What if there was a place where the sovereign, transcendent, eternal, and loving God promised to be substantially present with you in a regular and seemingly-ordinary feast. A place where he promises that this heavenly food actually gives you life and spiritual strength.

What if this same God actually spoke, and His Word was written down for you in human language so that you could hear and know him. A written word that was more than simply words, but a powerful, life-creating Word.

What if there was a place where called and trained leaders, whose main vocation and passion was to help you understand this life-giving Word.  A place where a weary soul could come and receive shepherding care and support.

What if there was a place that was radically rooted and grounded in forgiveness and mercy. A place where you could belong, be truly loved, serve, and be served? Somewhere that is intergenerational, familial, and communal in a way that would help you battle the desire to do spiritual life alone?

What if there was a place where you would receive loving accountability. Or that in such a community, families could be supported and formed in the faith.  Can you imagine a place where the message was so strong, compelling, and sweet that it could drown out the societal noise that distracts?

Can you imagine this? It sounds like a dream. It’s radical. It’s beautiful, and it’s entirely supernatural. If such a place existed, it would truly be one of God’s greatest gifts he could give you.

Friends, such a place does exist. God has literally designed this kind of a place for YOU. This is your local congregation. This is the place where the ministry of Christ happens. Isn’t it amazing? What a precious gift.

Consider also then the missional and sacramental nature of this kind of place in a dark, confused, and hurting world. This beautiful gift is designed to be life giving to others also. The congregation is given for the life of the world.

This beautiful picture of the congregation directly and naturally connects to Home Missions. More congregations like this leads to more lives transformed. More congregations like this means more of Christ’s ministry to lost and weary sinners. More congregations like this mean more souls nourished and fed by the Lord.

So what does this mean for you?

1. Cherish your congregation. It is God’s gift to you. You need it.
2. Invest in your congregation. Live. Serve. Sacrifice. Celebrate. It needs you.
3. Participate in planting new congregations. Pray, invest, research how God would help you partner in spreading this gift regionally, nationally, and globally.

Home Missions exists for the sole purpose to help establish more of these God-designed gifts to plant the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Join us in this great mission endeavor.

Andy Coyle, Home Missions Director

Originally published in The Lutheran Ambassador