J. Bennett Guess has served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ since 2000. He was the Director of Communications for the denomination from 2007-2011. In 2011 Guess was elected to his current position: Executive Minister of the United Church of Christ’s Local Church Ministries and a member of the UCC’s five-person Collegium of Officers.
In the Spring/Summer edition of the Still Speaking magazine, Guess concluded his article about the denomination’s new “Faith In” project with these words
If the church expects to know what God is really up to, it’s certain that the answer won’t be found within the confines of our own walls . . . We must risk becoming the stranger in order to find God’s unexpected welcome and new direction. It’s time to put our whole faith in (p.57).
So What?
Guess writes as one who has severed as a local church pastor and now oversees local church ministries from a 1 million member denomination. He is as supportive as anyone can be to the local church, yet understands that looking within is not the path that leads to greater understanding nor one that will allow travelers to explore God’s activity in the world.
- What is your local congregation doing now that helps people move beyond the church campus as they explore God’s activity in the world ?
- What would it look like in your life if you “put your whole faith in”?