FITTING THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER

The third positive quality in helping the church restore her soul is that of wholeness. Kent Groff says this:

“Ministry in an overspecialized world gets complicated. The soul of ministry is about healing personal and social fragmentation, finding simplicity in complexity. It is about defragmenting, as when my computer reunifies scattered information” (The Soul of Tomorrow’s Church, page 28).

At the core of Groff’s observation is the power of healing and restoration. Moving toward simplicity is the effectiveness and faithfulness of ministry in all of its expressions. When the church sees herself as the community of the integrated, then healing and wholeness occurs. Here is what this practically means for the heart and soul of the church.

>Members and ministries are not in competition for time and resources
>Loving God and loving neighbor is the foundation of all service
>Decisions are not arbitrary, rather participatory
>Atmosphere and morale are indicators of the congregation’s health
>All diversities of ministry complete the overall picture
>No one person has to do it all
>Meaningful involvement of every person is the goal
>Ministry is rooted in calling and responding to God’s calling

No doubt you can think of other practical implications of the church being aware of her soul, along with the simplicity of loving and serving. My mother-in-law gave me a puzzle that had the picture of a train on railroad tracks. It is now hanging in a frame. All of the pieces are integrated into a complete picture that is amazing.

We are all pieces of the puzzle, working for the same Lord, with the same zeal and calling. Integrity, passion and wholeness are the three positive qualities that define a group of Christians serious about embodying our risen Lord in the present time. Ministry does not have to be overspecialized and complex. With the power of God’s Spirit we are all about healing, integration and wholeness! May God be glorified in that process.

In Christian love, Curtis