Dr. Zhao Xiao, a leading Chinese economist, was sent to the United States on a mission. The Chinese government asked him to investigate why the American economy was so successful. After several months of study, Dr. Xiao came to a startling conclusion. In an essay entitled "Market Economies with Churches, and Market Economies without Churches," Dr. Xiao stated that the Christian faith and the existence of Christian churches were key to America’s commercial success.
Dr. Zhao Xiao brought this message back to China—along with a newfound Christian faith. His findings persuaded the Communist government to acknowledge the need for the church—even including a new statement about the church in the Communist platform.
How in the world did this happen? Who could have planned such a turn of events?
Not any of us. It’s a perfect example of how the Mission of God (Missio Dei) works. God is in mission. He is sending Himself to redeem the world. Sometimes we identify what He’s doing and join in His work. Other times His work finds us. In fact, I think this is what happens most often.
Look at the Biblical accounts of God’s movements. God called and sent Abraham. God called Moses out of hiding. God sent Jonah to complete a plan Jonah had no desire to be involved with. God sent Jesus to a world of darkness that didn’t accept Him, to disciples who flunked out of Rabbi training who didn’t understand Him, to people who would have never put their lives on the line for the kind of Kingdom God designed.
Look at God’s movements in your life. I can’t tell you how many times my ministry bright ideas weren’t my ideas at all. Usually God sent someone to pester me into implementing some kind of outreach initiative. I ended up being called a wise pastoral leader when I really stumbled into, or was dragged into, the ministry idea in the first place.
That’s the beauty of God’s Kingdom. And that’s a liberating principle of God’s action for everyone who wants to serve Him. The wise theologian Michael Jordan once said, “You’ve got to let the game come to you.” If you say, “Here I am! Send me!” or even if you don’t, God will show you where He is leading you to serve.
For Dr. Zhao Xiao, it was bringing an economic study with surprising conclusions back to his atheistic Communist country—along with a life transformed by the Gospel.
For you, it may be serving your family. Or reaching out to the neighborhood. Or being Christ’s light at work. Or serving the poor. Or helping the lonely and aged in a local nursing home. Or being a witness at school. Or brining Jesus to your hospital room.
If you watch and pray, your ministry will find you!
Dr. Xiao will be speaking live at the Global Leadership Summit. Click here to register for attendance at a Texas venue.
You can watch a two and a half minute clip from a Frontline story about Dr. Xiao and read his groundbreaking essay by clicking here.
(Church Planting Series, Part thirty-two)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cyrus, Miley
Church Planting Series, Part thirty-one
Isn’t it strange that out of all the people who could rebuild Jerusalem and restore God’s people, God picked Cyrus, king of the Persian Empire?
God decided that he would use a pagan ruler to show the world who the true God really was.
In Ezra 1:2-3 we hear Cyrus decree: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Cyrus was acquainted with Yahweh. Cyrus heard Yahweh speak. Cyrus obeyed. Cyrus validated the reality of Yahweh.
God used an icon of the culture, a man outside the Israelite in-group, someone who probably didn’t understand all the details about Yahweh, to initiate an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life in Jerusalem. Go figure.
I heard church commentator Reggie McNeal say recently, “There is a God conversation going on in the culture, but we’re too busy talking about church.”
While we “Israelites” live in the captivity of our worship schedules, programs, and hopes that people will come to our churches, God is doing something bigger.
Consider another Cyrus for 2010: Miley Cyrus. You know, Hannah Montana and lots of pre-teen girls screaming at her concerts. You may have read her article in the recent “Parade” national magazine. She said, “My faith is very important to me. But I don’t necessarily define my faith by going to church every Sunday…I am very spiritual in my own way. Let me make it clear, though—I am a Christian. Jesus is who saved me. He’s what keeps me full and whole.”
Teen Queen Cyrus, as the article describes her, is just one of many interesting indicators of the “God conversation” going on in our culture. While Miley is overtly Christian, other voices of the culture utter God talk in less defined and more imprecise expressions. But like King Cyrus, popular and even pagan voices are out there with God on their lips—even the true God at times. In some very interesting ways, they are initiating an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life. The true God doesn’t just live in church buildings, so why shouldn’t we expect His Spirit’s work in the nooks and crannies, on the stages and in the studios, on the streets and in the neighborhoods of our world?
