How Can You Be a Blessing?
“Christianity is either a missionary religion or it is nothing,
and every Christian is a missionary
or he denies the faith in his life, if not in his words.”
-Bishop Frederick Focke Reese,
Diocese of Georgia Bishop’s Address 1929
“Quit evangelizing; start blessing.”
-Reggie McNeal
This question-How can I be a blessing to others?-has been fundamental to the move in the some Diocese of Georgia churches to a more mission focused way of being the church. The question comes from Reggie McNeal, an author and speaker I referenced in recent Loose Canon articles.
It’s not about the church
At St. Anne’s, Tifton, The Rev. Lonnie Lacy says the congregation hasn’t necessarily taken on any major programs for growth or new strategies from the outside, but among the changes to that church is the vestry’s longterm consideration of this question of how the people of St. Anne’s can be a blessing to others beyond their walls. This has been significant. The discussions in the vestry have been formative, and with subtle emphasis on this question in the congregation via the parish leadership, the attitude is taking hold. If you attend St. Anne’s, you may never have heard this question asked, but you have probably seen the results of being a part of a church seeking to be “in the business of blessing.” The question, at its purest, is not about that congregation at all. If someone who attends St. Anne’s is being a blessing to others at work, home, or in the community, then in and of itself, that act is transformative. This changes the person who is a blessing and changes those who experience being blessed. (St. Anne’s van is shown above delivery supplies to tornado-torn Alabama.)
Anyone can be a blessing to others
At Holy Comforter, Martinez, the congregation was challenged to be a blessing to others in some real andtangible way. Then on a subsequent Sunday the sermon time was given over to those in attendance telling their stories of what happened when they tried to act on that challenge. The response was enthusiastic with stories flowing for more than 40 minutes. The Rev. Joe Bowden said, “The people shared some of the most moving blessing and praying stories I have ever heard. It was one of the most joyful and moving moments in my life!”
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None of this has anything to do with church growth or even evangelism as they are typically considered. Yet, getting intentional about being blessing to others has everything to do with living in to Jesus’ teaching that we are not only to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, but we are also to love our neighbors as ourselves, hence, being a blessing. (Two Holy Comforter parishioners helping with the church’s Vacation Bible School.)
You don’t even need the question
Filling in Sundays at St. Patrick’s, Pooler, I have seen that congregation being a blessing to others without anyone bothering to ask the question. On Christmas Eve, a large group went to the Waffle House following the candlelit liturgy in order that a young woman who couldn’t be with family would not be alone. They ordered a lot and left a big tip too. More recently, the same congregation was reaching out to a stressed out mom watching her young kids. These are just two ways I have seen the small congregation be a blessing.
It is about the Gospel
Living in to answering this question is a simple way to get at what Bishop Reese hoped for in 1929 when he called on every Christian to become a missionary. 
When as individuals and as churches we become a blessing to the people around us, we are about the mission of the church. This is not to in any way divorce those actions of blessings from the content of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not the Jaycees or the Junior Service League. But if we live is if our only goal as churches was to get the numbers up, then why would anyone want to be among those counted in the pews or whose dollars are counted in the plate? On the otherhand, if we actually live out the love of neighbor as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus, then we will need no other advertising and the real work of relational evangelism will naturally follow. Yes, we want people to be most fully blessed by becoming a disciple of Jesus, and that may well start with our being a blessing to them in other ways. (Above, The Rev. Joe Bowden blesses and is blessed by a dog.)
Where might it start?
In Tifton, the question about how to be a blessing has been almost exclusively a vestry question so far. In Martinez, the whole congregation considered it. What is your church’s blessing strategy? Where might this movement start in your congregation? As you’re the one who read this article to the end, perhaps it should start with you being a blessing to someone between now and Sunday and then sharing the experience with others as you share coffee and conversation after church this week.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary
Note: To hear Reggie McNeal speaking about these topics, you can go to: http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/reggie-mcneal-videos/ for two videos of presentations.
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