This past week we held our annual staff retreat featuring our leadership team from across the Buckner system. One of our guest speakers was Dr. Jeff Warren, Senior Pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, the church where my family has its membership.
Pastor Jeff did an amazing job of pointing us back to Jesus as the core of our mission. He said our theology is determined by our Christology and our Christology is determined by our missiology. He encouraged us to have a radical devotion to Christ; to focus on the person of Jesus who guides our mission, which in turn informs our structure, organization, staffing and direction.
He encouraged us to seek Jesus in our quiet time, in our personal devotional moments. He said that when we do not have a quiet time with the Lord, all others around us become a victim of our unspiritual life.
In a nutshell, we have to constantly recalibrate back to Jesus.
So here are my own reflections:
It appears to me that there may be many ministries and perhaps individuals that need to recalibrate back to Jesus. There may be some ministries, as stated by Dr. Warren, where Jesus is trying to get in and impact the core.
We are going through the time of the year at Buckner when we re-evaluate our organizational structure, our sense of vision, and our budget for the coming year. This word from Dr. Warren was a timely reminder that all we do is about the person and work of Jesus.
In very plain language, the Scripture is our guide for faith and practice. Dr. R. C. Buckner read his Bible and did what it says. He landed on James 1:27 and focused on serving orphans and widows. About 132 years later, we are doing that same thing only now we are pursuing this agenda in over 117 cities around the world.
It is time again to recalibrate back to Jesus and his Kingdom. Everything else is of secondary importance.
Amen, Brother! We can't lose sight of the One who enables it all to happen. Easy to do as we go about our "business" in the corporate world, where 'corporate America' tells us that anything less than its model is lacking.
Glad to say, however, that we operate in and for God's Kingdom. Our business is nothing more or less than the LORD's business--His purpose and plan for our lives. His plan is the best plan, and always will be.
As Buckner re-focuses on Christ and His mission for Buckner and its servants carrying out the Lord's mission through Buckner, I'm reminded of the Lord's words calling us to great Servanthood: "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28.
Praying for Buckner as it relies on Christ's direction in serving the needs of the hurting throughout the world. God Bless.
Posted by: Edward Saldaña | October 15, 2011 at 11:50 AM