Mission Values
I was recently encouraged to come up with some values for myself and Rural Church Development. Being in the field and slowly learning about this ministry context, I’ve developed the following list as a start of values that guide my mission with RCD:
Pursuit
God sent Jesus, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17). My job is not to shame, condemn, or judge wrongly, but to push into relationships no matter the person or personality. Pursuit of people is what God is using to build the parishes in which I serve. Pursuing people is often awkward and uncomfortable. Yet it’s not because of the people, it’s because I am insecure and have to fight hard, by faith, to move past the awkward. I have found God faithful as He continues to amaze me in the relationships being built.
Presence
By presence I mean consistent proximity with longevity in the places and with the people of rural and small town communities. This means that I go to the same places to be with the same people over and over and over again. Being present consistently means that I get to witness, hear, and be a part of people’s joys, sorrows, and frustrations. I am developing a lasting and heartfelt love for these people. That love presses me to pray that hopefully, in time, they’ll have questions of temporal and eternal things.
Trust
I hope to build trusting relationship, over time, with a skeptical and reluctant culture. “I’m for you, not against you.” It would be easy to blast into this culture with my right way to do ministry and tell the gospel story to the loss of relationship. But that’s a sure way to destroy trust and build arrogance. Most people have had enough of that kind of ministry. Being for people means listening, being patient, and not jumping to demand conformity to my standards or even God’s standards. It means trusting that God is at work far more diligently and effectively than I am.
Worth
Knowing people’s worth leads to a biblical and healthy world and life view. Our culture is filled with Christians and churches who pull away from the culture, thus communicating a message of value only if those in the world clean up or conform to our standards in the church. I need to be for the communities and inhabitants, not isolate from them. Everyone has worth . . . Christian/non-Christian, rich/poor, local/transplant. I am to seek and encourage transformation rather than isolation. Pulling away from people because they sin or are sinners, or aren’t like me in any way, is contrary to Christ who came, not to the righteous, but sinners.
Blessing
This entails listening for opportunities to speak God’s favor over people demonstrating their value as image-bearers of God. I am to seek opportunities to tell people their value, worth, and giftedness. “Everyone is looking for someone looking for them” says counselor Curt Thompson. I want to be that someone for others for the sake of Christ Jesus who came looking for me and who is the ultimate Someone for me and for them.