Toward a Theology of Involvement

What does it mean to be involved for Jesus? Perhaps we need to periodically step back and ask ourselves basic questions related to our faith and our commitment to Jesus.

To begin with, we have to be converted to and committed to Jesus Christ first. If that is in place, we will then be willing to use our gifts for the work of the kingdom and the building up of the body of Christ. But, and this is important, we don’t do “religious stuff” in the name of Jesus. Anything we do considered “good works” comes from God’s agenda, we just have to realize that we are coming on board to what He is already doing.

Marlene Wilson suggests that theology is not something you merely study. It is the message of God that lives in and through us. And perhaps we need some strong images to remind us of that reality. Try these on for size:

Steel girders underpinning our actions
The skeleton holding our beliefs together
A Springboard that sends us out into life as unique persons of God
An application that makes computer hardware function

She concludes with this wonderful thought: “A person’s belief system (their theology) is meant to be personal, vibrant, and evergrowing; not static, impersonal, and boring. It’s the stuff of life—beliefs impacting life impacting faith impacting actions impacting beliefs—with God directing the scenario for each of us.” [How to Mobilize Church Volunteers. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1983), 13.

What image describes your belief and involvement? Why are you doing what you are doing? Why are you not doing what you should be doing? How does God, Christ and the Spirit fit into the picture?

In Christian love, Curtis

P.S. All of us in various aspects of ministry [teaching, preaching, working, etc.] have an operative metaphor that informs our theology. Do we know what it is? I spoke at Johnson Bible College’s Conference for Small Churches last Saturday. My topic was “Kingdom Teamwork: Building Positive Relationships for Effective Decision-Making.” I will write more on this later.

But suffice it to say here that involvement, teamwork, collaborative ministry are all encouraged and participated in by the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to always remember that we are partners with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ for the work of the kingdom in a dark world. The apostle Paul uses the word συνεργός, “fellow-worker” approximately thirteen times in his writings. It is this joint partnership in Jesus that makes a difference in using our gifts. There is a synergy that God uses to accomplish what would be impossible with one individual.

We need to think of ourselves as synergistic συνεργός! To God be the glory.