A MISSIONAL OUTPOST

John 20:19-21, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

November 19, 2006

Matt Hilgaertner, Associate Pastor for Connecting

John 20:19-21 (NRSV)

19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NRSV)

19For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.  20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.  To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law.  21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law.  22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.  23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Where’s Matt?

Like many of our staff members, when I plan to be out of the office I’ll send a quick email to the rest of the staff saying, “Where’s Matt?” in the subject line, followed by a one-sentence answer to the question.  Well, it seems I’ve been out of the office a lot this year – between my summer sabbatical, two mission trips to Mexico, a mission trip to Senegal, a week of vacation, and most recently an unexpected week of recovery from dental surgery complications.  But through it all, God has been at work shaping me and helping me to focus my vision for His call upon my life.  And I’m still in process.

I was expecting a lot more rest during my sabbatical, and I thought I’d make significant strides on my dissertation project.  But God seemed to keep my mind racing with bigger ideas and visions than I anticipated, and He confronted me with challenges to my personal comfort zones, my ministry at LGPC, and my life in Oregon.  Even during my surgery recovery a couple of weeks ago, God used my time in bed to bring some of those ideas further into focus – but not complete clarity.  Well, today I’d like to share with you a large portion of what God’s been laying on my heart these past several months.  I’m not the most articulate person you’ll ever meet – but I’ve narrowed this down to one theme:  My growing passion for the “Mission of God” and the part we as followers of Jesus get to play in it.  And for my purposes today I’ll define the Mission of God broadly, using John 3:17 for the framework:  “For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

What some of you know about me is that I love new church development.  And I’ve been involved with our Presbytery’s church planting efforts in various capacities since 2002.  It began when I was asked by the Honorably Retired Rev. Don Frank to join him and a few others from Lake Grove, Sunset and Calvin Pres. to plant our daughter church in Sherwood, including the search for its founding pastor, Len Tang.  After a couple of years I began to reduce my involvement with the Sherwood Team so I could devote more time to my growing family and my ministry here at LGPC, especially as my sabbatical drew near.  But again, it seemed God had alternative plans.  Earlier this year I accepted Don Frank’s invitation to serve on the broader New Church Development Team, which oversees the entire Presbytery.  To take this a step further, as of this past September I am now serving as the Chair.  Okay, God, I’m listening!

Some Recent Statistics

So I’d like to share some interesting facts about our geographical area of ministry, things I’ve learned in my work and research with the New Church Development Team.  The numbers and statistics I’m about to share with you are very recent, as of 2006.   Covering a 5-mile radius from Lake Oswego, the population is close to 249,000 people.  (Within the 97034/97035 ZIP codes, the population is close to 43,000, but I know Lake Grove draws attendance from further out.) The largest generational group in the 5-mile radius is ages 25-45 (30%) followed by ages 5-24 (27%) and then 46-63 (25%), with an average age of 37.7 (U.S. average of 37.0).  But here’s something worth paying special attention to… 46% of households within the 5-mile radius of Lake Oswego have NO relationship with a church or faith community, compared to 35% nationally.  And in mid-October, the Oregonian newspaper reported that 25% of Oregonians claim to have “no religious identity,” compared with only 14% nationally.  These are probably not surprising, considering the Northwest is the most “unchurched” part of our country.

So what does this all mean?  Something we’ve known for a long time, actually…  Friends, Oregon is a mission field!  And more specifically, Lake Oswego is our mission field!  Nearly one out of every two households within five miles of this church has no type of faith involvement.  And one out of four people claims to have no religious identity – and of the remaining three, it’s likely not all of them are seeking or following Jesus.  So we have plenty of opportunity (locally and state wide) to share the good news of the gospel – should we choose to take on that challenge.  What we need are some local missionaries, right?  But who are they?  Where are they?  “The harvest is plentiful,” Jesus said in Matthew 9, “but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (vv.37-38).

