“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
The local church is the hope of the world. The local church who understands that Jesus is the Savior of the world is the hope for the world.
The way the church lives into her vision is not so much by trying to change the world around her as much as she presents herself as the proof that the world has already been changed by Jesus. How can the church do that? The only way the church can do that is by living as a people who are already living in the changed world. We are supposed to be different.
The world is supposed to look at the church, and even when they don’t understand nor can believe the things about Jesus, still desire that the message of Jesus to be true…because of the way the church lives.
Thy will be done.
Yes, Jesus. May your will be done. Here on earth as it is in heaven. How does that happen? As the church stakes everything – its traditions, its preferences, its norms, its very life – for the sake of accomplishing the mission to proclaim the saving faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
The church – the way we worship, the times we worship, the songs, the prayers, the liturgy or the lack of it – it has all changed over the years. These are tools to help the church accomplish her mission. When there are better ways, if there are more effective ways to accomplish the mission of Jesus Christ for the world – the church must change, adapt.
The message cannot ever change – Jesus will always be the only Savior of the world.
Methods must change over time. If they didn’t, we’d all be wearing monk’s robes, singing chants.
Yes, Jesus. May your will be done, here at the Little Church as it is in heaven.
Praxis: Faith in Action 