Church Members or Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters?

The staff of Crossways International meets together three times each week for Bible Study and prayer. Each of us takes a turn to lead in prayer. When I do so, I make regular reference to us being Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Recently, a staff member shared with me that he does not hear much about these terms in his church life. Sad to say, all too often worshipers look to the pastor as their salaried church leader and substitute worker and on themselves as church members. In relation to this issue, we would do well to ponder Jesus’ words in Mark 3:31–35.

The fact that we are Jesus’ brothers and sisters has profound implications. Jesus calls us to walk in His presence throughout life, and to reflect His servant lifestyle in all that we think, say, and do. In His parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13–21), Brother Jesus teaches us that we own nothing. We do not own the ground on which we walk or the crops that the land produces, nor do we own the body in which we live. Everything is on loan from God, the Maker and Owner of all creation. We mortals merely manage what belongs to God.

Christian communities (better yet, Jesus’ family members) would do well to ponder Acts 2:43–47 and 4:32–37. These two passages describe how the first Christians related to each other. They lived together in community and did not claim ownership of anything. They sold “their” possessions and goods and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. There was no needy person among them. They broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

These days, we hear more and more about young adults becoming disenchanted with life in a traditional congregation, and they are devising ways to establish caring, sharing, serving fellowship groups. This is food for thought for older church “members.” Some “traditional” Christians want the focus to be on confessing that we are sinners, that Jesus died for our sins, and that we shall go to heaven after we die. True enough, but there is so much more to life in God’s family.

The first two parishes that I served were in New Zealand. Soon after I began my ministry in that Land of the Long White Cloud, I attended a gathering of clergy and fellow-believers to watch a presentation by the New Zealand Presbyterian Church which focused on the implications of being a member of Jesus’ family. One statement that I heard has remained with me: “While one person on Planet Earth is lacking proper food, water, and healthcare, we should not sleep in peace.” Food for thought!

Sometimes when I share the message and implications of the two Acts passages referred to above, some church leaders respond that they would find it difficult to proclaim such insights to their people. The message would upset them. Yes, Jesus’ teaching upset many religious leaders and people. But the Father gave His Son a “Yes!” vote when He raised Him from the dead. If God the Father voted “Yes!” in relation to His Son’s message and ministry, should not we do the same?

How Some People Are Using Crossways International's Materials to Reach Others for Christ

In 1983, a highly respected colleague attended a Crossways International (CI) seminar that I conducted. He has taught CI's various courses ever since to thousands of people. We have produced a 20-minute CD in which he discusses how he uses the materials.

When he conducts a new-member class, he leads participants through the 30-unit course titled The Divine Drama®. He states that doing so enables prospective members gain a proper understanding of the Bible's "big story" and the themes that surface within it. They are discipled, not merely added to the membership list.

The courses that he uses more than any other is CI's 60-unit Crossways®. Often, people who have completed that course sign up to do it again. On one occasion, a 72-year-old lady who had taught Sunday school for many years signed up for the course. After she had completed eight units, she came into the pastor's office with tears in her eyes. She said, sobbing, "Crossways is destroying my faith!" He was very concerned and spent 40 minutes discussing the matter with her. Then she said, "Pastor, I am beginning to understand something. I have taught Sunday school for many years, but I have never read the Bible!" She completed the course, and then signed up to do it again and continued to serve as a Sunday school teacher with passion.

What amazes me is one of the methods that my colleague used to reach out to non-members. He would sit at a table in McDonald's with some of CI's basic materials on display. People would ask him what those materials were all about, and he would explain the materials to them. Others would gather around the table, and the discussion would sometimes continue for two hours! Those "searching" people were more prepared to talk in McDonald's than sit in a church pew!

We would do well to ask ourselves, "Do we merely invite our people to sit, stand, sing, say, and scatter, or do we inspire and equip them to study, search, seek, stoop, and sweat?" How much time do we spend getting Sunday school teachers, committee and board members, and parents (above all others) into God's Word in depth? Sad to say, many parents are prepared to practice "drop off" Christianity when it comes to their children's spiritual growth. Their attitude is, "You teach my kids! That's what we pay you to do!"

Note well: Several years ago, the president of a large US denomination pointed out the following statistics: 50% of children baptized make it to confirmation class, and 50% of those confirmed are still in the church when they turn 20 years old. Do the math: only 25% of those baptized are still around 20 years later. Unless we do something to turn things around, within a few decades church attendance in North America will be what it now is in Europe!

New Pope, More Hope

I am impressed by what Pope Francis is saying and showing to the world at large. What he is saying and showing is consistent with his previous ministry in South America. While he served as an archbishop in Argentina, he lived in a simple apartment, traveled by bus rather than in a high-class ecclesiastical limousine, and cared for the poor. He is demonstrating the same pattern of behavior in his new role as Pope. He says he wants to establish a "poor church" that cares for "the poor." In Rome, he has declined to move into the opulent papal apartments, does not wear ostentatious papal vestments, and travels in the Vatican bus, not in the papal limousine. On the Thursday evening prior to Good Friday, he demonstrated the servant lifestyle that Jesus wants His brothers and sisters to embrace: He washed feet!

His action in washing the feet of twelve prison inmates (including two women) impressed me. Although some church officials were unhappy about his washing the feet of the two women (one of whom was a Muslim), we would do well to remember that although on the evening before His crucifixion Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, on another occasion He permitted a woman with an unsavory reputation to wash His feet (Luke 7:36-50).

There is good reason to believe that Pope Francis plans to focus on helping people understand the Real Jesus and reflect His servant lifestyle in all that they think, say, and do. Yes, Jesus invites people to believe in Him as forgiving Savior, but He also calls people to follow and reflect Him as Servant Lord, full-time. I pray that the Pope's mind, message, and manner will make an impact around the world!