Mission or Museum?

“An inner city church, located in an area of the downtown where there were few residents, was forced to a decision. A large corporation was offering them a great deal of money for their site, on which the corporation wanted to put a parking lot. The money would enable the church to move to another part of the inner city where they would find many more people to serve.

“Even though this was exciting to some of the congregation, other members were resistant to the idea. They pointed out that the church was the guardian of a building whose history and architecture reached back into the early part of the nineteenth century. Denominational history had been made in that building, and some of the grand figures of the church had passed its portals

“Eventually the congregation decided to sell the site and make the move to a new building in a teeming inner-city neighborhood. The pastor who was with this congregation through all this upheaval said, “We had to decide whether we wanted to be in a museum or in mission.” They couldn’t have it both ways. It meant either staying on their site, glorying in their past history and serving a few people, or giving up their past and gearing themselves to a significant ministry among the city’s people. They opted for mission status over museum status.”*

A study of the gospels leave one with the impression that Jesus favored mission over museums.  When challenged by some who had enshrined their own religious practice in climate-controlled museum case, He responded by saying that His mission required new ways of thinking and acting (Mark 9:18-22).  The kingdom agenda of God would rip the seams of the old garments and burst old wineskins.  The mission of God is not designed to be confined to the dusty halls of a museum.  God’s people can honor the past without being chained to it.  In fact, the mission of God to an ever-changing world demands it.

God loves you!

Mike

*https://www.preaching.com/sermon-illustrations/illustration-on-mission/