A Message to the Deacons and Stephen Ministers

by Stephen Melton | February 19, 2010

Associate Pastor’s Final Report to Deacons

Rev. Dr. Stephen Melton

February 1, 2010

I am eternally grateful for the ministry of the Deacons and the Stephen Ministers. You do so much to bless our church and make it a place of love and nurture. You ARE the hands of Christ in this place. As my final message, I want to share some thoughts about the importance of what you do to nurture Christian community.

The Apostle Paul was right when he wrote in I Corinthians 13, that it doesn’t matter what say or do or believe, if we do not have love, it is all meaningless. Let us then, nurture that love here at Silver Spring.

Earlier this year I decided to read a book titled, The Church of the Other Side by Brian McLaren. Even though the "Church" has lost its place in society, society still yearns for much of what the church has to offer. I share this with you in my departing.

People Want a Place of Acceptance and Love

The best form of evangelism is a community of faith that devoutly and humbly seeks to live out the ethics of Christ. People will find their way to a Christian community that embraces Christ, who taught to forgive, to turn the other cheek, to seek out those with whom we disagree, to pray for enemies, to welcome the outcast, etc. Nothing is more radical and transforming than a community of believers who set aside personal pride for service in the name of Christ. Unbelievers are seeking a community that implores the grace of God: where they will know we are Christians by our love. A Christian community that is uniquely loving and inspiring is the best form of evangelism: "...a Christian community that produces love and beauty is a witness that cannot be denied....we must first be people who live out the gospel." (28)

McLaren talks about the theologian, Leslie Newbigin when he writes, "the greatest apologetic for the gospel is and always has been a community that actually lived by the gospel." (183)

McLaren goes on to quote Newbigin:

...the primary reality of which we have to take account in seeking for a Christian impact on public life is the Christian congregation. How is it possible that the gospel should be credible, that people should come to believe that the power which has the last word in human affairs is presented by a man hanging on a cross? I am suggesting that the only answer....is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it. [All our actions done in the attempt to spread the gospel]....have power to accomplish their purpose only as they are rooted in and lead back to a believing community. Jesus...did not write a book but formed a community.

Finally, McLaren notes, "Our love for one another, our visible demonstration of living community, will prove both our legitimacy and his [Christ’s]. This is truer than ever in a community-starved postmodern culture, where the pendulum has swung to extreme individualism, isolation, and loneliness." (184)

Recently, I read a survey in which they asked non-Christians young people (16-29) to rank what they disliked most about the Church. These are the top ten negative images of the church; the Church is... Anti-Homosexual (91%), Judgmental (87%), Hypocritical (85%), Old-fashioned (78%), You Have to be a conservative Republican in order to be accepted (75%), Out of Touch with Reality (72%), Insensitive to Others (70%), Boring (68%).

Whatever we can do to alter these views, may just invite more non-Christians into our midst.

Thank you for the delight of serving God with you these last ten years. You are the heart and soul of Silver Spring. You are the presence of Christ in our community of faith.

Together in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Stephen Melton