Missional Metrics XI
Number of people baptized for the first time.
For obvious reasons, this one is a great indicator of how missional your community is or is not. The bottom line in missional theology is that God is on a mission to reclaim that which was lost in the fall. God wants to redeem this broken world and that, of course, includes the broken people who live within it. Baptism is the outward sign of that redemption. It is at the font or lake front or riverside where we proclaim God's deliverance, God's forgiveness, God's grace, and God's sovereignty over our lives. If we are not baptizing new disciples, then we are not being faithful in our mission.
Let me add a caveat here...I am not talking about re-baptisms or re-affirmations of faith. While these may represent important milestones in the lives of those who make such professions but they are not all that helpful when it comes to measuring our commitment to the mission of God's Kingdom. In fact, I would even say they become a barrier because in our obsession with numbers, we use them to over-report or artificially inflate our "conversion statistics" so we can impress one another or the powers that be in our denominations. All too often, these professions simply represent a "re-shuffling" of God's sheep into different sheepfolds and we need to be totally honest with ourselves about this disingenuous trend. Again, let me be clear lest I get angry, tearful emails about my spiritual insensitivity. I am not saying there aren't powerful moments in a believer's life where they recommit themselves to the faith. I am simply saying that such moments are not helpful when it comes to measuring whether or not we are being faithful to the mission of the Kingdom of God by making new disciples!
You see, it is all well and good to talk about proclaiming Jesus simply by the way we live. St. Francis was right when he said, "Proclaim the Gospel at all times and if you must, use words." Coming alongside those who do not yet follow Jesus and pursuing authentic relationships takes time. But at some point, if you are truly living your life as Jesus would if he were you, they are going to ask the question. They are going to want to know why you choose to live in such a different way. And you must be ready to share your heart with them. Some will be impressed. Others may not. And then there will be those who want to take the plunge and trust Jesus to be their Master. And when this happens, we can rejoice for truly God's Kingdom has advanced once more! God's mission to reclaim those he loves has been successful! And we got to be a part of it!!! How awesome is that!!!
Let me add a caveat here...I am not talking about re-baptisms or re-affirmations of faith. While these may represent important milestones in the lives of those who make such professions but they are not all that helpful when it comes to measuring our commitment to the mission of God's Kingdom. In fact, I would even say they become a barrier because in our obsession with numbers, we use them to over-report or artificially inflate our "conversion statistics" so we can impress one another or the powers that be in our denominations. All too often, these professions simply represent a "re-shuffling" of God's sheep into different sheepfolds and we need to be totally honest with ourselves about this disingenuous trend. Again, let me be clear lest I get angry, tearful emails about my spiritual insensitivity. I am not saying there aren't powerful moments in a believer's life where they recommit themselves to the faith. I am simply saying that such moments are not helpful when it comes to measuring whether or not we are being faithful to the mission of the Kingdom of God by making new disciples!
You see, it is all well and good to talk about proclaiming Jesus simply by the way we live. St. Francis was right when he said, "Proclaim the Gospel at all times and if you must, use words." Coming alongside those who do not yet follow Jesus and pursuing authentic relationships takes time. But at some point, if you are truly living your life as Jesus would if he were you, they are going to ask the question. They are going to want to know why you choose to live in such a different way. And you must be ready to share your heart with them. Some will be impressed. Others may not. And then there will be those who want to take the plunge and trust Jesus to be their Master. And when this happens, we can rejoice for truly God's Kingdom has advanced once more! God's mission to reclaim those he loves has been successful! And we got to be a part of it!!! How awesome is that!!!
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