Why We Do What We Do
This article first appeared in Charis Connect News 86, Week of September 23, 2024
What is it that drives followers of Jesus to do what they do? Why do our churches put so much effort into planning and implementing programs and events to help connect with people?
Ever since the Charis Fellowship began 316 years ago, men and women who have been part of this movement have understood that it’s all about the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus!
You may have heard the story of our first Charis Fellowship baptism service in 1708. But perhaps you are less familiar with what happened next. Here is what Alexander Mack, the founder of our movement, recalled about that day, as recorded later by his son:
“After all had come up out of the water…they were also at the same time made to rejoice with great inward joyfulness, and by grace they were deeply impressed with these significant words, ‘Be ye fruitful and multiply!’ After this…the Lord granted them His special grace so that still more became obedient to the faith, and thus, within seven years’ time, namely to the year 1715, there was not only in Schwarzenau a large church, but here and there [across the whole region] there were lovers of the truth… Moreover, the Lord called during those seven years, several laborers, and sent them into His harvest…” [1]
From the very beginnings of our movement, we see people changed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus, rejoicing in that truth, and taking steps to share that truth with others, despite the persecution and sacrifice they faced. As a result of this, over the last three centuries, we celebrate that the Charis Fellowship has seen countless people saved, new churches planted, leaders raised up and sent out to share the message of God’s grace to all who would hear, and communities blessed by followers of Jesus living in obedience to the Word of God!
And while our context and methods today may look different, we praise God that our focus and our mission primarily remains the same, and still drives what we do. As a family of churches, we still believe that it’s all about Jesus! (See our Commitment to Common Identity)
We still agree that spreading the good news and planting healthy churches is a vital need!
“We believe that the Church, expressed through disciples, leaders, local churches, agencies, and institutions, is responsible to equip and send out workers to establish new churches among all ethnicities, everywhere.” [2]
We still recognize the need to raise up and develop godly leaders who will impact our world for Jesus!
“We believe that trained, godly leaders are indispensable to the health and multiplication of the Church and are responsible to influence others to grow in character, knowledge, and skills according to their spiritual gifts.”
And we still believe that a life of obedience to God should result in good works!
“We believe that all Christians are responsible to represent Jesus in the world through the proclamation of the Good News and the practice of good works, two fundamental components of our mission that must be held in tandem.”
As we find ourselves busy with various ministry and activities in this current season, and while there is certainly great diversity in how our Charis Fellowship churches and ministries look and operate, may we never lose sight of why we do what we do.
Check out our Charis Commitment to Common Mission and our Commitment to Common Identity.
Written by Tim Hodge. Tim has served as the Charis Fellowship Coordinator since October 2020. Born and raised “down under” in South Australia, he trained and worked as a tradesman for General Motors for six years before pursuing ministry training in the United States. Tim is a graduate of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary. He previously served 19 years as a Charis Fellowship pastor at Bethlehem, Pa., and at Grace Family Church in New Holland, Pa. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Charis Alliance. Tim and his wife, Heidi, have been married for 23 years, and they have four children.
[1] Alexander Mack, Rights and Ordinances of the House of God, as published in: Henry Kurtz, The Brethren’s Encyclopedia, 1867
[2] Charis Commitment to Common Mission – part A, 2023.