How many of you have ever met a Christian missionary, or know one personally?  If you’re not raising your hand right now, you need to.  Anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian – a follower of Jesus Christ, his disciple – that person is also a missionary.  As we heard earlier in John 20, Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  So that means this room is literally filled with Christian missionaries.  In fact, there’s probably one sitting next to you.  Hopefully there’s one sitting in your seat!  Some of us are effective missionaries, and frankly, some of us not so much.  But that’s okay – because we’re all in process, and we get better with practice.  Besides, God doesn’t grant access into heaven based on our performance.  But God does provide blessings of joy and satisfaction for faithful missionary service as we work toward the fulfillment of the church’s mission.  So what is our mission?  Well, the task Jesus gives us has two parts:  First and fundamentally, we are sent by him to make disciples of all nations, bringing them into a saving and growing relationship with Christ.  And second, we are called to do works of mercy, compassion, and justice, all of which help give credibility to the gospel.  It’s not one or the other – it’s both/and.

Reaching the Unbelievers and Unchurched

So how did Paul reach the unbelievers with the gospel?  In 1 Corinthians 9, we learn about Paul’s approach, his methodology.  God laid on his heart a passion to help bring about the transformation of not only hearts and minds, but the transformation of society.  This meant Paul had to get to know their culture; he had to study it, learn about it.  He had to think like a missionary!  He would engage people’s conversations and find out what motivated them, what made them laugh and cry, and what made them tick.  Like all effective missionaries, Paul entered their world and share in their traditions, as much as his Christian conscience would allow.  And when things got uncomfortable for him, Paul didn’t expect people to think or behave like he did.  He knew that only the Spirit of God could change people’s hearts, so it wasn’t fair or realistic to expect them to change on their own.  He also trusted that Christ was with him, leading and guiding him.  Paul respected people for who they were and where they were coming from, and he didn’t judge them – though he did speak truth to them.  He was bold, but also sensitive – and authentic.  He writes, “To the Jews I became as a Jew…  To those under the law I became as one under the law…  To those outside the law I became as one outside the law…  To the weak I became weak…  I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.”  Notice he didn’t set the bar too high for himself – his goal was some, not all.

What was Paul’s motivation?  Well, Paul knew first-hand the healing and saving power of the gospel from his own conversion experience.  He was the missionary formerly known as Saul, a persecutor and murderer of Christians.  But after his conversion experience, his became known as one of the most effective missionaries ever to live.  Paul knew he was a sinner saved by grace and that he didn’t deserve Christ’s forgiveness and love – and that this saving love was available to anyone who would give their hearts to Christ.  So Paul did whatever it took to translate the gospel to others in a language they would understand, to make it relevant to them – first through his actions, and then through his words.  He knew people wouldn’t listen to what he had to say until they trusted him and felt his love.  So Paul figured out ways to connect with them on their terms, and sought to engage and understand them in loving, trustworthy ways.  Paul committed himself to being with them, not just among them, and he became their friend and confidant.  But in order for this to happen in city after city, and culture after culture, year after year, Paul essentially had to die to himself and give up the right to his preferences, stepping outside of his comfort zones.  Paul lived a life of servanthood and surrender, which he described as making himself “a slave to all” (v.19).

Infiltrating Culture

So what about us?  We live in a changing world, with an ever-changing culture.  Things can’t and won’t stay the same – and many people believe the church has become irrelevant.  Maybe we are.  So what are we willing to do to change in order to reach the unchurched and the unbelievers in our neighborhoods?  What are we willing to do to bring about the transformation of society and culture?   Jesus said to “go” into the world, not “wait” for them to come to us.  So perhaps it’s time we take the church into the world.  Does that seem like a tall order?  Yes, but we’re people of faith who believe the gospel has the power to change people’s hearts and lives.  Do we trust that God is already at work among us, in our communities, in the marketplaces?  Are we convinced, as Paul was, that the Spirit of Christ is with us, filling us with His love and leading us to people God wants us to reach?  And if so, how can we help people who don’t know Jesus to experience his love, his grace, his forgiveness, and his salvation?  These are some of the questions effective missionaries ask themselves.

