Are Congregations Cruise Ships Or Mercy Ships?

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has provided free healthcare at ports in over 70 needy countries around the world.

Churches have often been compared to the Biblical ark, God-blessed vessels providing safe passage and a secure refuge in an age plagued with doom and gloom. Using the ark analogy, should we see ourselves primarily as those being rescued or as those committed to a mission of reaching out to and rescuing others?

Many churches are focused primarily on the former, becoming like cruise ships with passengers lured on board by a professional team of pastors, youth leaders and praise and worship bands catering to their every need. The success of such congregations tends to be measured by how many people sign on for all of the comforts and amenities promised.

But what if we thought of the church as a community dedicated to an all-hands-on-deck mission of offering help, mercy and good news for the spiritually ill and physically needy? 

To me, Mercy Ships are a fitting metaphor for such mission-driven communities of God followers. Like the crews of those vessels of mercy, committed congregational members see themselves as a part of an enlisted and trained team devoted to Jesus's mission to "bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to captives, the recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free."

According to the Mercy Ship website, "Our hospital ships are filled with state-of-the-art medical equipment and a volunteer crew of doctors, nurses, medical staff, technicians, teachers, physical therapists and other caring people driven by mercy to help make the world a better, healthier place for all."

By comparison, the Carnival Cruise Lines states the following as its basic aims:
Ensure safe, responsible and secure operations
Warmly welcome our guests and team members to our home, making them feel a part of the Carnival family
Embrace our diversity and be inclusive
Engage by being friendly, smiling and using names
Show trust, care and respect for each other, our ships and the environment
Anticipate needs, respond rapidly & own issues until they are resolved
Live & share a positive attitude
Show pride in our jobs and our company
Include fun in everything we do!

So here we have two very different kinds of rescue ships, one set up to equip its crew of believers to make the world a more shalom-like place and the other to primarily help those on board feel good and to enjoy a good life on their way to paradise.

A state of the art cruise ship featured in Architectural Design magazine.