Surfing the Inner N8

Yesterday at CrossWay we talked about the mission of the church.  The church’s mission can be summed up in two words: make disciples.

Jesus said this very clearly, several times.  He said that His Father sent Him on a mission, and He’s sending us on the same mission (John 20:21).  The mission?  To make disciples.  It’s as simple and complex as that.  The most famous and widely used example of Jesus assigning us this mission is found in Matthew 28:18-20.

Our motto at CrossWay is “Loving God, Loving People.”  In both parts of that phrase, the word “loving” can be a verb and an adjective.  That is, it can mean “God is a loving God,” as well as “loving God is what we do at CrossWay.”  The second part can mean “we are a loving people,” as well as “loving people is what we do at CrossWay.”  Both meanings are fully intended.

Loving God.  Loving people.  That’s how we make disciples.

There are five things we encourage people at the church to do in order to accomplish the mission:

(1) Love God by worshiping Him with the rest of His church.

(2) Love God by worshiping Him through daily spiritual disciplines (such as Bible study, prayer, meditation, etc.).

(3) Love people by participating in a Christian community, such a small group.

(4) Love people by serving them.  This is ministry.

(5) Love God and love people by inviting others to join us in the first four things!  This is how we live as followers of Christ.  This is how we make disciples.

Just as a football team is on a mission to win the Super Bowl one game, one score, one play at a time, so the church is on a mission to make disciples one prayer, one conversation, one invitation at a time.