Maybe JFK was right!

In his 1961 Inaugural Address, President John F. Kennedy said the following famous words, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

One of the strengths of the Lutheran Church has always been lay people who ask what they can do for their Church.  It was lay men who formed the Lutheran Laymen’s League (LLL) many years ago and shared Christ through The Lutheran Hour and other projects.  It was lay women who formed the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) and supported mission work with their mighty mites to the tune of millions of dollars over the decades.  The Christian Church seems to be at its best when lay men and women are asking what they can do for their Church, and not just asking what their Church can do for them.

Now, it seems, one of the important questions asked by people is, “What can the Church do for me?”  On the face of it, that question is not so bad.  We hope that people want the truth of the Word of God.  Yes, we can do that!  Do people want a Christ-centered, Bible-based Church home?  Yes, we can do that!  Do they want to be part of a congregation that has as its mission to grow as brothers and sisters in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, while witnessing for Him to our families, friends and community?  Yes, we can do that!  Do people want to learn more about God, His Word and be comforted by the changeless Gospel throughout all the changing stages of life?  Yes, we can do that!

However, when people ask what the Church can do for them, they are often focused on matters of personal felt needs.  Do you have a nice looking church?  Do you have different kinds of worship services at different times?  Do you have padded pews?  Do you have a youth director?  Sometimes people seem to be more concerned about what can be done for them, instead of what they can do to help or make the situation better.

The upside-down mantra of the so-called “Me Generation” (of which I am a part and which has a huge influence on the Church of today) may be, “Ask not what you can do for your Church—ask what your Church can do for you.”

Perhaps JFK sensed that the day would come when American citizens would be more concerned about their own personal needs rather than the good of the country.  Perhaps he realized that for the country to be strong, its citizens needed to work together for the common good.  But he wasn’t the first man to realize that.

The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote: “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”  (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)

Paul envisioned a Church, a body with Christ as its only head, where the members are asking what they can do for the Church.  As they ask and work properly together, the whole body grows and is built up in love.  This is God’s vision for Trinity Lutheran Church.  Imagine what could happen if all the members of the congregation asked what they could do for the Church, and then worked properly together in the name and mission of Jesus Christ!

To paraphrase JFK in the context of the Church, “And so, my fellow members of Trinity Lutheran Church: ask not what your congregation can do for you—ask what you can do for your congregation.”

For Christ and Trinity Lutheran Church,

Pastor J

“Thank you” to the many members of Trinity who are selflessly asking what you can do for your Church, and who are working together to make our situation better!