No-Cost Envangelism?

It's funny. I started this blog a few days ago thinking I would journal bits and pieces of my own faith journey. I have not felt led to write anything until today and this first post has more to do with my church than it does me...not that the two aren't intertwined.

Our church is over 125 years old. Presbyterian. Perhaps dying.

Our most recent pastorate ended in duress after a fairly long tenure of 10 years. This was the third pastorate in a row to end in this manner. Despite it all God has been good. In Him there is hope. We are currently in an interim pastorate period. Our interim has the session studying Martha Grace Reese's book Unbinding the Gospel. I have been struck by how pointedly it's message speaks to our congregation. Much of it's message stresses the evangelistic purpose of the church. In the seventh chapter it suggests that evangelism is occurring when you can answer 'Yes' to either of these two questions.

1. Are we helping this person move into relationship with God?
2. Are we helping this person move into Christian community?

I can pretty much agree with that suggestion. The kicker is this. To help someone in this way requires a relationship; an investment; an involvement in someone else's life that demands a love and commitment that can often be risky, sticky and messy. Most of us (and yes there is an 'I' in 'Us') have trouble with that. We're good with the occasional helping hand and promise of prayer but fall short of the kind of commitment really required. Imagine if God level of commitment was the same towards us.