The closer we get to October, the more familiar I’m getting with what San Diego looks like – at least what it looks like on a map. In fact, I’ve gotten particularly good at immediately finding Northminster on a map. All I have to do is find Clairemont Mesa Blvd. between the 5 and the 805 freeways, and Northminster is located right where Clairemont Mesa bends south.
At least that’s how I describe it to people when they ask me where in San Diego the church is located.
The challenge for any church, however, is to move beyond simply being described by its location. I’m talking about descriptions like: “We’re the Presbyterian church next to the high school,” or “We’re the church right across the street from the Catholic church,” or “We’re the church at the intersection of This Ave. and That Blvd.”
The goal for any church is to become the kind of church that is known for its ministry. Descriptions like: “We’re the church that is committed to serving the homeless,” or “We’re the church that is dedicated to reaching the youth in our community,” or “We’re the church that strives to help young adults discover God’s purpose for their lives.”
My hope for Northminster is that we would more and more become this latter kind of church-a church that is described by the mission to which God has called us.
And I am so excited to discover that mission together with you as we seek God together! My dream for Northminster is to have such a presence in the community of Clairemont that, if we somehow ceased to exist, even the most unchurched in our community would be saddened by our disappearance.
Core Values of a Missional Church
- To be relevant to the culture in which we live today.
- To be incarnational in our approach to ministry within our culture and community.
- To be open to being transformed by Christ from a religious organization into a living organism willing to be creative and to make adjustments in order to reach out to our culture and community.
- To place a greater value on people than on programs, on love than on practices, on innovation than on tradition, and on faith than on fear.
For the past several weeks, I have been working together with the Transition Team on what it means for Northminster to truly become a missional church; that is, a church that identifies itself in terms of its God-given mission in the world. We’re beginning to ask the question, who are we as God’s missionary people?
I don’t have the answer to that, yet. But I firmly believe that God will make it clear to us in time. And I believe that as we seek out our calling, it will be important for us to embrace certain core values of what it means to be a missional church.
I believe that as we live out these values, God will make clear to us the mission to which he is calling us.
I am so encouraged by everything I am hearing about all of you at Northminster. I am so encouraged by the openness I have sensed from you in truly seeking God’s calling. And I cannot wait to begin seeking God’s call together with you!
Please know that I pray for all of you every day. I believe that God is preparing you for me and me for you. And I believe that God has some wonderful things in store for Northminster Presbyterian Church!
Markus
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