A Pastor’s Perspective 06-07-2022

Every 3rd Sunday, I lead a Discovery Class that helps new people visiting our church learn about who Snyder is. I always say that Snyder was a strong mission-giving Church until we began doing Operation Inasmuch in 1995. That experience changed our church from a missions financial giving Church to a Church that went out into the community and made a difference. When John Cook was here, we began a new saying called, Find Your Place and Do Your Part. Covid hurt that motto. We couldn’t serve like we used to, but it is time to get back to it. Lately, it feels like we are continually begging people to help…to teach Sunday School, to work with our children, to help in our tech ministry, to go on a mission trip…and it goes on and on.
Paul’s best-known image of the Church is the body of Christ. The body represents the unity of the Church. But Unity does not demand uniformity. The most beautiful illustrations of unity are when diverse people unite under the power of the Holy Spirit to work together for the good of God’s Kingdom. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. I Corinthians 12:13-14 says, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so, the body is not made up of one part but of many.” You are the body of Christ. Christ is no longer in the body; therefore, if He wants a task done within the world He has to find someone to do it. Barclay in his commentary of this scripture says “we have to be the body of Christ, hands to do His work, feet to run upon His errands, a voice to speak for Him.” God is calling us, calling us to step out, take a risk, find our passions, go on a mission trip, and give out umbrellas.
Unity and diversity. Diversity in unity. One body with many parts that all work together. This is the church of Jesus Christ. When each part functions, the body grows and stays strong. When each part of the Church, each of us, comes together to serve one another, to love one another, the Church is complete. You are needed! You’re a member of the family of God, related to other family members with a God-given ministry to fulfill. Come find your place and do your part!
Be praying for our Kenya team and I’ll see you in 2 weeks!
Susie