Word and Deed Revisited

I preached on Colossians 3:1-17 on Sunday.  The final verse says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.^”  This has been a key verse in my life for a long time.  I appreciate its call to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, whether that is studying, or teaching, or administrating, or preaching, or visiting.  And I both appreciate and am challenged by its emphasis on both word and deed. 

Last summer I reflected on what it meant for Madison Ave to be a “word and deed” church.  And that’s something I’ve been reflecting on this summer, too.  Hope, like many rural CRC congregations, is strongly a word church.  I am known as a preacher, and people appreciate my sermons.  The church expected me to preach and lead worship, and so I did.  I am thankful for the preaching experience I have gained.  But I have also really missed being able to serve in a ministry of deeds, as well.  I have missed being a part of the neighborhood events and have missed the sense that the church is an integral part of the community.  I have missed the sense that we are “making the most of every opportunity” in the ways we interact with “outsiders” (Col. 4:5, from my sermon text from this Sunday).

Different people come to their life of faith with different emphasis, and different churches have different strengths and images of what their congregation is.  I have learned this summer that holding word and deed in tension is really important to me.  I won’t do well in a church that doesn’t care about the community around them.  And although I will miss Hope, at the same time I am looking forward to MCC’s ministry in the community.