Who Is Your Client?

It's a valid question. I serve in denominational work and we are often heard to say that we serve the churches. Having spent thirty-one years as a pastor of a local church, I was often expected to answer the question by saying that I serve the members of the XYZ Church. If you are a member of a local church, who is your client?

The church of Jesus Christ is described in many ways. It is said to be an unstoppable force, militant army, movement of God on earth, etc. But who should be the church's client? If the church is the bride of Christ, then it would seem to me that we should have the same goals and purpose as does the bridegroom. He came to seek and to save the lost.(Luke 19:10) Does it not stand to reason that our client should be the "yet unborn" family members in this world.(John 3:3) In other words, our clients are the unreached, unchurched, unredeemed who live in our cities and communities. How would this change the way we do denominational work if we saw the masses of folk living within our territory as our target group. In my case, I cannot get away from the fact that our Lord has placed me in the Baptist Convention of New York where twenty-eight million people live and twenty-seven million have no relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord. Pushing back the darkness of lostness in this territory is what keeps me up late at night and wakes me up early every morning. How would this kind of thinking impact your church? How would this kind of thinking impact the way you live your life today? Who really is your client?

Just a thought.