Cruise Ministry

by Eddie Pipkin

I went with the guys to see the latest Mission Impossible movie. It’s an eight-film series, and Tom Cruise has been making them (and I’ve been going to the theater to see them) since 1996. That’s a long time! Superspy action-adventure flicks may or not be your thing, but you have to give credit where credit is due, and the indefatigable Mr. Cruise has a thing or two to tell us about life and ministry, a mission transferable from the big screen to real life. That is, if you choose to accept.

That last line of the introductory paragraph was, of course, an allusion to the memorable message from the Impossible Missions Force headquarters that began every episode of the old 60s TV series and was featured towards the beginning of the modern movie iterations: an audio tape with instructions that would “self-destruct in five seconds.” That’s not the message that stuck out to me when I saw the newest movie last week though. The message that stayed in my brain way longer than five seconds was the special video recorded by Tom Cruise that preceded the film screening.

In this brief message, delivered directly to the audience, Mr. Cruise thanked us for coming to see his work – the work of the hundreds of artists and technicians that was about to grace the screen – in an actual big screen movie theater. He expressed his appreciation for our embrace of the cinematic experience as intended by its creators, and he credited us for keeping the magic alive.

That struck my ministry nerve on two levels.

First, I appreciated the idea that he thanked people for attending in person. He did not take their presence for granted, but he honored it as essential to the sense of community that underpins the value of his work. When is the last time that you heard a pastor do that? I felt good about being there and supporting his “mission,” even though I had paid $15 for the giant screen, deluxe audio experience. Pastors aren’t thanking customers for consuming their “product” for very good reason, but it sure makes sense, and it is clearly mission-oriented, to remind people that they are valuable partners with us in ministry. If we treat our congregational partners like interchangeable cogs in our ministry machine, or if we make them feel like they owe us their commitment to our vision, it’s a big turnoff. Even if they keep coming out of guilt, they won’t be enthusiastic in their participation.

It’s nice to acknowledge people for making our ministry vision a priority. They have lots of competing choices for their time and resources, and, yes, it is the morally correct decision to serve God and live a holy life, but it’s a positive thing to reinforce the choice of those who have opted for a life of discipleship by noting their dedication. And let’s not forget that just because people have settled on discipleship as their life course, it doesn’t mean they have to embark on that journey WITH US. There are dozens of different churches to choose from right down the road. It’s a good thing to celebrate their continuing choice to do life with us rather than somewhere else.

Secondly, Mr. Cruise’s shout-out to live attendance reminded me of the ways in which ministry is inherently a communal undertaking, whether that’s one-to-one relationship building and nurturing or whether it’s the assembly of faith community members, inspiring and encouraging one another in a shared physical space. Yes, digital expressions of faith will continue to be a legitimate expression of the modern church – they give people options to stay plugged in and engage creatively, and they provide a lifeline for those with the inability to join us in person. But our in-person gatherings are going to continue to be the lifeblood of the church for the vast majority of people of faith, so, it’s appropriate to reinforce the sacred value of getting together physically in the same space, be it for Spirit-infused large worship gatherings or intimately connected small group meetups. It is those face-to-face interactions that will energize and propel our ministries in lasting ways.

And speaking of lasting ways and the passage of time, I will add how blown away I was to meditate on the duration of the Mission Impossible film series and that Mr. Cruise and I had been sharing it together for more than 30 years! It’s poignant for me because he and I are the same age (62), although I have not been hanging off any dogfighting biplanes lately. I am pretty active and pretty fit, and I certainly feel like there are many adventures ahead. Mr. Cruise, who famously still does many of his own unbelievable stunts, provides a great reminder that “old people” still have life to live and much to contribute. That’s a good lesson for local churches.

There is often a hierarchy of opportunities for ministry age groups (young people do these things and old people do these other, different things) and many guiding assumptions about what group will be doing what kinds of activities and providing what kinds of leadership.

I’m a big fan for blowing up those assumptions.

Yes, seniors or elders or golden oldies or retirees or whatever you want euphemistically call them will gravitate to specific sorts of events and enterprises. That’s true. But exactly how much of that is because of tradition, expectations, and assumptions and how much of that is based on genuine life-stage needs? We should be careful not to limit the options of this age group. In fact, we should be actively encouraging the more seasoned crowd to embrace fresh challenges, to push themselves to new frontiers of expression and achievement.

It’s not a time for coasting, and it’s not a time for nostalgia. It’s a time when hard-fought wisdom and experience can be critical in helping solve big problems and helping new generations navigate their own faith journeys.

There’s more than one way to hang off a biplane at 10,000 feet above ground! There are lots of ways to courageously undertake new, exciting missions. The local church should be its own Impossible Missions Force, launching people into exciting explorations of fresh territory, building teams that will have to figure out how to work together to address complex and meaningful challenges.

What do you think of the lessons I have taken from Mr. Cruise and his big-screen forays? Can you think of ways you might acknowledge the valued in-person presence of those you serve? Do you have a strategic plan for helping the 60-and-beyond crowd embrace new challenges fearlessly? Do you have another actor or actress who has provided you with some great life and ministry examples? Take on the mission of sharing your own observations in the comments section. (If you choose to accept!)