By Dianne Horton

My church, New Bethel Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, recently marked a momentous occasion: 125 years of worshiping, witnessing and working for the kingdom. As we celebrated that milestone I had an opportunity to reflect on our rich history and rejoice in the blessings of our present reality.

We are a church with significant historical accomplishments that have provided us a strong foundation that continues to serve us well. Even the building we worship in is designated as a historical landmark. We find ourselves extremely blessed to have a wealth of precious resources required to carry on our treasured traditions in the form of dedicated members, capable leadership, a gracious First Lady and an anointed Pastor. So at first glance, it seems to make sense that this church might want to carve some time out and simply rest… rest on our laurels for a while.

Rest on our laurels? Or revolutionize?

I imagine the phrase, “rest on one’s laurels” is familiar to us but maybe not its origin. It is rooted in the tradition of the ancient Greeks who, when they achieved greatness, were crowned with a wreath of laurel leaves. The crown was worn with dignity and honor for it symbolized victory and status. The person crowned was called a laureate, giving us our modern day terminology of baccalaureate, poet laureate and Nobel laureate. But the problem with the prominence of being a laureate and taking rest is that it indicates that there is nothing left to achieve.

I am not persuaded that New Bethel, or any church, has earned the right to rest on its laurels, for there is so much more to achieve. The future is full of promise and we stand on the threshold of our destiny. If we want to walk boldly ahead and make the church a beacon so that as the sun lights the day and the moon lights the night we will provide light into the lives of the broken and the vulnerable, then we cannot rest but rather recommit ourselves to the work God has called us to do as believers.

So let us realize and recognize the time has come to revolutionize.

Revolutionize may sound radical and extreme to some but I offer no apologies. We should be no less than radicals in our hospitality and extremists in our love. The same goes for a modification in our thinking. Let our thoughts of scarcity and greed shift to ones of abundance and generosity. We should step out of the shadow of fear so we will not become the church described by Dr. King, one that exercises more caution than courage and remains silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained glass windows. Dr. King issued a solemn warning when he shared that our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Not to act is to act

We are confronted everyday with things that matter. We live in a world beset with hatred, war, famine, poverty and despair. I concur with the words of theologian Dietrich Bonhoffer, who said, “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

As we turn our face towards the future let us not be lulled into the deep sleep of a coma of complacency but let us resolve to lift our voices for justice and be fervent in our actions to secure it for all of God’s children. Let our spirits become restless and rebellious when faced with evil. Let us find the strength to love and the courage to change. Yes! We have many achievements and accomplishments ahead of us.

I realize I may be an eternal optimist who has far flung hopes and improbable dreams but I am confident that we have the potential to achieve more and fulfill the purpose God has for us. The future of the church is bright. But we must remain actively engaged in service and in ministry. There is absolutely no time to rest on our laurels.

Another thing about that crown of laurel leaves. It is referred to in the New Testament as a perishable crown because after a while those leaves become dry and brittle. So much so that if you touch it, it crumbles. What once was a status symbol of excellence and prestige becomes worthless and useless.

An expression of love

So may New Bethel and other congregations resist the temptation to rest on our laurels. Cast the thoughts of exclusivity and esteem out of mind and embrace the opportunity to change the status quo of society and rock the boat of ridiculous religiosity.

As we walk into our future together let us carry the blessing of our past and the gift of our present with us with the assurance that God will bless the work of this church allowing us to be an expression of His love, an example of His mercy and a messenger of His joy. May there forever be a light emanating from this church that will bring warmth to others and glory to God.

Dianne Horton serves as Chaplain for Care Transitions at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Read another post by Horton here.