Helensvale Baptist Church

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By this all men will know

Filed Under:  Matt's Blog   —   29th Apr, 2011

This is blog 8 in a series on the new multi-site Baptist church on the northern Gold Coast formed by Helensvale Baps and Southport Baps. But its not just those two churches: we are also embarking on a new church plant (campus plant in the multi-site parlance!!) at Highland Reserve, Upper Coomera as part of the new church, the first of many we hope. And this is fundamental to the new church.

My previous blogs have been, mostly, about “us” as church and the impact the multi-site structure might have on those in the church. However, in our particular example, although acutely aware of the impact the multi-site model will have on the church, our reason for proceeding has been more about “out there” than “in here”! We have consistently reminded both churches that proceeding down this line is about positioning ourselves under God’s leadership and direction to be in the best place to plant more churches around the northern Gold Coast. I believe the strong support at both churches for proceeding with this proposal is a marker of this truth: It is remarkable how a Jesus-centred, mission-focused idea can bring Christian people together.

And it follows the words of the Lord Jesus: when we truly selflessly love another (John 13:34), and when we reflect the oneness that is in the Trinity and practise a unified church, the world will stand up and notice (John 17:20-23) – and notice something is going right! There is something about true selfless love and unity that is compelling and attractive to the world around. When self-centred actions and relationships play out in the public domain – politics, sport, even in the church itself - we can hear the groans in the media and in conversations over coffee with friends: even more so when they personally experience it in families, community and sporting clubs and the like.

There is something about a church/churches working selflessly together under the Lordship of Jesus, the true Leader (Head) of the church, that stands out in the world. Paul calls it “the fragrance of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). The church is not a club or an organisation, it is an organism, and as one person put it, the only ‘group’ that exists for the benefits of non-members!!

When churches work together in ways the world never will, it gives a greater witness to the world around. And that is something else about our experience that gives it an intangible feel for the outsider. HBC, or me, did not approach SBC about this, Ken O’Rourke, SBC Senior Pastor approached us (through me). There is something in Ken’s humility, openness to God, commitment to the selfless unity of God’s church, and heart for the lost that God will honour. Why would a smaller church approach a larger church to consider this structure? We’ve only got to remember the anger and cries when footy clubs had to consider merging. None of that here. Why? Because Jesus was at the centre of a demonstration of Christ centred humility and honouring of each other for the call to see more follow Him.

This sort of selfless oneness not only demonstrates Paul’s cry in Ephesians 4:1-6, but is something I believe God will honour evangelistically as we remember we exists for His glory, and that more will come to follow the Lord Jesus as Lord and Saviour. As I and others have begun working this week on trying work out how the leadership structures will play out in more detail, we have had this outward focus always around us. To quote one email, how do we encourage a spreading of the good news focus in our governance models to help us to not become entrenched in just looking after what we do now? Good question. It reflects the heart and desire that we must practise a oneness together so that the world would see Jesus (John 17:20-23).

God willing, this heart will remain and we will not drift into institutionalism. Rather, we will increase all the more in an outward oriented focus – and see that we are in the best place for the Lord Jesus to build His Church, and see more of them planted under His leadership and direction.