February 26thA Popeye church?
In a recent article in the Canadian Mennonite, MC Canada’s Executive Minister Doug Klassen identified a concern for the health of the core of the church. We as a Mennonite church are blessed with service, outreach, and relief organizations that do tremendous work on our behalf. These arms of the church allow us to serve more fully and be a part of something larger than we could ever be on our own. However, Doug wondered about a balance of strength in different parts of our church “body”. Just as a weight lifter needs to focus on the torso as well as arms and legs, the church needs to pay attention to its core as well as its arms so that it can serve well in the world.
The restructuring of our regional and nationwide church reaffirmed the importance of strengthening all aspects of the church body, from individual to congregation to broader church to service ministries. For MCA and MC Canada this means paying special attention to the health of congregations. We are seeking to live ever more fully into being a family of congregations that supports and nurtures each other in faith. That does not mean ignoring the need in the world around us. In fact working our “arms and legs” is essential to being a disciple of Jesus. But we need to work those core muscles as well. Together we are on a faith journey, striving to grow in our sense of Christian identity, to discover and encourage ministry gifts, to prayerfully discern with each other, and to serve together. We are a part of a larger body that not only helps us reach out, but also attends to the health of our core. Both are important. It cannot be one without the other.
In I Corinthians 12 when Paul describes the church as “one body” he emphasizes a message of unity in Christ. We are indeed one. Yet Paul also recognized the body’s individual components. he writes, “the body is one with many members.” I think key is paying attention to the health of all aspects of the church body, so that we can truly say, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.” I pray that we may rejoice as part of Christ’s body together!