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Finding Our Why and Changing the World
I’ve spent enough time around young kids to know that one question comes up again and again: Why?
Why is the sky blue?
Why do birds sing?
Why do I have to go to bed?
Why do we go to church?
At times, the endless stream of whys can be exhausting, but I think kids are onto something. They aren’t just asking to be difficult; they are trying to understand the world. And if I’m honest, I never really stopped asking why either. I've asked the following questions about the local church for decades.
Why do we gather?
Why do we serve?
Why do we exist?
And the answers? They are unique to each congregation. And yet what I know about each community I've served is that without clarity, we wander. Without vision, we become stagnant. But when we truly understand our why, everything changes.
This is especially true for churches today. In a time when the institutional church faces decline and uncertainty, the congregations that are thriving are those that have asked (and answered) this fundamental question: Why are we here?
Jesus gave the church its why in what we often call the Great Commission:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." – Matthew 28:19-20
But why do we make disciples?
Not to grow big churches.
Not to feel good about ourselves.
Not to gain power or influence.
We make disciples because the world is broken and in need of healing. Not because we have all of the answers, but because we have a way. We make disciples because Jesus calls us to care for the least of these (Matthew 25:31-46). We make disciples
because we are meant to live in the way of Jesus—showing God’s love to all, embodying justice, mercy, and peace. This is why we claim Micah 6:8 as our Core Values statement: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
The church does not exist simply to provide social services or community programs. Those things are good and necessary, but they are not the reason we exist. Rather, they are the fruit of a church that has found its why. When a church understands its why, acts of service, justice, and compassion naturally flow from that identity.
Churches that mistake programs for purpose risk losing their way. They may do good work, but without a clear why, they can become just another nonprofit, indistinguishable from secular organizations. The church’s mission is deeper. It is about transformation—of individuals, communities, and the world—through the radical love of Christ.
During my recent travels, I visited several congregations in Connecticut that are actively discovering their why in inspiring ways:
First Church UCC Old Saybrook, CT (First Church Saybrook)
First Church UCC Woodstock, CT (First Church Woodstock)
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Middletown, CT (Holy Trinity CT)
Each of these churches has a distinct why, and yet each is making a profound impact in its community.
Some have discerned that their why is about radical hospitality—welcoming the stranger, embracing the marginalized, and creating spaces of belonging. Check out how Holy Trinity is now home to an inclusive Christian Ballet Company.
Others are deeply committed to justice—engaging in food insecurity initiatives, advocating for climate justice, or supporting refugee resettlement. Check out how First Church Old Saybrook is home to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
Some have embraced a call to renewal—breathing new life into historic traditions while making space for emerging expressions of faith. Check out how First Church Woodstock is actively discerning their why in this 333+ year old congregation.
No two churches are exactly the same, but all the churches I visited and spoke with are on a journey, allowing themselves to be led into a deeper embodiment of Christ’s love. Each is embracing the precarity of our post-Covid world and listening deeply to the Spirit to rediscover their why.
When churches find their why, they become catalysts for transformation. They stop fixating on institutional survival and start focusing on their mission. They shift from doing church to being church.
And the impact is real. When a church truly lives out its why:
People’s lives are changed. They encounter grace, community, and purpose.
The neighborhood is transformed. Needs are met, relationships are built, and justice is pursued.
The church is renewed. It moves beyond nostalgia for the past and embraces the Spirit’s invitation into a new future.
As I reflect on these visits and the work we are doing in our own church, I find myself asking: What is our why?
How are we discerning it?
How are we living it?
In a time when so many churches are struggling to find relevance, our calling is not to chase trends or maintain the status quo. Our calling is to listen deeply, to seek the Spirit’s movement, and to respond with courage.
Like the churches I visited, we have chosen to be a Resurrecting Church, to be part of the revival of Kin*dom living—to embody the radical love of Christ in our time and place. To ask the sacred question: Why are we here? And then, to let our answer change the world.
I am honored to be with you as we discover our why and change the world.
Pastor Robin
Here are some other churches living out their unique why.
Quest Church (Seattle, WA)
A progressive, multiethnic church, Quest is deeply committed to social justice and community transformation. They run a coffee shop that employs at-risk youth, host a food bank, and advocate for immigrant rights.
Website: seattlequest.org
Bethany United Church of Christ (Seattle, WA)
Bethany UCC is known for its LGBTQ+ inclusivity and community outreach. They host a weekly free meal program, support affordable housing initiatives, and partner with local nonprofits.
Website: bethanyseattle.org
Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church (Seattle, WA)
This ELCA congregation focuses on environmental sustainability, racial justice, and community care. They host a farmers’ market, run a winter shelter, and support refugee resettlement.
Website: prlc.org
Tacoma First United Methodist Church (Tacoma, WA)
A progressive United Methodist congregation, Tacoma First UMC is deeply involved in social justice and community renewal. They run a homeless shelter, a community meal program, and a free medical clinic.
Website: tacomafirst.org
Urban Grace (Tacoma, WA)
A progressive, inclusive church, Urban Grace focuses on arts, justice, and community engagement. They host art exhibits, run a community meal program, and advocate for affordable housing.
Website: urbangracetacoma.org
First Congregational United Church of Christ (Santa Fe, NM)
A progressive congregation dedicated to inclusivity, social justice, and the arts. The church actively engages in various arts and advocacy initiatives that uplift diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, LGBTQ+ individuals, and neurodiverse creators.
Website: https://www.firstuccabq.org/
First Congregational United Church of Christ (Billings, MT)
A courageous congregation and community with a vision for a just world for all and a mission to reconcile our past, serving others in our community and around the world through positive social action, justice, and love of neighbor, children and creation.
Website: https://billingsfirstchurch.org/
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