And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 

2 Corinthians 3:11-12

It has been almost two and a half years since Rebekah retired. There was a lot demanding our attention during that time, along with some highly focused responsibilities. But finally, and for the past few weeks, we have found ourselves as the Southwest Airlines tagline declared: “You are now free to move about the country.”

Until today, that is. Today Rebekah and I make our move to Tarboro to begin the yearlong adventure with Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church.

We are stuffing both vehicles full with everything we imagine we may need; but all we really need is nicely summarized in the heart of this coming season of Advent: “The Word gives life to everything that is created, and his life brings light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:4-5).

Our Charge and our Opportunity:

I chose the opening text from Second Corinthians because it has so much to say about ministry in this particular moment in the life of The Church writ large – a moment when many people want to know about plans and programs and methods and gimmicks and blueprints and magic pills that are “guaranteed” to work.

Sorry to disappoint, but there is no such thing as a magic pill in ministry; there is only Jesus and there is only living – enthusiastically – as Followers of The Way.

There are two critically important things – for me – in this chapter. There is our charge and then our opportunity.

OUR CHARGE is to live as if we (that would be you, and me!) are the message God is sending to the world – that we are letters from Jesus. “You are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (v 3).”

OUR OPPORTUNITY is to spend so much quality time in the presence of Christ that we become more like him. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (v 18).”

To get to know Jesus so well that God’s light, and love, and mercy, and grace, and promise, and life – abundant life – saturate us to the extent that we are full with Jesus, and all that light and goodness and life spill out and get all over our world.

Bursting with life!

People who know God like that tend to live invitational gospel lives. The churches they attend tend to become full with life too.

Regardless, we are looking forward to this coming year. I plan to keep you posted and share what God is up to. In the meanwhile, please pray.

In love, and because God’s love and light make for compelling life – DEREK