The Unending Chain of Growers being Grown

What does it mean to be a "good Christian"? What does it mean to be a "good church"? Throughout the fourteen years I've been a Christian, these questions have been perennially present in my mind. Answers came - some even seemed to fit - but over time my thoughts have shifted off of most.

With each passing day lately, though, God finds some new way to hone my focus to a razor-sharp point: Gospel-centered ministry. It may sound trite or obvious, but the now-deepening commitment in my soul is no simple claim. Understanding the four facets of the Gospel message - who God is, who I am, what Jesus did, and how I ought to respond - on their own elude most people on most days. Then, however, to start considering how to convey these truths to people who do and don't agree with them, and to help them apply them to their lives when they want to, adds yet another challenge.

But, then I look to Scriptures and see Jesus telling His first followers to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize them and to teach them to follow all that He commanded, which of course includes this final command to go and make disciples. I see Paul echoing this when he tells Timothy, whom Paul himself taught and trained, to find men to whom he can impart the words of truth, men who in turn will be able to teach  these truths to others. In short, the New Testament doesn't just command the gospel-centered ministry of all believers, but rather assumes and expects it.

The trick to the message of the Bible is applying and sticking to it, not intellectually understanding it, and this is the ministry and life we're meant to be practicing. The implications of this are astounding - phrases like "shame on you" ought to disappear from my vernacular as I live the grace of God's mercy towards myself and others, ideas like "God helps those who help themselves" and the ridiculous "Puritan work ethic" ought to repulse my mind once it centers on the reality that my only hope is that Christ succeeded where I never could, and beliefs like human autonomy and the self-made man ought to seem foolish in contrast with the creative and willing submission to the Word and Spirit that produces a fulfilling life.

My commitment, then, is this: I want to join the unending chain of growers being grown. As God and the godly guides in my life speak truth into my life and challenge me to holiness, compassion, and Christlikeness, I will turn to others who want/need those same things from me. As I am trained to speak the Truth so I will train others. The Great Commission didn't launch a group of people sitting in pews but rather an actively growing Vine producing sweet fruit to honor Him, and I want in - for as long as I'm here on this earth - on helping the vine grow and seeing Christ, the root Vine of the whole Divine affair, magnified high above all else.