June 15, 2008 - "I Dream of a Church Where . . ."

Crescent Hill Baptist Church
Louisville, Kentucky
Pentecost 5
June 15, 2008
W. Gregory Pope

I DREAM OF A CHURCH WHERE . . .
Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19;
Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8-23

This past Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of my ordination. Now at 40 years of age I have been a pastor half my life. The church and culture have changed much since 1988. What the church needs to be now is different than what I believed the church needed to be then. And it seems the sands keep shifting. I have conversations with you that challenge me to rethink what the church is and how we do what we do and why we do it.

The Bible speaks of God’s people as God’s peculiar treasure. Crescent Hill Baptist Church is indeed a peculiar treasure. I’ve never been part of a congregation quite like this one. And fo the past year, neither have you.

At camp a couple of weeks ago, the Karen children and youth were teaching us to sing “Jesus Loves Me” in Karen. I was standing by Steve and Annette and I said, “Can you believe we are hearing this and we are not on the other side of the world, but that this is our congregation?” Amazing.

There are days when I think I understand who we are. And then there are days I feel almost as clueless as the day I arrived three years ago. So I have invited you to join with me in a new vision process as we begin our second century of ministry together.

A few Wednesday evenings ago, we sought to discern a biblical vision for God’s church by discussing various scripture passages. This morning I want to continue the vision process by looking at the lectionary passages for the day, but also going beyond them, and together as a congregation to begin talking about our dreams for Crescent Hill Baptist Church. The next step will be a meeting this summer of a New Century Vision Team that is still taking shape.

The gospel lesson today is a crucial text for the church. At this point in Matthew we have reached the place where the missional church is beginning to form. Jesus is doing the work the church will continue. He gathers the twelve disciples and summons them to do the work he has begun: The harvest is plentiful, he says, but the laborers are few. What kind of harvest is it? What kind of labor does Jesus need?

I have spent the past few days praying through the lectionary passages for today and drawing insights for what the church is called to be. I will also offer some of my dreams of church.

Following my sharing I invite you to share your dreams by completing the sentence, “I dream of a church where . . .” Just one sentence please. As thoughts come to mind or as others say something you want to remember, space is provided on the front of the bulletin for you to jot them down. And if you don’t feel like sharing your dreams verbally, write them down and place them in the offering plate.

Our Old Testament lesson this week is from Genesis. God appeared to Abraham in the form of three men. Abraham and Sarah welcome their in and feed them. The men share with 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah that Sarah soon will be great with child. And Sarah laughs. They had been promised a child long ago but it never came to pass. Now these messengers from God say it will soon take place. And Sarah laughs. Wouldn’t you? What was promised came to pass, and Sarah gave birth to a son they named “Laughter.”

From that story in Genesis I am led to say that

I dream of a church where . . . hospitality happens; where we welcome the stranger among us and the stranger within us and make room for them in our hearts and in God’s house. Because God often comes the form of a stranger (Gen 18:1-8).

I dream of a church where . . . the wonderful and miraculous happen (Gen 18:9-15; 21:1-7). Where we believe that nothing is too wonderful for God.

I dream of a church where . . . we would allow God to do at least one wild and crazy thing among us (Gen 18:9-15; 21:1-7). It may not be 90-year-old women giving birth, but it may something beyond our wildest imaginings that just seems impossible.

I dream of a church where . . . laughter happens (Gen 18:12-15; 21:6). Where we do not take ourselves so seriously we think the kingdom of God depends upon us. A place where joy overflows so high we laugh until we cry.

From the psalms . . .

I dream of a church where . . . prayer happens (Ps 116:1-2).

I dream of a church where . . . praise happens (Ps 116:19).

From the Romans text that called us into worship,

I dream of a church where . . . peace is found and grace abounds (Rom 5:1-2)

I dream of a church where . . . God’s glory is shared, shining on the faces of people who love God and want to follow Christ (Rom 5:2)

I dream of a church where . . . suffering produces endurance which produces character which produces hope (Rom 5:3-4) In other words, I dream of a church where . . . real transformation takes place; where we expect one another to become more loving, more generous, more truthful, growing in faith and trust, more willing to risk, more Christlike.

I dream of a church where . . . through worship and prayer and ministry God’s love is poured into the hearts of people through the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5-8)

And from the gospel reading,

I dream of a church where . . . the good news of the kingdom is taught and proclaimed, received and entered (9:35; 10:7). The kingdom of God, what Clarence Jordan called “God’s new order of the Spirit.”

