BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

Point Seven:  By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who form ourselves into communities dedicated to equipping one another for the work we feel called to do:  striving for peace and justice among all people, protecting and restoring the integrity of all God’s creation, and bring hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers.

The first sentence in this statement recognizes that we are not “lone rangers,” not just individuals who carry the weight of Jesus’ teaching solely on  our own shoulders.  We need a community of like-minded people, banded together under the Lordship of Christ, sharing both our resources and our burdens.  Remember, the very first thing Jesus did was to form a community.

The next three sentences list what we believe are the three most important things God requires of us, but they are not necessarily in order of importance.

1.  Striving for peace and justice among all people.  Striving carries with it the idea of action, communal action which will work to eradicate the conditions which cause war and injustice, as well as work to help their victims.

2.  Protecting and restoring the integrity of all God’s creation.  Human beings have been given a divine mandate to care for creation.  We have finally recognized that this may be rule #1, for unless this becomes our priority, there will be nothing else left to worry about.

3.  Bringing hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers.  Who are the “least” in today’s society?  The homeless, the unemployed, the sick and terminally ill, those whose sexual orientation is not like that of the majority, AIDS victims…and the list could go on.  The point is that it is to such people that Jesus directs our compassion, and compassion is not just a feeling, it is a feeling which is so strong it will not allow us to just pass by without helping in whatever ways we are capable. 

So there you have it…a three point plan which should be at the heart of every church’s ministry.   How are we doing with that?

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