I watched an interesting interview that Jon Stewart did with retired General Stanley McChrystal. Here are a few quotes from the interview that that struck me, and really got me thinking about the church.
McChrystal:
“I miss the soldiers and I miss the mission.”
Stewart:
“Is there some way to translate that sense of service and mission… at home… bringing that ethos of mission?”
McChrystal:
“The military is very addictive: the teamwork, the sense of purpose, the sense of ‘we can do something together’. And I think that most service people who leave, miss that more than anything else.”
Later in the interview McChrystal says,
“I think what you mentioned is an energy that can be harnessed. I think it’s something people would be very interested in becoming a part of…”
When I watched this, I couldn’t help but think of the church.
What if the church served as soldiers (2 Tim 2:3) with such teamwork, and sense of purpose, on God’s mission, that it became addictive? Have you ever been a part of a church like that?
I would venture to say that the church Jesus died for was meant to have more teamwork and sense of purpose than the U.S. military. And if that’s true, what are you doing to contribute to the church you’re a part of having more teamwork and sense of purpose? Or are you detracting from it?
I think McChrystal was right. This is an energy that can be harnessed. And it’s something people would be very interested in becoming a part of.
The question is whether joining the military is the only way to find it.
Hey Josh
I liked this post. I don’t know if you’ve ever read Alan Hirsch’s and Michael Frost’s book “The Faith of Leap,” but it touches on this exact same dynamic. They basically argue that true community only forms when people experience risk in some form. They spend the rest of the book unpacking the idea of mission being the true context forth church to experience risk and real community.
In my experience their argument rings true. My best and longest lasting friendships aren’t ones where we sat in a room for long hours. They are the ones where we followed Jesus on mission together. Here’s to all of us finding more “true comrades.”
I have not read that book, but it sounds really good. I’ll have to check that out. I’d have to agree with you that my best and longest lasting friendships are the ones where we followed Jesus on mission together. Great point.