Affirmation of Faith.  Does God Ever Yearn for a Church to Complete its Ministry?

Here is my affirmation of faith:

• God is.
• God loves us unconditionally.
• God yearns for what is best for each and all of us.

God yearns for what is best for us.  Each of us.  All of us.  God cannot yearn for something that is good for one of us or some of us if it will make the world a less compassionate, just, and peaceful place.  Sometimes God may yearn for something that might make us uncomfortable or challenge us, if it moves us towards a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world.  Any parent knows that maximizing comfort and eliminating challenges is not the best way to raise children.  I think it is more likely that God yearns for meaningfulness and significance more than happiness and contentment.  It’s not that happiness and contentment are not good things, it is that there is more to wholeness, there is more that is sacred, there is more to life.
 
We trust that God is within us, between us, and beyond us.  We trust that God is in the web of connections.  It is through this web of connections that God’s dream for the world is realized.  If the web of connections emerging from a congregation frays, if the congregation is no longer effective at making the world more compassionate, just and peaceful, God yearns for the congregation to be uncomfortable, God yearns for the congregation to seek new challenges.  Like a parent (or mentor or coach), God yearns for movement towards meaningfulness and significance.
 

Does God ever yearn for a church to complete its ministry?  If movement towards meaningfulness and significance has ceased, or is close to ceasing, and if the prospects for future positive impact are dim, I think God yearns for the church to complete its ministry.  God yearns for the completion of the ministry because it is what is best for the congregation and the Body of Christ.  This is not a failure!  God continues to love the congregation as a whole, and each of its members, unconditionally.
 
People are not immortal.  This does not mean that God does not love us.  To say that congregations are not immortal does nothing to diminish God’s love.  In fact, accepting the grace of God’s love may help congregations work through completion.  God loves us and wants what is best for each of us and all of us.  God can yearn for us to complete our congregation’s ministry faithfully and well.

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PREVIOUS BLOGS FROM THIS SERIES

Read the First Installment, Who is this Series For? When Should Churches Start Thinking About Legacies?
Read the Second Installment, Completing Ministries Faithfully and Well 

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Legacy Church Specialist Office Hours 

Charlie Kuchenbrod will be holding Legacy Church Specialist office hours by Zoom on Tuesdays from 11 to noon. You are welcome to use the zoom link below to contact Charlie during these hours. 
 
Charlie Kuchenbrod is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Legacy Church Specialist Office Hour
Time: Tuesdays, 11 AM
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