One Body, Many Parts

It has been only one day that the team has been gone to Slidell, Louisiana, and I am suddenly aware of the truth of Paul’s comparison of the church to a body. Sure I understand the basic concept of “we’re all different” with different gifts and talents. But it wasn’t until Sunday evening did I fully comprehend the interconnectedness, the dependence we truly have and need in the church.

I have to admit that not everything went as well as I had hoped throughout the day. I know that the whole staff planned ahead to make sure that all of their roles were covered. I know that the volunteers were in place and were prepared. But even with all that in place, all it takes is one little thing or the coincidence of a few little things (forgetting to turn the heat on the night before, a missing organ key, etc.) to make you realize how much we depend on each other to get the job done.

And it’s not just a matter of getting work done. A body isn’t healthy if the parts aren’t connected. That’s why we need to stick together. And when we find that some of our parts aren’t connected the way they ought to be, that’s when we need to bridge the gap. Sometimes we will get sick, go on vacation or missions trips, or even just get mad at each other. Regardless of the reasons why we get disconnected, we always need to work on bridging the gap between members of the body.

Gone to Slidell

Well, forty-one of our members, including the rest of the staff and my wife, have gone to Slidell, Louisiana, to help with the rebuilding process after Hurricane Katrina. The director of IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service) said a few days after Katrina hit that it was easy to collect donations for the folks who need it right then; it was easy to get help right then. The problem, he said, would be getting help a year later, two years later, when the news crews are all gone, when most people have moved on.

And so there they go down I-75 towards the Gulf Coast. We haven’t necessarily forgotten, but I have a feeling they’re in for a shock. I think they’re going to meet a lot of people who have been forgotten, or at least feel that way. From what we’ve seen on the news in the past year or so, it seems that the government has forgotten, and it’s clear that some of the insurance companies have. And I think that even some Christians have as well.

I pray that the people of Slidell will experience the love of God, who has not forgotten them, through his children, the Church. I pray that the team from MCoC will be able to bridge the gap for those people, helping in little, tangible ways; sharing God’s love; and giving them hope.

I pray that the team will experience the joy of serving God by serving others. I pray that they will have the physical strength to do the work that must be done. I pray that they will have the strength to bear the burdens of broken people. I pray that they will have the opportunities to share the Good News of God’s love through Jesus, the hope of changed lives on this side of eternity and the hope of life with God beyond this life. I pray that they will return with hearts that are broken for all kinds of people: lost people, broken people, frightened people, poor people, people who are like us and those who are not.