I’m not saying it’s easy.  Sometimes it takes a lot of work – and always a lot of prayer.  It also takes a lot of preparation – heart preparation and head preparation.  Let’s get prepared for the questions from people who ask us “Why?” so we can share the hope we have in Christ.  This is part of the strategy of World Vision, and our partnerships in Senegal and Zambia.  We serve others in the name of Christ, and cultivate relationships with them over time to build the trust enough for the question to be asked, “Why?  Why do you keep coming back?  Why do you keep leaving your family and friends to visit us?  Why do you keep being so generous to us?”  And when that happens…  Wow!  So let’s be purposeful with that strategy locally as we do this internationally.  Yes, it’s a good thing to give lots of money, time, and energy to helping meet people’s needs.  But it’s a greater thing to do it for Jesus, in the name of Jesus, and in the power of Jesus.  This is where the difference is seen, as well as heard.  We can supply food, clothing, medicine, shelter, whatever…  But if the people we’re serving still walk alone in this world without Christ, they’re still “lost” spiritually, and face a future of eternal separation from God.  This is what Jesus taught and it’s what motivated Paul.  So how do we respond?

One of the neatest things we do down in Mexico is walk through the neighborhoods, engaging people in conversation, praying for them and sometimes with them (at their request), and inviting them to join us for worship and other activities.  What would Lake Oswego and our surrounding communities look like if we were to do these things here, by ourselves or in partnership with other congregations?  What if we were to gather teams of people to go on prayer walks, asking God to show us how to reach people, asking God to prepare people’s hearts to receive His Word and draw them to Christ?  And as we pray, asking God to make us people of peace and reconciliation, helping us understand how we can best meet the practical needs in our communities and show the love of Christ in practical ways so that doors of conversation could be opened?  I believe we’d begin to see some significant and exciting transformation take place.  And we see that 46% of unchurched households reduced over time.  The truth is, God has already been preparing people to hear the good news of the gospel – they’re just waiting for us.  Are we willing to be sent, as partners with God in His work of redemption?  It’s a big job to take on individually, of course, but working together in community with people from Lake Grove and other churches will make the task a lot more fun!

Think Big!

Here’s one of my favorite phrases:  “Attempt great things for God, and expect great things from God.”  God is awesome, and wants to continue pouring out huge blessings to and through those willing to be sent.  So let’s think big and trust God for the results!  One example of what this looks like is the Senior Housing Project that Pastor Libby and several of our members are working hard to make a reality.  Humanly speaking, this project couldn’t happen.  But with Christ and through faith and prayer, we’re seeing a dream become a reality, for the glory of God.  We hope this will not only meet people’s physical needs, but also provide avenues of spiritual conversations to occur.  We’d love to share the compelling reason why we would even bother to engage in such a huge, risky, time-consuming project.  And when they ask – we can say boldly and confidently:  “Because the love of Christ compels us.  Jesus loves us, and he loves you, too, and he wants you to be with him forever.”

Other practical examples…?  A church in my neighborhood is reaching out to Tigard High School students on Wednesday mornings by providing free meals from 7:00-7:30.   Or what about creating a kids’ sports league that doesn’t meet on Sunday mornings?  We can provide a mid-week lunchtime Bible study for business people at the library, or some other available space.  We used to have a Business/Professional outreach, where we’d invite guest speakers monthly and attendees could bring non-Christian friends.  I’d love to see us do that again.  Or what about opening a coffee house business that also gets used as a worship space for people who aren’t interested in meeting in traditional church buildings?  I’ve heard of churches that get volunteers together to do free home repairs and yard work in their neighborhood, and go grocery shopping for single moms.  The possibilities are huge, so let’s use our imaginations and come up with more ideas!

