“A church that stays within its four walls isn’t a church at all. We are called to be salt and light. We are a company of prophets called to compete for the truth in the marketplace. . . . Salt that stays in the shaker isn’t fulfilling its purpose. Faithfulness is not holding the fort — it’s incarnating the gospel.”- Mark Batterson
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt — seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?”- Matthew 5:13 (MESSAGE)
As Mark Batterson moves on in Chapter 7 of Gradually Then Suddenly, he observes that if your reverse engineer any revival, reformation, or renaissance, you find the genesis in someone saying, “Here I am. Send me.” Above all, Pastor Batterson notes, this takes courage.
In addition, as British historian Arnold Toynbee notes, civilizations go through life cycles from birth to death. But Toynbee also believed that civilizations could experience rebirth. Most significantly, Toynbee referred to the key to that rebirth as the creative minority. The term describes any minority that responds to crisis in a creative manner. Exhibit A in Toynbee’s view: the church.
Yet, Mark contends, for all its faults and foibles, the church has done much collective good. More than any organization or government in history. No close second exists. Because, the author states, the church remains the:
- bride of Christ.
- body of Christ.
- hope of the world.
In conclusion, Mark exhorts:
“That mindset — pursuing callings rather than careers — is vitally important for such a time as this. . . . Instead of making a living, make a life! We are called to invade hellholes with the light and love of Jesus. We are called to create outposts of Eden where heaven invades earth.”
Today’s question: How do you see faithfulness as incarnating the gospel? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The world needs the church”