Nectar for the Soul by Pastor Irwin Van Leeuwen, Supervisor October 23, 2011

Today is a great day to again check in with all my friends at American Reformed.  I trust you enjoyed reading the article last week about being a “missional church”.  You can’t help but run into this concept almost every time you read an article about the church of today.  We have “missional worship services”, “missional committees” and “missional leaders”.  Today everyone wants to be “missional”.  But can you think of any pastor who would claim they were not missional in their thinking?  Your mission statement reveals a “missional” desire.  Read it again and look for the “missional” intent.  “The purpose of the American Reformed Church of Luverne is to glorify God worshipping together, bringing people into a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ, nurturing people in a loving fellowship and equipping people with the Word for service.”  
So what does all this mean to each of you as a member of American Reformed?  I would answer the question by saying, you, as a member will see the world in a different way. The focus will not be on what you need, but a focus on what others need.  Jesus said “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve”. (Mark 10:45)  Do you see from this passage Jesus had other people on His mind?  He was not concerned about how He looked or what He was doing for Himself.  He was looking to serve people who needed to know and understand the saving love of the Savior.  You are an important part of the kingdom of God helping others to gain this knowledge.  You who know Him now are called to be the servants who will be the hands and feet of Jesus serving the needs of other people.
So the mindset of a “missional” member is to look for the needs of other people.  Others who are sitting in the pews of ‘American Reformed’ who need to know the Savior.  Others who are living in your communities who don’t go to church but they need a servant who will show them the love of Jesus.  Look again at your mission statement.  Do you see this statement calling you to have a “missional heart”?  A “missional church” begins with you.  Allow God to keep stirring in your heart as you seek to be a faithful follower.
Be a blessing to someone.
Irwin