"Don't Invite them to Church" is the title of Karen Wilks (Alberta author and neighbourhood pastor) book on being missional. Its an odd but important title that immediately gets our attention. In some cases this title may bother us, and rightly so! David Bosch (a South African missionary) wrote, "Mission is more and different from recruitment to our brand of religion; it is alerting people to the universal reign of God through Christ." It a question of motives; do we live and love out of motives that indicate God's reign?
So an invitation to the provincial curling championship in Lacombe last week was extended to a few neighbours, when it could be more natural to invite family or friends from across town. When asked to "love our neighbour" we may think this is a good way to eventually get them to a program or a church. But we need to check our motives as we live knowing God still reigns, and love knowing God still reigns. Unconditional love (as Christ taught and demonstrated) is love without conditions. God's Kingdom is at hand. So now we are demonstrating the Kingdom of God to our neighbours, much like a 'movie trailer' creating an appetite for the whole story!
