Less Than Zero

When it comes to quantity, more is better, right? I am talking about things we desire, good things, desirable things like certain types of foods, or possessions, or money = more is always better. OK, so we agree on this. But then the question is asked: "What is the cost?". More might be better, but it does cost something, because nothing, absolutely nothing is absolutely free - agreed?

So this becomes somewhat of a paradox: we want more, but we have to be willing to pay the price. More food means more calories and potential cost of weight gain. More possessions means potentially more debt, or at least the cost of more responsibility for your stuff. More money usually means more work, and that in turn costs time with family or friends, and so on. As a matter of fact, more costs more. These situations are not a problem if you are willing to pay the cost, but that is another problem...we think we are willing to pay it, and then the bill comes. Crazy, huh?

I think this dilemma has found its way into the modern church culture - the church thinks that the more it has, the more it can do, so it needs to always be getting and doing more. This is where the paradox enters the church and the cycle of cost/benefit analysis starts. Before I chase some rabbit down some number related rabbit hole, I want to state a new number: ZERO. No more more. Because when it comes to church, founded by Christ and on Christ, the cost has already been paid to complete the work that needs to be done = so the church needs nothing, zip, zilch, zero, except Christ and His completed work on the cross.

Wait a minute you say, if zero is the number, then when it comes to outreach and ministry how would that apply? I am in NO WAY saying the church does NOT need resources, as a matter of fact what I am suggesting will require more resources and more commitment. What I am suggesting is that instead of quantifying how much or how many, we should be looking to get to zero. Yes...zero homeless, zero hungry, zero broken families, zero people who have not heard the Good News or experienced the love of Christ, zero, zero, zero. How's that for a number? Working to end the problem and not just to see how many or how much we can accomplish.

In the early church, if the apostles and disciples based the continuation of their work spreading the Gospel on numerical success, they might have stopped after a few big successful events - "BOOM! Look at what we did! Thousands came to believe today...that is enough." But they didn't. They started with the goal of telling everyone, so that there would be zero people who had not heard the good news, and when everyone is reached it would be mission accomplished. A mission that is far from over (there are approximately 33 million unreached people in California alone). A mission that is ours for the taking, that has as its goal, the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20) and as its source for strength to accomplish it, the Author of Life, God Himself. Sounds like a promising venture.

Just a side note...this is not a proposition seeking your help to ensure its completion, this will happen, look up Revelation 7: 9-10. The Great Commission will be fulfilled, the only question you have to wrestle with is whether or not you want to help....so what is it?

Let's get to ZERO...

In His grip,

Pastor Pat