Shane Ash

Recently I asked this simple question on Facebook, “What is the official rule on the possessive noun form for Jesus? Jesus’ or Jesus’s?”

As predicted, some insisted it is Jesus’ and others suggest the rules allow for Jesus’s. Although there may be a confusing history within the manuals of style, the reality of life is simple…we must be prepared to admit there are things in life that belong to Jesus.

Sometimes churches like to refer to their mission or vision statements. Usually it is some variation of words printed on a letterhead, designed into the header on the website, or printed in the weekly flyer. But biblically, “vision” for the church is seeing the future through the lens of Kingdom mindedness…and “mission” is participating in what/how/where God is at work in His world…it is always about this and not the mission/vision of a local organized church. Jesus’s vision and mission for the Church is paramount…Jesus’s - as in the possessive noun form – the Church is his and for his purposes (and yes, I chose this time to use the allowed version of Jesus’s to make sure the emphasis is heard).

I am also wondering these days if perhaps even strategy for the Church is given to us by Jesus. Perhaps Jesus’ approach to discipleship is what is missing among many of our churches today.

I am reminded of a quote from Billy Graham. Although known for the great crowds that rallied around his preaching; Graham insisted he wished it were different, ”I think one of the first things I would do would be to get a small group of eight or ten or twelve men around me that would meet a few hours a week and pay the price. It would cost them something in time and effort. I would share with them everything I have, over a period of years. Then I would actually have twelve ministers among the laymen who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them. I know one or two churches that are doing that, and it is revolutionizing the church. Christ, I think, set the pattern. He spent most of his time with twelve men. He didn’t spend it with a great crowd. In fact, every time he had a great crowd it seems to me that there weren’t too many results. The great results, it seems to me, came in his personal interview and in the time he spent with the twelve.” (Christianity Today, vol.3, no.1, p.5, Oct.13, 1958.)

Today I have spent time praying and pondering over what God has in store for us at New Beginnings Church in the year of 2012. I am dreaming of 20 groups of 12 (get it…2012…cute huh?) that would take serious the vision of being Kingdom people and seek to live out Jesus’ mission. What if this next year we became passionate about being Jesus’ hands and feet in Jesus’ world? What if we intentionally focused on Jesus’ instructions to “teach…and baptize them”?  What would happen? What could happen?