S.O.F.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

When I was in Basic Training, I spent an evening checking into the Maroon Berets. The Maroon Berets are a specialized Air Force Unit that is specially trained to parachute into a war zone to provide medical help to wounded soldiers. During the two hours I was there, I realized that I could not meet the physical requirements for that pararescue unit. I could swim, run and maybe do the pushups. I questioned if I would qualify with the pull-ups and then there were the heavy weights that one needed to be able to life and carry that were beyond my abilities. My brother had attended the same class when he was in Basic and was not able to qualify, may be because of his height.

Special Operations Force

The name for this kind of unit is Special Operation Force. The Special Forces is technically the Green Berets of the Army. The smaller fighting forces are all SOF or Special Operation Force.

Special Operation Forces are a segment of the larger military effort. In truth, those on the front lines are fewer than those that support them. The military has people who serve in administration, doctors and nurses, mechanics, janitors, gym managers, store managers and every other support staff that one can imagine. One of the biggest moral boosters are those who do the cooking. A good cook is worth their weight in gold.

The military works best when everyone is doing fulfilling their role. Someone trained as a medic is best helping the sick. One may not want them, without further training, to fly an airplane.

We have a term for a military unit that doesn’t work with the larger group. Their actions are called “going rogue.” This means that they were not working with the larger team, but working independently.

Government is the same. Many of us complain about government bureaucracy and how poorly government is managed. However, when we look at how government works, many people contribute to make it run. I would suggest that it is not so much the size of government that makes life so difficult, but rather the lack of unity and common purpose that has built into our government over the years. What the department of transportation might like to do may be in opposition to the environmental protection agency. The tangled web of accountability from groups with different agendas contributes to the sluggishness that many face. Cheer up. It is much worse in other countries.

The kingdom of God is built the same way. God has different people with different training in different situations. The kingdom of God works best when all work together. The name in our generation for the kingdom of God is the word “church.”

The church is made up of everyone who trusts in Jesus.

The word “church” is called the “ekklesia” in the New Testament. The ekklesia is sometimes called those who are “called out.” But in New Testament times the ekklesia were the citizens of the state who met for social and political reasons. It was a gathering of citizens. The church is a gathering of those who are in the kingdom of God. We encourage one another as citizens of heaven and work together to carry out the orders of our king, Jesus.

With that understanding, we find that the disciples were a Special Operations Force. Jesus said to them,

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

The reason I call them a Special Operations Force is that Jesus did not say this to them as individuals, but as a group.

The word “go” in verse 19 is you plural go. The word “make” and “baptize” are plural which means more than one. Verse 20 the word “teach” is something all eleven disciples are commanded to do. When Jesus tells them to teach people what to observe he tells them to observe “all that I have commanded you (plural).” When he promises to be with “you” in verse 20, he promises to be with all of them.

If he commanded them to make disciples, baptize and teach all nations, then when he tells them to teach others to observe all he commanded the disciples, the disciples were to tell us to do the same things: make disciples, baptize and teach others.

This work is a group effort. Yet, within the larger groups of the church, God has his Special Operations Forces at work. In other words, each one of us may play a different role within the larger picture.

John 17:20–21 ESV

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The point that Scripture teaches us is that within the church are the Special Operations Forces. But Jesus prayer is that the forces would be unified within the church.

This unity is essential if the church has any chance of believability in this world.

These Special Operations Forces are by their very nature, smaller groups within the larger church. The church can be seen in two ways.

The first way that the church is seen is as a description of every believer in Jesus Christ in the world.

The second is that the church is made up of believers who meet together in one locale.

If there is anything that has hurt the witness of the church of Jesus Christ, the world will point to the thousands of denominations and the disagreements among those who call themselves Christians.

Some of these divisions are very important. Not everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian followsJesus. There are weirdoes out there.

Some of the divisions are absolutely unnecessary. People split from a church because they don’t like the organ music or the drums. They split because someone forgot to thank them for something they did. They split because they couldn’t control the church, so walked out and started their own.

Jesus is greatly saddened when he sees this kind of disunity. Its core problem is self-centeredness and it greatest fault is the lack of focus on serving and following Jesus. We cannot follow Jesus when we are disobedient to what he tells us.

We find this same dynamic within a local church. A local church is made up of small groups. These small groups should be Special Operations Forces that are working for the greater good.

We have Elders, Trustees, Deacons, Fellowship Ministries, Worship Teams, Sound Room Technicians, Bible Studies, Small Groups, Exchange Shop, Celebrate Recovery, Sunday School Classes and networks of friends.

God wants each of these smaller groups of people to work together as part of the larger church.

I know pastors that will not support small groups in their church. People who attend small groups will talk about the friendships that have built, the opportunities to share and pray for one another, the ability to get to know people who will support them in times of need.

What is wrong with that? One would think any pastor and any church would want that.

There is nothing wrong with that.

However, the experience in many churches is that the small group replaced the sense of connectedness to the larger group. The small group changed from making disciples to creating seedbeds for dissension. Instead of provoking one another to love and good works, they became support groups for disgruntled people. Instead of viewing the small groups as Special Operations Forces that carried out a unique mission for the larger body, they became the larger body. Instead of unity, division took place.

I am a strong believer in small groups. I am a strong believer in small groups that understand that they are role players within the larger group. I am a strong believer in small groups that exist to support and build up the local church, not tear it down.

40 Days of Love

In February we will be starting a six-week program we are calling the 40 Days of Love. We were challenged during our mission’s conference to put love into action.

Though we are all different and we all have differing gifts and abilities, God wants all of us to love.

Ephesians 4:15–16 ESV

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Note that each part needs to work properly. Note that each part contributes to the body building itself up in love.

No matter what your Special Operation might be, no matter what small group you might be a part of, the common culture we want to build is one of locve.

The Elders felt this would be a good follow up to the Missions Conference.

Jesus said,

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Hebrews 10:23–25 ESV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

This is what will happen. On Sundays you will hear a message that deals with some aspect or love. We encourage each one of you to be part of a small group that meets to discuss the topic of the week that is preached on Sunday and is the focus of the week. We envision that this church will be a much better church if we can learn to love together.

On January 20th we are heading up to Skowhegan. They have invited us to come for a meal and to see their service. This ministry is to homeless people.

On January 27th there will be a meeting to explain to families who choose to host a small group what the meetings will look like and what to expect.

On February 18th, we will kick off the 40 Days of Love.

What are we looking for from you?

First, we want you to be informed. When you are informed, you can explain what is happening to others.

Second, we want you to pray. Scripture is clear that God wants us to excel in love. We want God to come and deconstruct anything that will stop us from being the loving Church that God wants. We want to become a church that loves God first and loves our neighbor second.

Third, we want you to clear your calendar. For the six weeks we will go through this we want you here on Sunday morning to hear the messages. We want you to participate in a small group to discuss the topic of the week.

Fourth, we want you to be open to change.

I can guarantee one thing. If you decide not to get involved at any level, you have made a decision to block the unity that God wants us to have.

If you decide to get involved, a willingness to change to become a more loving person will reap rich benefits in your spiritual and personal life.

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