No Christian Left Behind!

January 2008

Key #7 to spiritual transformation is everybody deserves one. For Keys 1-6 visit http://www.baptistdigest.org.

The United States Army Rangers live and die by “No man left behind”. The US and States Departments of Education imitate the Rangers with “no child left behind.” And the church … Is it time for each local church to live and die by a No Christian Left Behind Movement? A transforming movement that shapes every Christian into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Southern Baptist churches have programs for making disciples. But so far as leaving no one behind, Southern Baptists score an F. LifeWay says 12%- 25% of churches participate in disciple-making programs. It seems that discipleship for us is an elitist activity. The majority is left behind in the disciple making journey. Sounds like a wind ensemble with pneumonia to me, blowing the “music of the spheres” at 25% lung capacity! No stellar performance need be expected. No Christian left behind is not on the majority of our churches’ discipleship radar screens. Was it on Jesus’ mind?

Jesus lived and died by no one left behind. No sheep left behind, no coin left behind, no son left behind, no child left behind (suffer not the little children…), no captive left behind, and no Thomas or Peter or Paul left behind. He is willing to die so that none will perish or be left behind. The bell tolls today for every church to adopt the no Christian left behind ministry style of Jesus. After all, it’s our raison d’être.

What if NCLBM became a reality? What if each church lived in imitation of Jesus Christ? This requires the precision of a laser-like focus. Focus a laser beam and you can cut through a steel wall. Unfocused, it’s only a pretty display. Concentrating on leaving no one behind gives the church chutzpah. Its energies mushroom. Its influence expands to all corners of life. More sheep hear and follow the voice of the Shepherd. More cross-carrying believers influence decisions in the market place, the schools, the higher learning institutions, the courts, the law firms, the poor houses, and the White House. Focus on disciple-making.

What if NCLBM were real? The church erases all that is out of focus. It frames all with loving and living for God and others. No more acrimonious business or committee meetings. No more pretending we are holier. No more catering to the rich or the complaining few. No more spending most of our time and resources on ourselves and precious little on others and on God’s purposes in the world. No more droning the hackneyed theme “we have always done it this way.” Instead, the churches gather to ask “Is this helping us become transformed into Christ-centered disciples? Is it helping us become disciple makers?” Yes? Keep it. No? Stop it. Guillotine it. Alcatraz it. Shred it. Wish it “Vaya con el Diablo!” Not making disciples? Be gone with the wind!

What if NCLBM were real? Every connection in the church flowers into is a discipleship connection. Every child receives a spiritual formation. He learns to study the Scripture for transformation. He is taught to pray. She skips a meal and learns to fast. He trains in spending time alone before God. He knows how to depend on his church peers, parents, and adults when he faces tough decisions. He gets the spiritual guidance he needs to know how to confess his sins to others. She sees how loving God and others is the norm around her.

Every youth walks deeper into his faith. He does it daily with his friends in all kinds of settings. Faith becomes a way of life; college his mission field. He learns that serving God and serving others are the vocation of every follower of Christ.

Every adult understands how to pass on the baton of faith to his children, his children’s friends, and his own friends. He knows how to finish well, stronger in the faith than the day before. Leave no one behind.

What if NCLBM were real? The church values investing in the eternal worth of each person. She abides in Christ and all her decisions reflect that reality. Nurture flows from every corner. Suzie knows she matters to others and to God. Todd and Mary receive John and Catherine’s investment in their spiritual growth and marriage. They all become magnets to the sheep pen. They wear robes of righteousness. They don humility as a cloak. They love like the Beloved. They add eternal value everywhere their journey takes them. People say “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

Outsiders and insiders love the groom and his bride. No longer do they hate the one and love the other. They see that the bride and the groom are embracing lovers. Love flows like rivers between members and they lift up the savior who “will draw all men unto me”.

What if NCLBM were real? That church accomplishes its mission. Finally, a growing North American Christianity rivals other world-wide Christian movements. More Pauls become ambassadors to their cultures. More Peters think it unworthy to be crucified other than upside down. More disciples content themselves to live permanently without luxuries. More serve the poor. More suffer the shame of the cross for the sake of the Master. More are unashamed of the gospel, the power of God unto salvation. More walk with power in their steps right into the abandoned places of the empire and re-announce the arrival of the kingdom of light. And the darkness shall not overcome them!

Army Rangers have been known to die in the effort of leaving on one behind in a battle. Our governments are in a long struggle to bring justice into the education system. And the church like the sleeping giant has finally awakened from its non-disciple-making slumber. And the gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. Then and only then will the church of God truly pray Marana-Tha! (Our Lord, come!) And mean it.

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