The Church in the Marketplace

An important part of the discipleship model is the activity of the church ( believers ) in the marketplace. As I look at the example of Jesus, I find Him doing more activity outside of the synagogue that inside. I shared in the sermon last Sunday that church really is a tag team sport. We tag each other as we go out the door. I have this heart snapshot of the church going up the hill to be ,as Pastor Jim puts it, a M.A.S.H. unit. (Mobile Authoritative Spiritual Hospital). Taking the church to the marketplace is the only way we will reach those who really need it. The unchurched and dechurched out there need the church to come to them. That requires more than just the clergy to do the ministry. Much of my call as a pastor is to “equip the saints to do the work of the ministry”
( Ephesians chapter 4). I love doing the work, but I need to remember to train and equip. The example that Jesus set is really beautiful as we see Him joining in and ministering to the needy as well as taking the time necessary to disciple those who can go out in every direction and do it too. In the last 3 days I have officiated at a funeral, prayed with a lady in the emergency room of a cardiac center, and hugged a widow at the funeral visitation of her husband. It all goes with the territory and in each case I felt honored to serve God in that position. I am blessed !