The denomination that I belong to, the Evangelical Covenant Church elected Rev. Gary Walters as our new president. Walters after being prayed over stepped to the pulpit and delivered his first message as our president. Walters reminded us that we have always been known as a Mission Society or The Mission Friends. A body of believers intent on reaching those who do not know Jesus yet. He reminded us that we are a People of the Book. In the early days we were called the Readers. He quoted James 1:22-25, which was the text for his message:Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he
has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Walters then went on to highlight what he called 3 “urgency's” for the Evangelical Covenant Church. They are urgency's because they are woven throughout God's Word.
1. First is the call to evangelism – the sharing of the good news.
“Every Covenant president has said the same thing,” Walters declared. “It is no small matter to God that there are lost people – and it must become no small matter to us, or we deceive ourselves.”Recalling the words of former President Milton Engebretson, Walter reminded the audience that “if evangelism is not the first priority, it will become no priority.”
2. The second urgency in scripture is the call to be doers of the word in areas of compassion, mercy and justice.
“It is no small matter to God that there are hurting people in the world – and it will be no small matter to us. We deceive ourselves if we think otherwise and fail to act.”Our response requires more than just sincere sympathy for those who are hurting, Walter suggests. Quoting Debbie Blue’s oft-stated illustration, Walter said compassion pulls people out of the river; justice goes upstream to stop those who are pushing them in.” Jesus wants more than sympathy for hurting people – he wants us to help them, to do something about it.
3. The third urgency in scripture is the call to be the whole church – to experience unity in Christ.
“It is no small matter to God that the world is fractured, and that the church is too often as well . . . and so it will be no small matter to us. We deceive ourselves if we think otherwise and fail to act.”The world is fractured along three primary fault lines, Walter said in paraphrasing the apostle Paul. The three lines are race, class, and gender. “But, through the cross, Christ has ushered in a new community – Paul says that in Christ, there is neither Jew or Greek (race), slave or free (class), male or female (gender). The cross creates a new community where all of God’s children are valued and celebrated.”
The above highlights from Gary Walters message are taken from the Evangelical Covenant Website: http://www.covchurch.org/cov/news/item6391
In my family of origin, I don’t agree with everything they say or do, but I love being a part of the family! I feel the same way about my denomination. I don’t agree with everything we say and do, but I love being a part of it. I am very encouraged by the direction that our new president has declared. I am encouraged to be a part of a church family that seeks to make a difference for the Kingdom.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul
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