What is our response? Should Ezra have rebuked Cyrus as a Pagan no-goodnick who had no right to pretend he had any shred of the truth? Should we condemn all the “outsiders” who stumble around with clumsy God-talk?
Or should we praise God and get into the conversation? Ezra 1:1 says that “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.” Yahweh was working in the culture. Two hundred years before Cyrus or Persia were even known, Yahweh formed His plan for the restoration of Israel. In Isaiah 45:13 Yahweh declared: “I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness.”
God uses Cyruses. They’re all over the place. They’re saturating the culture. God is leading the discussion. It’s time for us to get on board. As we worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the goal is not to pack our churches. The goal is to send as many people as possible into the world to enter into the conversation that God has started. We are to join the God-conversation, helping to bring the Way and the Truth and the Life to a world that is hungry for food that lasts and thirsty for water that quenches.
Watch for the latest Cyrus. Let the conversation encourage you and inspire you to get out there and to send people out there! If we claim Jesus is alive, let’s not be surprised that He’s doing a lot of talking.
Isn’t it strange that out of all the people who could rebuild Jerusalem and restore God’s people, God picked Cyrus, king of the Persian Empire?
God decided that he would use a pagan ruler to show the world who the true God really was.
In Ezra 1:2-3 we hear Cyrus decree: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Cyrus was acquainted with Yahweh. Cyrus heard Yahweh speak. Cyrus obeyed. Cyrus validated the reality of Yahweh.
God used an icon of the culture, a man outside the Israelite in-group, someone who probably didn’t understand all the details about Yahweh, to initiate an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life in Jerusalem. Go figure.
I heard church commentator Reggie McNeal say recently, “There is a God conversation going on in the culture, but we’re too busy talking about church.”
While we “Israelites” live in the captivity of our worship schedules, programs, and hopes that people will come to our churches, God is doing something bigger.
Consider another Cyrus for 2010: Miley Cyrus. You know, Hannah Montana and lots of pre-teen girls screaming at her concerts. You may have read her article in the recent “Parade” national magazine. She said, “My faith is very important to me. But I don’t necessarily define my faith by going to church every Sunday…I am very spiritual in my own way. Let me make it clear, though—I am a Christian. Jesus is who saved me. He’s what keeps me full and whole.”
Teen Queen Cyrus, as the article describes her, is just one of many interesting indicators of the “God conversation” going on in our culture. While Miley is overtly Christian, other voices of the culture utter God talk in less defined and more imprecise expressions. But like King Cyrus, popular and even pagan voices are out there with God on their lips—even the true God at times. In some very interesting ways, they are initiating an exciting and sacred renewal of faith and life. The true God doesn’t just live in church buildings, so why shouldn’t we expect His Spirit’s work in the nooks and crannies, on the stages and in the studios, on the streets and in the neighborhoods of our world?
What is our response? Should Ezra have rebuked Cyrus as a Pagan no-goodnick who had no right to pretend he had any shred of the truth? Should we condemn all the “outsiders” who stumble around with clumsy God-talk?
Or should we praise God and get into the conversation? Ezra 1:1 says that “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.” Yahweh was working in the culture. Two hundred years before Cyrus or Persia were even known, Yahweh formed His plan for the restoration of Israel. In Isaiah 45:13 Yahweh declared: “I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness.”
God uses Cyruses. They’re all over the place. They’re saturating the culture. God is leading the discussion. It’s time for us to get on board. As we worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the goal is not to pack our churches. The goal is to send as many people as possible into the world to enter into the conversation that God has started. We are to join the God-conversation, helping to bring the Way and the Truth and the Life to a world that is hungry for food that lasts and thirsty for water that quenches.
Watch for the latest Cyrus. Let the conversation encourage you and inspire you to get out there and to send people out there! If we claim Jesus is alive, let’s not be surprised that He’s doing a lot of talking.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Oscar and Making Heroes
Church Planting Series, Part thirty
It’s Oscar time of year! Yes, you may be a connoisseur of the red carpet, a viewer of the very famous, a watcher of designer outerwear, a groupie of the acting-gifted. Or maybe not.
