I’m always on the lookout for ways to picture the church’s role in equipping disciples for their frontline. Recently, this was in my regular reading:

Be prepared for action at a moment’s notice. Be like the servants who anticipate their master’s return from a wedding celebration. They are ready to unlock and open the door for him at a moment’s notice. What great joy is ahead for the awakened ones who are waiting for the Master’s return! He himself will become their servant and wait on them at his table as he passes by. He may appear at midnight or even later, but what great joy for the awakened ones whenever he comes! Of course, if they knew ahead of time the hour of the master’s appearing, they would be alert, just as they would be ready if they knew ahead of time that a thief was coming to break into their house. So keep being alert and ready at all times. (Luke 12.35 – 40, Passion Translation, emphasis mine)

Be prepared for action at a moment’s notice…alert and ready at all times.

What would that look like? When I asked the Lord that, the Minutemen of Revolutionary War days popped into my head.

Minutemen were civilian colonists who independently organized to form militia companies self-trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute’s notice, hence the name. Minutemen provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that enabled the colonies to respond immediately to war threats. Wikipedia

A highly mobile, rapidly deployed force – that’s what believers are supposed to be! Not “church” – it’s not mobile: the church building stands there in its place on First and Main as Reggie MacNeil likes to say. The church’s job is to train “minutemen” to be effective on their frontline outside the church.

I’d like to explore this idea over the next few days.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6.10 – 17, NIV)