An Identity with the Call

For over four years every Sunday morning worship service at Norwalk Alliance Church has begun with an introduction by the pastor, followed by an identity statement with the entire conversation responding.

"Good morning, I'm Pastor Bruce Rzengota, Lead pastor at Norwalk Alliance Church, and this is my wife, Cheryl. And we're the Norwalk Alliance Church and we're. . .

"Living the Call Together," responds the congregation.

Every Sunday. Without fail. Why? How we identify ourselves helps define our lives.

How the Apostle Paul identified himself defined his life. Look at 2 Timothy 1:1 in these translations[1]

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. NLT

I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God's plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. MSG

I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. He sent me to tell about the promise of life that is found in Christ Jesus. NIRV

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. God sent me to tell about the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. NCV

No matter how you read it, what Paul claimed to be (identity) defined his mission.

I'm half Polish. That's enough Polish blood to claim that I am Polish, but other than having had to endure numerous Polack jokes as a kid growing up, there are not many ways that my Polish heritage defines my life. I guess you could say I've eaten haluski, guampki, perogi, keilbasi, but I am not defined by that claim I am Polish.

Does the title you claim (identity) define your life mission? How does claiming to be a Christian, a follower of the Forgiver, a pastor, an elder, a church leader, how do they define fine you? Does what you do flow from who you claim to be?

--The Man In the Window --
-- A Follower of the Forgiver --
-- A man seeking to lead others to him --

[1] NLT - New Living Translation, MSG - The Message, NIRV - New International Readers Version, NCV - New Century Version