By: Pastor Lars Janssen
The church building smelled of drywall compound and new flooring. I had come to meet with a few other pastors in a pastoral development group. When one of us asked for a tour of the new facility, the church’s pastor led us around and told us about the different spaces in the building.
Arriving in the auditorium, I commented that it seemed a little small, especially when compared to the rest of the large, renovated building. Years later, I still haven’t forgotten this pastor’s response:
“When it fills up with people, some of us will go out and plant another church.”
My gut response was, “That’s stupid, why wouldn’t you plan this out better?” Thankfully, I didn’t say this out loud. But a couple heartbeats later, I began to understand.
It’s not stupid. It’s wise. It’s Kingdom-minded construction.
I’ve told this story several times over the years to illustrate how we as a church family should grow to think of our church in continuity and relationship with the all-Christians-from-all-times Church. We are part of God’s Kingdom, we aren’t our own little kingdom.
Recently, I saw the pastor who showed us around his church building and I told him that I’ve been telling this story about him. I even included my unspoken gut response when I re-told him the story. I noticed what I took to be an unsettled look on his face as we parted company and I thought, “Uh oh, I think I hurt my friend’s feelings.”
Being part of a church family is a wonderful and often difficult thing. We need wise Kingdom-thinking at every level — in the physical construction as well as in our relationships and our conversations. Such conversation requires openness without political maneuvering in which we pursue God’s Kingdom, not our own. But even among Christians who get us at the deepest level, we will notice hurts. Sometimes we notice them in the faces of our friends: in a brief look of concern, a furrowed brow, or avoidance of eye contact. When we notice this, we must apply gospel love. This is who we are in Christ! Because of Jesus, you and I are free to realize together that “my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (Acts 20:24, NLT) This looks like Kingdom-minded construction; like Kingdom-minded conversation.
The highest call of your pastors is to be good shepherds who care for the Good Shepherd’s flock. The highest call of each and every one of us is to breathe, eat, drink, sleep, and live the gospel love of Jesus without being diverted. This kind of full-body and full-soul gospel-contact is how we grow! This often looks like Kingdom-minded conversation.
I had noticed an unsettled look on my friend’s face when we last parted company. So when I saw him again a few weeks later, I broached the subject. I asked specifically about the unsettled look I’d noticed and apologized if I had hurt him.
He smiled and assured me that the look was because he was trying to remember the conversation for himself. He was not hurt at all. We shared a warm handshake, open smiles, and comfortable eye contact.
This is Kingdom-minded conversation. Not every story ends so simply, but we are all called to live such gospel moments together.
Central, we are part of God’s Church, “which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28) Will a troubled look, a furrowed brow, or hesitant eye contact keep us apart? If you notice something, will you ask about it? Someone did this for me on Sunday and the blessing of that conversation is still reverberating in me.
Noticing hurt is a moment of grace. Pursuing restoration is Kingdom-minded work. Let’s engage in Kingdom-minded conversation that changes the Church forever.
