The Birthday of BLC

April 1, 2000 … that’s when Bangsar Lutheran Church was born (or re-born).

wow! how time flies! Thank you Lord … it’s been quite a journey. We’re still learning what it means to be pilgrims on a journey on a narrow road. We’re still grasping the challenges and opportunities as pioneers in some way. We’re trusting the Spirit to graciously lead us as a people of God here and now with a view of the future.

As I began reading Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today tonight. The following words leap out on p.10,

“Even though the word church is used to designate the community in Acts occassionally (for example, 5:11; 8:1,4; 9:31), our contention is that the disciples really do not fully recognize themselves as church — as separate reality from Judaism — until they recognize that they are called to mission that has as its scope “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:9). In a real sense , then Pentecost was not, contrary to what is usually said, “the birthday of the church”; rather the church is born only as the disciples of Jesus gradually and painfully realize that they are called beyond themselves to all peoples until (in Paul’s formulation) the “full number of the Gentiles entet in” (Rom. 11:25)”

After “jumping first” and “fearing later” the past five years, somehow the words above really resonate with me … at least that’s where I am now. Indeed, how gradually and painfully the truth of allowing the “beyond ourselves” bit really take root in my life. It does put BLC’s birthday today in Biblical perspective for which I think is needful and I’m grateful.