I dream of a church where . . . healing happens: curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons (Matt 9:35; 10:1, 8). Wouldn’t that be something to see?

I dream of a church where . . . we look at the world through the eyes of Jesus, which are the eyes of compassion, seeing the people of the world as they really are - as sheep without a shepherd (Matt 9:36)

I dream of a church where . . . we pray for laborers and act as laborers (Matt 9:37-38), ministers and servants who will do God’s work in the world.

I dream of a church where . . . we welcome all whom Jesus calls (Mt 10:2-4). And Jesus called everybody, including Matthew a tax-collector, who wasn’t even allowed to enter the temple and offer sacrifices.

I dream of a church where . . . we accept the uniqueness of all people, making us as diverse as the original twelve, welcoming the beauty and sin in us all (Mt 10:2-4)

I dream of a church where . . . we could tell the world, “All are welcome here” - conservative, moderate, and liberal, Republican, Democrat, and Independent, gay and straight, soldier and pacifist, white collar and blue collar, young and old, Karen and American, African and German, Cardinal and Wildcat, Hoosier and Bulldog, and any other uniquenesses out there.

I have to say I’ve never been a part of such a diverse congregation. You remind me of the original twelve. God has gathered us in this place literally from all over the world, and you have created a welcome. I think we need to go public with our openness.

I dream of a church where . . . we accept the call to be disciples and help form those Jesus calls into disciples (Mt 10:2-4).

I dream of a church where . . . decisions are not based on money; where we serve expecting no payment; and do not serve based on how we will benefit numerically or financially (Matt 10:8-10).

I dream of a church where . . . we accept the mission of being sent out as sheep among wolves (Matt 10:16). Did you notice that Jesus sees the crowds as sheep and wolves? (Matt 9:36; 10:16)

I dream of a church where . . . we are wise as serpents and innocent-harmless as doves (Matt 10:16)

I dream of a church where . . . we expect suffering and persecution and hatred because Jesus experienced the same (Matt 10:17-18, 22). His love was too large and his justice too far-reaching.

I dream of a church where . . . we expect opportunities for witness and are prepared for them (Matt 10:18-20)

I dream of a church where . . . faith is so strongly shaped in each of us that our allegiance to God supercede all other allegiances, even family. Jesus says we should expect family division (Matt 10:21).

In addition to those,

I dream of a church where . . . youth are guided in the shaping of their own authentic faith.

I dream of a church where . . . where every church member has their own personal ministry in the world.

I dream of a church where . . .the love of one another is more important than anything.

What about you? What are your dreams?

Begin your sentence “I dream of a church where . . .” and then share your dream.

If you wish to share, please make your way to a microphone because these will be recorded and we will publish some of them in our next newsletter.

(Congregation Shares)

(Dreams from the Congregation)

I dream of a church where . . . the Spirit of God is not quenched.

I dream of a church where . . . love is ever-present.

I dream of a church where . . . where disciples of Jesus our Lord praise and glorify God our Father.

I dream of a church where . . . we welcome everyone.

I dream of a church where . . . use our homes as places of hospitality and discipleship.

I dream of a church where . . . love one another and welcome strangers to our church.

I dream of a church where . . . decisions are made with wisdom, love and grace.

I dream of a church where . . . all are welcomed who love the Lord wherever we are on our journey in life.

I dream of a church where . . . the congregation loves God so much that when people enter the church love will be so evident that the stranger will say, “These people really love God - and it shows?”

I dream of a church where . . . the song of the church possesses refugee vigor.

I dream of a church where . . . we are all woven into each other’s lives as a part of God’s tapestry and color.

I dream of a church where . . . I am loved totally unconditionally and where I am helped to love others totally and unconditionally.

I dream of a church where . . . God will fill the entire sanctuary with people from this community and all over the world.

I dream of a church where . . . all of us will be true disciples.

I dream of a church where . . . we see Jesus in every life.

I dream of a church where . . . we really take the time to love one another.

I dream of a church where . . . our journey is our destination.

I dream of a church where . . . we are actively loving one another on Sundays and throughout the week, as if there were no tomorrow - no East or West, no American or Karen - simply, purely, each and all of us Christians eager to share and express God’s love in this moment as Crescent Hill Baptist Church.

I dream of a church where . . . our dreams aren’t just wishes on stars but the beginning of actions that turn dreams into reality.

Matthew’s Gospel end with the promise: “Lo, I am with you always.” We can be the church of God’s dreams because we are promised God’s presence to lead and guide us and make the journey with us. So let us dream on!