Missional Minded Mommy Pt. 5

So far in this little series I have been calling Missional Minded Mommy, we've talked about the fact that being missional is a mind-set, it is a gospel-driven life. It is a life that is all about Jesus in everything we say and do. I am a SAHM. I have 4 kids and one on the way, Lord willing in a few short weeks. My grandparents live with me, my husband works, shepherds, and is a student..... how does this work out in my life personally and how does the gospel of Jesus beckon me to live in Kenosha under my current life situation? So I see where that God Himself has placed me where I am for His glory? To manifest His salvation to those around me, including my family?

I have had to look at how God says a woman is to honor the word from Titus 2. I have had to look at my life and see hospitality as an outlet to minister and reflect the family of God to the community. It is an area, I think, that needs improvement in my life, but this is a start. I have given you a glimpse of how I see that Rick and I can gospel our children and begin to instill in them a missional mind-set, because I believe we have to cultivate that in the home. Now I want to give a glimpse of how I see the church and family melding together and what that has looked like for us, what I hope to see, and maybe some questions to help me personally evaluate what we are as a family and a Church that makes us able to call people to come to Jesus and by virtue of that call people to be a part of us as His body because it seems to me that the two can't be separated.

Let me start by saying that we have found much help in teaching the gospel, to our children through our church. We don't just study and do our own thing and keep our kids to ourselves. My kids know best what has been taught at Sunday School, from the pulpit, and on Thursday night kids group. Why? Because of repetition. They hear it at Church and it is discussed at home during meals, bible time, when we are helping memorize verses and the catechism questions they have for Thursdays. In fact my 2 year old can say that the work that Jesus does for His people is the work of a prophet, priest and king because he has heard it a ton of times. The catechism has been extremely helpful in teaching doctrine to my kids because they are young and do not really conceptualize yet, so memorizing leads to a great amount of discussions about who God is and his plan for His people in this world and gives us opportunity to point them to Jesus. For me, Church family and family are inseparable. This is good stuff, but I believe my kids benefit even more from just interaction and care from those we call our family in the Lord. I have seen the great benefits of Jesus' love, His gospel being manifested to my kids through someone like Debbie Miller who comes over to pray but spends time talking to, playing with, and giving my kids noogies. She has given what they are learning hands and feet, it looks real to them. It is something they can see. I believe that someday it will hit them that the promises from the Bible that they learned in Sunday School are not only true but lovely and life giving because they have seen what a life looks like when a person has those promises. I believe that when it finally dawns on them what it means when it says in the catechism that man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, their delight will overflow because they will remember a woman whose delight in them manifested delight in God in real life.

Than I wonder, is this the picture we are giving our community here in Kenosha? Do they look at Temple Baptist Church and see moral people who may even "do their part" in the community? Do they see well-versed teachers and preachers? Or do they see Jesus? Do they see people who are loving and caring for each others needs? Do they see people who sacrifice time and money and possessions for one another? Do they see the Church the way God wants it to be seen-as the hands, feet, arms and mouth-piece of Jesus? Or are we the same as Kenosha itself - living separate lives looking out for own interests? If we get involved in the community what are we offering them? Are we offering them Jesus through His body, or just another club that they can join sometime down the road when they have one night a week they can give to it?

In Acts it says that the people devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching, daily praying together and eating together. And guess what???? Souls were being added to the church! There were people with needs but you wouldn't know it because they took care of each other. They were a family. They were a physical manifestation of the body of Jesus - the sin bearer and lover of our souls! They took care of each other, they were known by their love and tender devotion to one another.

Folks just like you and I are turned off by families that are harsh, angry, bitter, and cold toward each other, just like we despise those who forsake taking care of the physical needs of their children, or stay away from households that are in disunity. The community will not respond to the Church - the manifestation of Jesus here on earth if it is that way. If we don't take care of those we call our family in Jesus than what the heck can we do to help those outside in the Kenosha area?

So, I ask myself again, what does my little family reflect about the greater family - the Church?

And, I ask myself what does my Church family reflect about the gospel? Are we known for our love for one another? That is how the Bible says our Christ-loving will be known. Or do we put that on the back burner and just go out without being and growing in a true reflection of the savior we are calling them to?

I am still evaluating and considering how gospel-centered and informed my life is.

This is what I have been able to see so far though..........

I can't separate being missional from my family or my Church, because through each together they speak the gospel loud and clear!

What is Kenosha hearing?