The Ordinary Work of the Local Church
Ordinary things often produce beautiful creations. Consider how a spider weaves intricate, secure, and beautiful webs from a simple strand of silk or how a bee constructs a perfectly designed honeycomb. Creeks create canyons, and consistent drips can cause beautiful formations. Ordinary, consistent things can be mighty, and the same is true about the Christian life.
Notice what Paul teaches us about the ordinary role of the local church in Colossians 2:19: “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” In context, Paul addresses the false teachers, but notice the truth he inserts here. Christ is the one from whom the body grows . But how does He do this? Through the body's joints and ligaments, the pieces of the body. In other words, we see that Christ strengthens, sustains, and sanctifies His body, by the Spirit, through the ministry of the body to each other. As Christians seek to help each other grow, the Spirit empowers us to be nourished, strengthened, and united.
Most of us can attest to this in our own lives. We might have stories of how the Lord used the local church to help us learn something or grow in a specific way. For me, that's how I developed a deeper love for the lost: through the life and ministry of the local church. Preaching was the consistent drip carving out categories for the glory of God and His zeal for His name to be worshipped among the nations. The people of God were like the potter's hand, molding my mind and heart to think rightly and practically about what it looks like to leverage my life for the gospel. Specifically, the example of an older brother leveraging his retirement years to mobilize people to the nations shaped me. The example of a friend who was gifted and passionate about evangelism helped me see how simple sharing the gospel could be. A seminary class and conference shaped my heart too, but this was more like pouring gas on a fire. The ministry of the local church had already lit the flame. It was through the local church that I saw God's glory, the nations’ need, and our role as the local church in reaching the lost.
3 Ways to Grow in Loving the Lost
There can be a variety of obstacles that keep us from thinking about the Great Commission and the call of discipleship and missions. But I'm convinced the best way to overcome these obstacles is to see, with greater clarity, the beauty of God's heart for the lost. And I think the best place to observe this is through the ministry and example of the local church. So, if you'd like to be proactive in letting the church shape your love for the lost, here are three simple things to look for:
Look for Great Commission Thinkers - Find the person in your life who is most sober-minded about life, lostness, and the Great Commission and learn from them. Observe how they disciple people in their home and care for the lost in their lives. Listen to how they meditate on the Word, God's heart, and the lostness of the world. Ask them questions, observe their confidence in ministry, and ask what makes them tick. Let your heart be formed by those walking faithfully and glean a Great Commission focus from those walking in it most strongly.
Look for God’s Heart in the Word – As you read the Bible, observe God’s heart for the nations. It saturates the storyline of the Bible because the whole Bible is the story of God redeeming His people from all nations through the work of Christ. Let God change your heart by showing you His heart in His Word. Let Him develop a love in you by seeing His love for you and those who are currently His enemies.
Look to Love Other Image Bearers – I don't think we typically develop a love for the lost overnight. More commonly, we learn to love the lost well by simply learning how to love others better. As we grow in our ability to love, we naturally learn to care about the needs of others, especially their eternal needs. So, ask the Lord to help you grow in your love for people, and then look for ways to love people well by loving them with the gospel. Over time, you'll likely be surprised at how your love for the lost increases because you see them as desperately needy, rebellious image bearers, just like you are. You become more convinced that Christ is sufficient to save them, just as He has saved you.
The local church often looks ordinary, but the Lord is using us to do beautiful things. Let us look to one another, learn from each other, and help each other love the lost around us, so that our God might be glorified among the nations! It will feel ordinary, but the Lord will do something beautiful within us day in and day out. Let us hope in Him and be at work!