In an ironic but unfortunate turn of events, fire destroyed a local volunteer fire department station. Since the station is manned by volunteers, no one was there when the fire broke out. And by the time firefighters arrived, flames fully engulfed the station. Thankfully, other than a knee injury to the battalion chief, no other firefighters were injured battling the blaze.
The Station Fire and the Church
The fire at the fire station was an accidental and unfortunate event. No one would have ever imagined a fire destroying a fire station. But as I read the story, my mind immediately began to envision parallels and implications for local churches.
One if the ironies about the catastrophe was that a pumper truck parked inside the station was also destroyed in the fire. Something that normally fights fires succumbed to fire. Our mission as Jesus’ church is to take His life saving message to a broken community around us. But, like that fire truck, when we keep the mission inside the church, we risk not only the loss of our community but our church as well. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus that He would remove their light if they didn’t return to Him. (Revelation 2:1-7)
I sense the 21st Century church has become very inward focused and consumer minded. We want to attend a church that caters to our needs and our preferences. We are content keeping the firetruck parked in the station so we can admire it.
A Practical Consideration
In a teaching of Jesus that we now call the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), Jesus sends us OUT. “GO!” He says in verse 19. Get out of the station. Lives are at stake. A word I like to use is “ENGAGE.” Jesus calls to ENGAGE our culture. He says we are salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Both of those items infiltrate and permeate the surroundings into which we introduce them.
In the same way, Jesus enables us to make a difference in the culture around us. But that will not happen by waiting for the fire to get into the station. We have to take the truck (the Gospel) to the fire (the community).
You can engage your culture in the confident assurance that Jesus has ALL AUTHORITY. He even has authority over the fire that He may lead you to battle. Jesus promised His disciples that the gates of hell would not prevail against them when they went in His name. (Matthew 16:13-20 – see note below)
Talk to your small group or Sunday school class about ways you can engage needs in your community. Discuss with your mission groups how you can do more than meet and raise money. Get together with some friends and brainstorm about ways you can engage your community. Let’s get the truck out of the station and into the community.
For a great insight from Andy Cook into the meaning of Jesus proclamation about the Gates of Hell, click here.