Dear friends in Christ,

The world uses numbers and influence to determine value, and it’s easy to measure the church by these same values. Discouragement can set in when those measurements seem small. We wonder if we matter, if the church still has a place, or if God has forgotten us. Yes, we must remember that the Scriptures never define the church by these external measures. God defines the church by His calling to her.

Peter writes, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). Notice Peter’s order. First comes God’s action and work: He chooses, He calls, He makes us His own, He brings us out of darkness into light. It is after all His work, that our purpose is given: to proclaim His excellencies.

We are not a random collection of believers trying to keep the church as an institution alive. We are God’s elect, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and heirs of His grace. That identity, our true identity, is a gift. This gift does not depend on our size or strength, because it rests entirely upon the mercy of the one who has called us, Jesus Christ our Lord. In the early church, the first Christians lived out this belief, simply and faithfully. It says in Acts 2 that they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers. From that life together, centered around Word and Sacrament, flowed a clear witness. What happened? God added to their numbers, not because they had the perfect strategy, but because they remained who their Savior had made them to be.

And so it is for us. Know the purpose of your calling. You are God’s own special people. In the work of preaching, teaching, baptizing, absolving, and communing, the church continues to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness. That is enough, and it is glorious.

Prayer: Lord God, you have called us out of darkness into Your marvelous light. Strengthen us to proclaim Your excellencies and show Your love to the world. Keep us faithful to Your calling, relying always on Your mercy and grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Church of God, elect and glorious,
Holy nation, chosen race;
Called as God’s own special people,
Royal priests and heirs of grace:
Know the purpose of your calling,
Show to all His mighty deeds;
Tell of love that knows no limits,
Grace that meets all human needs.
“Church of God, Elect and Glorious” (LSB 646:1)

In Christ,

Rev. Samuel M. Powell
Third Vice President
Missouri District