We continue the series "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" this weekend with our topic this week being "Risk-Taking Mission and Service."   Congregations and individual Christians that are vibrant and healthy engage not only in "in-reach" but also outreach in Jesus' name.      Like the Dead Sea - that only receives water and has no channel of outflow - churches and Christians spiritually die without engagning in outreach and service for Christ's sake. 

The Old Testament prophet Micah tells us in his book that the Lord calls us to three things:  Do Justice.  Love Mercy.  And, Walk Humbly with your God.    That is a pretty good decription of Christian mission and service.     If we wish to bless the Lord, and avoid the "Dead Sea Syndrome", the pro-active mission and service formula is located in Micah's wise and ordained words.    Through God's power and grace we reach out and become a channel of justice, mercy, and humility - - the waters of these qualities converging together to form a river of compassion and healing.    First, the river flows to us from God's mercy and grace; and, then the river continues to flow in and through us to a world hurting and in need of God's healing mission and service.    Let us reach out in mission and service by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God.