Save our life, or lose it

Much reflection has been spent this week on the Gospel of Mark 8:31-38. Verse 35 reads, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."

At the Leadership Workshops during the Congregational Development Presentation, the program of Natural Church Development (available from Churchsmart.org) was discussed as a tool for congregational development. In order to engage any congregational development effort, it is important to look at the church's health and capacity to adapt. Adaptation could mean 'losing our life' in order to 'save it,' because adaptability often involves change.

At the Interim Clergy meeting on Monday, we discussed this scripture and the fact that often during a transition, congregations are discovering aspects of life that must be let go in order to be ready to receive a new rector...another case of 'losing life' in order to have a new start.

At the Congregational Development Commission meeting today, we spent a full hour discussing this scripture and the implications to the Church - What does it mean to 'lose our life in order to save it?' Could it be that we need to reconsider how the institution of the Church can retain meaning for future generations? We recalled the conversations about the Great Emergence, and how we need to be present to old ideas -- ancient traditions -- in ways that make meaning for people today.

Is it possible that the ministry of Congregational Development calls us to discover just how willing we are to adapt so God can work in our lives? Is it possible that the ministry of Congregational Development calls us to lose our life, so that we can be saved, yet again, by Jesus? Is it possible that the ministry of Congregational Development is to extend God's invitation to 'go deeper' and discover who we are as a community of faith, both in our congregations and in how we engage mission?

I think the answer is yes to all of these. It takes an act of will on our part to say 'yes' to the difficult work of putting our own desires aside and listen for God's invitation. May God give us the wisdom and courage to do so.