On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea. With no thought for themselves they went out day or night tirelessly searching for the lost.
Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station, so much so that it became famous. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding areas, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time, money, and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews were trained. The little life-saving station grew.
Some of the new members of the life-saving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea.
They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in an enlarged building. Now the life-saving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they re-decorated it beautifully and furnished it as a sort of club. The members began to hang out there frequently and enjoy their new club.
Less of the members were now interested in going to sea on life-saving missions, so they hired life boat crews to do this work.
The mission of life-saving was still given lip-service but most were too busy or lacked the necessary commitment to take part in the life-saving activities personally.
About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people.
They were dirty and sick. Some of them were different and spoke a strange language. The beautiful new club quickly became dirty and full of those who needed help. The property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.
At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s life-saving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal activities of the club. But some members insisted that life-saving was their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a life-saving station, not a club. Those devote life-saving members were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the lives of all various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own life-saving station down the coast. So they did.
As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. They evolved into a club and yet another life-saving station was founded down the coast. If you visit this seacoast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters, but now most of the people drown.
My pastor makes a point to read this story to us at least once a year. It serves as a reminder of the Great Commission - the gospel mission: discipleship. Our desire is to be a life-saving station, one which does not become enchanted by the idea of being part of a great club.
The Church is at it’s best when it is empty, when the people are out in the stormy seas saving lives, when it’s gathering out in the cities and creating disciples.
When is your local church community at it’s best?
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Great stuff! A church is at its best when everyone is on the same page-united!
Right on, Brandon. I’ve experienced great movement within community when everyone is tracking on the same things, ideas, and tapping into the Spirit. Unity is powerful (John 17).
Wow. What great timing. I’m talking about this very thing at church on Sunday. I hope you don’t mind if I use your illustration (with credit of course!)
No, I don’t mind at all. You don’t have to give credit! Give it all to Him.
Hi Ryan, I’ve long wanted to come and visit. So glad I did. I see the church as a life-saving gathering for all of us, feeding each other after being out in the stormy weather doing life-saving and also sharing all the awesome stories while we were out doing it. It would be a place filled with excitement, meeting new friends and then going out together again! I share the same passion of the gospel mission: DISCIPLESHIP, not just saying the sinner’s prayer!
Wow…I love that Story!!!
Awesome!
My church does a whole lot of radio ministry….thats big down here in texas…
we also taken in people that need help when the “floods” come….haven’t had those in a while with all this drought…but it’s cool…
Oh…and And the pastors wife does a lot of mission trips to South Mexico…
This story made a tears come to my eyes. I’ll be sharing it with our congregation very soon. Thanks.
My church is at its best when each individual is doing their part to share the love of Christ to others every day.
Loved the story. Thanks for sharing it!
I love this story. It never gets old for me!
Is this a true story?
No, this is just a parable. A story that we can all learn from.
jHello Sir. God bless you. I have seen and read your material in English. I wish to translate your same material into Yiddish, my first and native language. If you need any assistance in that please let me know about it. I will wait for your answer please. Thank you.
In Christ,
Linda Jane.