Uffizi Mission Project

For me, the bottom line of Christianity, is communities becoming like Christ.  It is not about individuals, because God is a community (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).  It is also not primarily about building churches.  Building a new church does not necessarily guarantee that the community is becoming like Jesus.  In fact, I would argue, that sometimes we are actually hindered by the process.  My argument rests primarily upon one foundational argument - the seats (or for some of us, the pews).

 The clergy/laity division is literally killing a movement.  I would argue this - Jesus said, “As I have been sent, I am sending you.“  Occasionally they sat (by the sea, on the mountain, etc…)  But we have it backwards, almost as if Jesus said, “As I have sat, I am seating you.”  Occasionally we go (to the soup kitchen, to the overseas mission field, etc…)  If we examine the gospels, we see in the life of Jesus the reality and truth of the first statement - He was sent (mission) and He sent (mission) and He sends now (mission).

Alan Hirsch states in Forgotten Ways that perhaps our biggest problem in the church today is “consumerism.”  I would heartily agree - it is something we must address.  For all who argue that the church must not become like culture, I would say that we already have in several ways.  We allow ourselves to sit and examine the product we are receiving and judge whether it is up to par with the product a few blocks away.

For me, I have found the only way to combat consumerism is mission.   There are a couple of reasons for it.  In mission, you are not allowed to sit much.  In mission, you are overwhelmed by the needs of the neighborhood, and you have to call on the name of Jesus consistently.  In mission, you find how unlike Jesus you really are and are driven to His side to learn and become like Him.

I am shamed by many of my friends who have joined me in mission.  With our friends without homes - many of my friends listen better, pray more, love generously - while I galvant around trying to talk to someone.  I met with someone this morning who went out of his way to get a women a specific item - 1% chocolate milk.  He got it for her and her countenance changed and a whole new world opened up in the relationship.

While I am here with you too, I have to talk about love.  I don’t think any of this works without love.  I don’t know if you have seen Jesus Camp (the movie), but sometimes I worry that even mission goes all awry and strange because we save souls like its like a baseball game and we want to most runs.  Believe me, I want people to know Jesus, but I think I want to be like Jesus as I help people get to know Him.  Coming full circle, that is why I think the whole journey here is for us to become like Jesus.  If we will do this one thing, then all the other problems seem to melt away.

You know what Jesus said, you know you are living on the rock when you practice what He says.  Simply put, it does not matter how small or large your “church” or “community” is, it matters whether you are living the way He lived.  The earliest believers were called “The Way,” which I think is something we should return to.  Let’s not ask where do you go to church, but how are you living the Way.  As He was sent (out from the love of the Father) we are sent <not seated> out of the love of the Father.

Your turn to comment….

“One Small Step for <a> Man; One Giant Leap for Mankind” - supposedly this is what Neil Armstrong said upon walking on the moon.  No one has ever been able to discern the “a” in his announcement.  Needless to say, he walked on the moon!  (go to www.youtube.com and listen to Brian Regan talk about “I walked on the moon” to get a few extra laughs)

Now, the Uffizi Mission is not about walking on the moon, but it is about “one small step.”  It is basically all we can do.

At the beginning of the ministry, I could not explain the vision beyond I was supposed to follow God and open the doors of the Uffizi Museum for the church in Santa Barbara.  (see the about the Uffizi Mission page)  My friends, ex-friends, no longer friends, and becoming friends were quite confused by the whole thing.  But, for the first time in my life, I was getting the “faith” thing…

We read the Bible, but we don’t get it.  We clean it all up because now we can see from this side.  We read the whole story of Abraham, but he had to live it.  We get to witness the faith of Joshua, but he had to have it.  We swoon at the song of Mary as she considers the wonder of birthing the Messiah, but she had to deliver him, raise him, and let go of Him to the work of the Father.  Faith is raw, emotional, desperate and a great clinging.  It is not intellectual alone.

And more than anything else, it is about taking a small step.  And it may be about taking a small step where no one else has gone or been willing to go.  (This is the only way that we are close to the idea of walking on the moon)

 But, the small steps are paying off.  One small step may in fact lead to hundreds joining in.  You can’t find a biblical matriarch or patriarch who did not start by taking one small step.  And by far what we are talking about is more important that a moon waltz, it is a Kingdom of God welcoming event - where heaven meets earth.

But, I can’t let you off the hook.  I am wondering why most people are Christians of late - is it to escape hell or to follow Jesus?  Now, that is an important question.  It goes back to core of the gospel, and the actual call of Christ.  I believe none of us who hold the name of Jesus dear can argue other than we must follow our Lord.  Of course following Him means inheriting salvation and eternal life, but it is in the following that we are saved.  The first step is receiving, but there are many more steps to be taken.

Have your own moon landing this week - take the step you need to - the one that Jesus is asking for… each step is one small step for a woman or a man, but one giant leap for the Kingdom.

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