do what makes sense to us (usually because it's what we've been doing for years and years), instead of doing what makes sents - people who are walking Jesus everywhere they go. Can they be the same thing? Sometimes, sure. But are we even asking the question, and really giving thought to the answer. Many times you just can't measure what makes sents. It is easy to count an offering, or attendance at an event, but how do you measure the impact of a neighbor who opens his house to his spiritually unsettled neighbors once a week for a meal and a blessing?

I believe that if those responsible for church calendars and budgets really gave thought to that question, "Are we doing what makes sense, or what makes sents?" there would be some serious changes to what gets added and what gets left off. And I'm not just saying that we should add more discipleship programs or more missions trips to the calendar, though for some churches that wouldn't be a bad idea. Let me share what Jason writes on this subject.

"It is great to serve the local community. I AM ALL FOR THAT!!! Our church family certainly tries to do that. But there is a difference in stressing the importance of signing up for a local missions service project and stressing the importance of people living as a letter of God's love to their family, their neighbor, in the marketplace, in a local and global community, and on the web everyday. The difference is that you don't have to sign up for the everyday. You don't add that to your schedule. It is your schedule. It is 'as you go' as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20... You simply BE THE CHURCH, be on mission, living sent every single day at every single moment to every single person you encounter. Loving them as Jesus loved and how the Spirit prompts you to love them."

As we ponder how to spend our time, energy and money within a local church body, we should consider how we can best spur one another on toward living that kind of life. Our church calendars and budgets should reflect a priority for making sents, not simply making sense.

Blessings,

Shiloh

PS - Let's begin talking about the how's for doing this. What can that look like in your context?