Thursday, October 19, 2006
Making a change...
Here's something I have been hearing from the Lord through a
variety of sources which has really challenged my perception and the
way I do ministry. My denomination has been in decline for quite
some time. Our District executive did something radical and appointed
a group of people to look into what is happening and how to turn it
around. Not radical you say, au contrere...The group he appointed
aws all under 30 and all deep and immensely spiritual. They came
back not with a plan, but with a prophetic word. Basically with the
conclusion that we have forsaked our first love and that in order
to "turn around" we needed to repent of the fact that we are so self
reliant and of the idols we have made out of "doing church."
This confirmed what I have been seeing in prayer over my own church
and my own life. My life and ministry was so much about doing and
figuring out and trying to succeed. My mind told me it was all for
God but my heart sometimes had a hard time confirming that. What God
showed me from the Word is this. John 6:44 says No one comes to
Christ who is not drawn by God. John 14:6 tells us that no one goes
to the Father except through Christ. Neither of these is a great
revelation, unless you are determined to succeed in your own
strength, in which case we can see that we have very little
involvement in this equation. It is a loop dependent on CHrist and
on God and on the Spirit and God doesn't need us to make it happen.
Hallelujah!
So where do we fit? Simple we do what we have been entrusted to do.
We ask God to bring people to Himself according to His will in
earnest prayer. We then ask God to show us where He is at work and we
report for duty. and what is that duty? to make Disciples (Matthew
28:16-20) and show people how to be reconciled to God through the
ministry of reconciliation God entrusts to us in 2 Cor. 5 through
whatever means we have been given. This takes the pressure off, all
the real burden for success falls on the shoulders of the Master and
what is required of us is faithfulness to God and his call. I feel
like I have laid down a mighty burden and taken up his light and easy
yoke and burden. Praise the Lord!
What do you need to lay down? What self reliant idols do you need to
lay down?
(0) comments
Here's something I have been hearing from the Lord through a
variety of sources which has really challenged my perception and the
way I do ministry. My denomination has been in decline for quite
some time. Our District executive did something radical and appointed
a group of people to look into what is happening and how to turn it
around. Not radical you say, au contrere...The group he appointed
aws all under 30 and all deep and immensely spiritual. They came
back not with a plan, but with a prophetic word. Basically with the
conclusion that we have forsaked our first love and that in order
to "turn around" we needed to repent of the fact that we are so self
reliant and of the idols we have made out of "doing church."
This confirmed what I have been seeing in prayer over my own church
and my own life. My life and ministry was so much about doing and
figuring out and trying to succeed. My mind told me it was all for
God but my heart sometimes had a hard time confirming that. What God
showed me from the Word is this. John 6:44 says No one comes to
Christ who is not drawn by God. John 14:6 tells us that no one goes
to the Father except through Christ. Neither of these is a great
revelation, unless you are determined to succeed in your own
strength, in which case we can see that we have very little
involvement in this equation. It is a loop dependent on CHrist and
on God and on the Spirit and God doesn't need us to make it happen.
Hallelujah!
So where do we fit? Simple we do what we have been entrusted to do.
We ask God to bring people to Himself according to His will in
earnest prayer. We then ask God to show us where He is at work and we
report for duty. and what is that duty? to make Disciples (Matthew
28:16-20) and show people how to be reconciled to God through the
ministry of reconciliation God entrusts to us in 2 Cor. 5 through
whatever means we have been given. This takes the pressure off, all
the real burden for success falls on the shoulders of the Master and
what is required of us is faithfulness to God and his call. I feel
like I have laid down a mighty burden and taken up his light and easy
yoke and burden. Praise the Lord!
What do you need to lay down? What self reliant idols do you need to
lay down?
Labels: A.M.O.K., Dave Weiss
