The C&MA's vision for ministry says "we believe that God's instrument to complete this mission is His church. That's why we focus our efforts and resources into developing dynamic, healthy local churches -- in the United States and across the world. To accomplish this vision, we will develop healthy people (fully devoted followers of Christ), who will build these churches serving as ministry centers to successfully win the lost. Out of these ministry centers and churches will flow international workers committed to pushing back the darkness in areas where unengaged, unreached people groups abound." Certainly the vision is a strong statement in the sense that it calls for healthy dynamic churches who are deeply rooted in Christ. in Colossians 2, Paul wrote, "So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Receiving Jesus Christ as Lord is the key to living in Christ and staying rooted. As Paul continued he said, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Staying in Christ means staying faithful to him. What I find interesting is that in the vision statement the idea of holiness is not mentioned. Staying rooted in Christ means to be holy unto him. To be holy means to be solely his, to be completely his. Holiness is faithfulness. I am set apart for Christ, and his work. Christ is my life, my vision, my message, my method, my hope, my present and my future. I am set apart, the church is set apart, we are completely his, because we are holy. I am not take captive by the deceptive nature of the world because I am holy, I am faithful. The healthy church is a holy church, and holy church worships. To make healthy churches that seek to fulfill the Great commission will come from a people, from a church who worships because a church is wholly committed to Christ. A worshiping church seeks to make God known in all aspects of life.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he said, "The most important one is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:29,30). Loving God is the most important job of the church and love comes from holiness. Our holiness is derived from God. He makes us holy by sanctifying us by his Son the Lord Jesus through the person of the Holy Spirit. The sanctifying message of the Alliance is the key to helping the church fulfill the Great commission. If you notice that it was not until Simpson had his sanctifying experience did he become assiduous in seeking the lost and bring them to Christ. Our compulsion is found in holiness and our worship. As our love for God grows so does his heart within us. As Jesus continued he said, "The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31). Our love for God compels us to love others. A deeply rooted church, a fully devoted follower of Christ is holy who worships.
