BRANCHES November 2017

CORE COMMITMENTS
By Will Spink
WE STRIVE TO LOVE THE
LEAST, THE LOST, THE
LITTLEST, THE LONELY, AND
THE LEFT-OUT.
Because we are aware of our own weaknesses and dependence
upon God, we want to introduce fellow sinners to the Great
Physician, in whom the broken and hurting find refuge and a
home. This happens as we lead with grace rather than judgment
in all our relationships, just as God has led with grace toward us
when we deserved his judgment. We desire to express grace
to the marginalized, the hurting, and our non-Christian friends
and neighbors by treating people of all backgrounds and life
experiences, as image-bearers of God, with dignity and charity.
– Luke 6:27-36, Matthew 25:31-40, Mark 2:15-17, Proverbs
14:31, Genesis 1:26-27, John 15:12-13
CHRIST-CENTERED
DEPENDENCE AND
PRAYER
RELATIONSHIPS
THE LEAST, LOST,
LITTLEST, LONELY, AND
LEFT-OUT
RESTORATION OF ALL
CREATION
When you gather a group of people together, it is easy and often
natural to function like a club whose primary focus is to serve the
desires and preferences of its members. Jesus, however, establishes
quite a different charter for his Church when he calls us to share
the good news of salvation with all nations, to love our neighbors
and enemies, and to follow him on a mission to “seek and save
the lost” like a doctor looking for sick people, not healthy ones, to
bless. Dietrich Bonhoeffer expressed this in his Letters and Papers
from Prison when he wrote, “The Church is the church only when
it exists for others.”
So we see in the gospels all sorts of people attracted to Jesus –
the poor, pagans, prostitutes, and others – and we also see Jesus
treat them with respect, compassion, and deep love. Sometimes
he has to say hard things, but always he leads with grace. And this
is the way all of us at Southwood have experienced the love of God
toward us. We were lost, least, and left-out apart from Christ when
God moved toward us to welcome us into his family. How could we
not continue seeking out others just like us who need a safe place
to be needy?
people like themselves is missing the full heart of God for
them. A church budget that caters to those likely to give
more money is dangerously close to being a “club budget”
rather than a church budget serving the kingdom of Jesus.
So, who do you know who could be included in these “L”
categories? The Least may be materially poor, voiceless,
or powerless. The Lost may be neighbors near or far who
don’t know Jesus or even claim to follow his commands. The
Littlest may be in the nursery, in the womb, or in your Sunday
School class. The Lonely may be widowed, new to town, or
suffering deeply. The Left-out may be disconnected, difficult
to talk with, or so broken by sin and shame that they can’t
move toward anyone. Now let’s move toward all of them
with the love God has carried toward all of us.
That’s exactly what I’ve witnessed at Southwood over the past
several years: people whose lives have been shipwrecked spiritually,
sexually, mentally, materially, and many other ways finding a place of
refuge and healing in our community. No matter what experiences
or life struggles people have endured, they bear the image of God
and are no more needy of his grace than the senior pastor (no less
needy either!). So, we welcome all such people into the hospital we
call “Southwood” and help them get to know the Great Physician
who heals all of our various diseases.
But to be the Church Jesus has called us to be, we must be
committed not merely to receiving the least of these when they
show up in our building but rather actively and sacrificially to
prioritize them in everything we do. A “church-wide event” that
considers the desires of only the initiated and well connected is
falling way short of the mission God has given to Southwood. A
small group that is mindful of the needs only of “successful” church