07593
September 20, 2007

Church as family

Taylor: God’s vision is refuge, growth, inspiration, encouragement

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — God’s vision for the church is that it act more like a family, the Rev. Tom Taylor told a joint gathering of middle governing body executives and the General Assembly Council Sept. 19.

Preaching at the closing worship service of the second annual gathering, Taylor — the GAC’s deputy executive director for mission, said that God’s expectation in Acts 2 is “that people were not just to be doing stuff together but were called to be a community. God would love it we would act more like a family.”

With the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) engaged in concerted efforts, such as this gathering, to rebuild connections and relationships, Taylor said “striving to be together as family is how we get our most important needs met.”

Those needs include creating “a refuge from life’s storms,” he continued. “Life assails us with all kinds of things,” Taylor said. “Fear, failure, rejection — my prayer is that you’ll feel undergirded by God and by each other.”

Family relationships also foster “continual growth for life,” he said. “I joined the PC(USA) at age 30 because they weren’t all like me and so would help me see life differently.”

Families can also “encourage and model optimism,” Taylor added. “My prayer is that, as you face the change and challenge, you will not become soured or sorrowful, but will encourage each other to affirm that God is still in control.”

Finally, Taylor concluded, “my prayer is that you’ll constantly inspire each other to better ministry.” Great things are happening all over the church, Taylor said. “Your work and ministry matters enormously because it’s God’s work and ministry.”