If you know me, you know that one of my great passions in life is baseball. Specifically coaching baseball. The other day, while helping a group of catchers practice different mobilities for blocking pitches, I thought to myself...”I could be here all day.” I just love coaching youth players!
Well, my team (Bothell Rockies) has a short list of values that we constantly review. One of them is the value of “togetherness” and the other day, I read them this quote from Babe Ruth who said, “the way a team plays as a whole determines its success”. If you’ve ever played on a team, or work within a team at your job...you know these are true words.
Not only is togetherness crucial to a team, it’s crucial for every church. It’s something every follower of Jesus should value if they desire to have gospel-effectiveness in their community and the world. But this value of togetherness isn’t as easy as some may think.
We live within a culture that is quickly losing its grasp of togetherness and leaning more and more towards celebrating individualism. The cost? Too many have wandered into the desert of isolation where all sense of team, unity and community go to dry up and die.
One, if not the best reason a church should value togetherness is because the Bible has a lot to say about it. Jesus said...”wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there.” The Apostle Paul speaks to the church being like a physical body made up of parts that rely on each other for proper function and effectiveness.
One reason I believe some find togetherness hard to commit to is because they think they somehow have to be just. like. everyone. else.
Not true!
Our differences, when not looked upon as right, or wrong...better, or worse - but actually celebrated, are what make the Church so valuable to the world. A City on a hill kind of church like Jesus described!
I’m excited to talk more about the real power of being present this Sunday, and to look closely at some of Jesus’s teaching about why it’s such a crucial value for us who make up Washington Cathedral, as we live in these urgent times.
Will you join me, and maybe bring a friend? See you Sunday!
Grace and Peace.
Pastor Rex