Friends in Christ,
Did you know that
KFC no longer stands for anything? Recently, they decided to move
away from the apparently cumbersome 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' and have
the official name be 'KFC'. In a similar manner, the YMCA officially
changed its name to just be the 'Y'. Companies across the country
are selecting this option as a way of streamlining their brand name
in hopes of attracting new customers. They're getting rid of what is
difficult or inconvenient to make their brand more mainstream.
When we think about
the church and its 'brand', what comes to mind? How does the world
view us? Is it cumbersome and complicated? Or streamlined and
sleek?
I think its
tempting to water-down Christianity in the hopes of appealing to the
masses. But what that produces is a church that may be wide but is
rather shallow in its discipleship. Since the aim of the church is
to help disciples grow, a process that takes hard work and deep
commitment, we do seekers a disservice if we try to make the church
more appealing by de-emphasizing the difficult call of Christ.
I believe the more
faithful call is for each of us to ensure that we are daily dying to
Christ, daily emptying ourselves, daily being filled with Christ.
When we walk as disciples, humble about our shortcomings but
committed to growth in Christ, we live a life that preaches the
Gospel. We offer an example to the world of what discipleship looks
like, and we're enabled to invite others into a walk with Christ that
is honest and deep.
So may we each be
committed to a life of discipleship, and in so doing may we look for
opportunities to invite others into that walk. Maybe it looks like
inviting someone to pray with you, or to church, or to a dinner at
your house to talk about things of faith. May we keep our eyes open
for windows the Spirit opens, and may we be growing in faith while we
wait.
In Christ,
Keith
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