Pastoral Thoughts:
     Recently I have been thinking about mission statements.  Like many groups, Christian-based organizations often have mission statements.  For example, ABCUSA's is "Serving as the hands and feet of Christ."  The seminary I graduaed form, with boldness has the mission statement, "To advance Christ's Kingdom in every sphere of life by equippin Church leaders to think theologically, engage globally and live biblically."  LBC has something like a mission statement.  Our constitution states that the "purpose of this organization" is to "(a) win people to a personal allegiance to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, (b) train them in Christian living and develop Christian character, (c) help spread the gospel of Christ."
     I like all of these statements.  They speak well to our convictions and remind us why we are here.  But the broad picture they paint is not only a strength, but also a weakness.  How do we today "win people to a personal allegiance to Jesus Christ,"  "train in Christian living,"  "spread the gospel?"  This is not a question that has a simple, singular, and time-proven answer.  For we today live in a world that is not what is was a generation or two ago.  And as Americans, the majority of our culture is "post-Christian."  This can be seen very clearly.  One illustration:  go to a bookstore and look for the Bibles.  You will not only find the Holy Bible but many other kinds.  Let's naarrrow our eamples to the so-called "food bibles."  You will find:  The Cook's Bible, Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible, The Cake Bible, The Healthy Juicer's Bible, just to name a few. 
     These titles may first strike us as funny but they also point to a very serious matter.  We are part of a society which no longer treats the word "Bible" as distinct (let alone as a designator of what is holy.) The word "Bible" is publicly (ab)used for financial profit and the exultation of the culinary arts.  And our society is fine with it.  One thinks of the Apostle Paul's words to the Philippians, "their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things."  (3:19)
     How are we to carry out our mission/purpose statement in such a world?  First, as God's people, we have to know the Bible as well.  And second, but just as important, we have to be "wise as serpents" (Matthew 10:16).  It is our duty and privilege to be keen toward the newness and difference of the present times.  In a post-Christian society, God's Word sits right next to The Cake Bible on the bookshelf.  What is it that we can do to help people bypass grabbing the book with all he pretty pictures and, instead, grasp the Word of Truth?
    
Yours, Brooks