Another practical way close to my heart for reaching people for Christ is to plant new churches.  It’s a proven statistic that more people will come to Jesus through new church developments than through already established congregations.  Most of our growth here at Lake Grove over the past several years has been due to transfer growth, followers of Jesus who move from another church to this one.  And it’s not just Lake Grove.  This is true state-wide.  There just aren’t a lot of new churches being developed, Presbyterian and otherwise.  Lake Grove is such an amazing church and we have been blessed in so many ways, and have tremendous resources by way of people, money, and spiritual gifts.  How great would it be to literally replicate ourselves many times over, and reach even more people for Christ?  Why not multiply our ministries and worship services and small groups in several different locations in and around Lake Oswego?  Many churches are already doing this around the country and around the world – and I believe Lake Grove is ripe for such an endeavor.

LGPC:  A Missional Outpost

Now please don’t misunderstand me here…  I know this congregation is already involved in numerous compassion and mercy ministries throughout the region.  So I’m not suggesting we’re not doing a good job because I know we are, and hundreds of people are blessed each year because we’re being the hands and feet of Jesus to others.  In fact, I’m proud to be affiliated with this church and all the efforts of showing God’s love in practical ways locally.  Some examples include Love, Inc., the Barnabas Fund, Shepherd’s Door, Angel Tree, Scouts, Portland Rescue Mission, Woodburn, Thanksgiving meals, etc.  We have such an amazing ministry of showing Christ’s love and compassion, and we have displayed such generosity in giving of financial resources and offering prayers to keep these ministries going.  We’re being obedient and faithful as Jesus’ hand and feet by showing his love in practical ways, and I know this causes God great joy!  I would just love us to kick it up a notch, and take things to the next level by broadening our influence and effectiveness.  Let’s encourage any unbelievers we serve to also accept the forgiveness and salvation of Jesus.

My hope and passion is for our church is for us to work together to discover and create more practical ways of “making disciples” in the midst of our ministry endeavors.  I know all your pastors would love to witness and participate in more adult baptisms for people becoming brand new followers of Jesus as a direct result of the people and ministries of this congregation.  And I say this not in a prideful, boastful way – but in a celebratory way.  Wouldn’t it be great to witness God working in the lives of people in this community even more ways than He already is?  God’s doing his part, are we willing to do ours?  I’m talking about evangelism:  Sharing the good news of the gospel and talking about who Jesus is and what he’s done for us.  But do we know how to share our faith with others in respectful, non-threatening ways?  Can we lead others to personally experience the forgiveness and grace of Christ, and the abundant life he freely offers through faith in him?  For most of us, it’s a learned skill, though some of do have the gift of evangelism.  But all of us can learn some basics and trust God for the results as we practice over time.  Let’s learn these things together through classes, seminars, small groups, and personal study.  And it would be great to have those of you with the gift of evangelism to help train and coach others.  So please let us know who you are!

What is this all describing?  A Missional outpost.  That’s what we are, or at least what we can become, with God’s help.  A Missional outpost is merely a community of God’s people who are cultivating a Missional mindset and living a Missional life throughout the week – not just on Sundays.  So let’s spur each other on to spread the gospel in both word and deed, with our lips as well as our lives.  Together let’s think outside the box and step outside of our comfort zones in order to build relationship bridges with those who are different than we are, especially those who may not know the Lord.  Let’s challenge each other to willingly give up our preferences in order to provide for the needs of others, and encourage each other in the process.  We can be not only the hands and feet of Jesus, but also the voice of Jesus – continually inviting people to explore faith and to consider the claims of Christ.  And like Paul, we can do this for the sake of the gospel, that we “may share in its blessings” (v.23).  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1. Statistics used are from The Percept Group, Inc. www.percept.info (2006), and from the article, “Your Prayers May Be Answered” written by Nancy Haught and published in The Oregonian (Sunday, October 15, 2006).