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Volume 33, No. 16

8/21/19 | Newsletter

Living Out Love – Part 2

In the previous Mosaic I highlighted our upcoming September stewardship campaign called “Living out Love.” One way for us to live out our love in the world is to ask the question, “How would our lives and this city be different if Royal Lane Baptist Church did not exist?” I hope you had time to ponder that question and that it has inspired you to invest in our church’s work.

As Royal Lane Baptist Church lives out love in the city of Dallas, we must also consider a second item. We need to consider something I’ve been pondering in a changing world and a fluctuating landscape for churches. Many, if not all churches, are experiencing tighter budgets and attendance decline. There has been a push by pundits to talk more openly and forcefully about church growth. And I, too, have fallen into the trap of thinking the only thing we need to be doing is growing the church – its bodies, building, and budget. After pondering this question for a while, I have realized I don’t want to grow the church. I’d rather grow people. The church is a structural institution that can only flourish when growing and thriving people lead it.

So, I think our goal for this stewardship season and for our visioning for the future of Royal Lane should not focus on growing the church, but to grow people! I want each of you to be invested. I want each of you to learn more about the Bible and the life of Jesus and the nature of God. I want you to feel more passion about the change you can create in this city. I want you to be equipped to lead that change. I want your children and grandchildren to grow up loving the church and knowing that the church isn’t going to turn its back on the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the traveler. I want you to grow in your capacity to love and care for others. I want the good people of Royal Lane Baptist Church to grow!

So, as we enter Stewardship Month in September, hold these two things in your mind: “How would your life and this city be affected without Royal Lane’s vision and voice?” And, “How will you grow in this next season and how can we cultivate that growth in you?” Both of these things will take a lot of effort and investment from all of us. But if we do the work, I know we will be able to effectively “live out love.”

Pastor Mike