I’ll be honest, whenever I see Hollywood awards shows, I feel like they’re very self-indulgent. An award extravaganza amounts to actors throwing a big party and patting each other on the back publicly in order to self promote, create more revenue, and position themselves for bigger and better contracts.
But in the midst of the glamorous gowns, the insipid speeches, and the drawn-out demagoguery, could there be a bright spot? Is there a lesson to learn?
Recently, I heard Reggie McNeal speak about apostolic leaders. Addressing what was created to be a living organism, the Church, McNeal commented that the Church needs to celebrate the right things. The living, breathing, changing, on-the-move Church needs to rejoice in the risks it takes. It needs to share success stories of outstretched arms of salvation being brought to the hurting and lost.
McNeal said that apostolic leaders and a truly apostolic Church “make heroes of the right people.”
Could it be that the Oscars are closer to apostolic leadership than the Church?
Think about what the Church does with its risk-takers, change-agents, and new idea people. Too often, it buries them beneath criticism. It shuns them. Even when these on-the-edge entrepreneurs are solidly proclaiming Biblical truth, the Church has responded with complacency or cruelty.
A local pastor may suppress the gifts of a layperson. A denomination may hiss over the newest local church that is growing. Why? It may be that no one wants to risk compromising the glory of God. But I think there’s another reason. I believe that the Church, in part, is imprisoned in unhealthy fear and ungodly egocentricity. Instead of lifting up others for the sake of the Kingdom, the church has fallen into the trap of pushing others down for the sake of itself. It is madness. It is contrary to our calling.
So, as we create enemies, Hollywood makes heroes. As we decline, Hollywood identifies and lifts up its best to increase its market share.
What if we decided to follow Hollywood’s lead? Not in Hollywood style, of course, but in God’s style. What if we made heroes of good and faithful servants? What if we celebrated and learned from missional risk takers? What if we listened to people who had new ideas—-and tried them out! What if we lifted up exceptional Kingdom advancers to increase Jesus’ market share?
How will you lose yourself and make a hero of one of Jesus’ servants this week?
It’s Oscar time of year! Yes, you may be a connoisseur of the red carpet, a viewer of the very famous, a watcher of designer outerwear, a groupie of the acting-gifted. Or maybe not.
I’ll be honest, whenever I see Hollywood awards shows, I feel like they’re very self-indulgent. An award extravaganza amounts to actors throwing a big party and patting each other on the back publicly in order to self promote, create more revenue, and position themselves for bigger and better contracts.
But in the midst of the glamorous gowns, the insipid speeches, and the drawn-out demagoguery, could there be a bright spot? Is there a lesson to learn?
Recently, I heard Reggie McNeal speak about apostolic leaders. Addressing what was created to be a living organism, the Church, McNeal commented that the Church needs to celebrate the right things. The living, breathing, changing, on-the-move Church needs to rejoice in the risks it takes. It needs to share success stories of outstretched arms of salvation being brought to the hurting and lost.
McNeal said that apostolic leaders and a truly apostolic Church “make heroes of the right people.”
Could it be that the Oscars are closer to apostolic leadership than the Church?
Think about what the Church does with its risk-takers, change-agents, and new idea people. Too often, it buries them beneath criticism. It shuns them. Even when these on-the-edge entrepreneurs are solidly proclaiming Biblical truth, the Church has responded with complacency or cruelty.
A local pastor may suppress the gifts of a layperson. A denomination may hiss over the newest local church that is growing. Why? It may be that no one wants to risk compromising the glory of God. But I think there’s another reason. I believe that the Church, in part, is imprisoned in unhealthy fear and ungodly egocentricity. Instead of lifting up others for the sake of the Kingdom, the church has fallen into the trap of pushing others down for the sake of itself. It is madness. It is contrary to our calling.
So, as we create enemies, Hollywood makes heroes. As we decline, Hollywood identifies and lifts up its best to increase its market share.
What if we decided to follow Hollywood’s lead? Not in Hollywood style, of course, but in God’s style. What if we made heroes of good and faithful servants? What if we celebrated and learned from missional risk takers? What if we listened to people who had new ideas—-and tried them out! What if we lifted up exceptional Kingdom advancers to increase Jesus’ market share?
How will you lose yourself and make a hero of one of Jesus’ servants this week?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Making Room II
Church Planting Series, Part twenty-nine
Is there room for a new generation of leaders in the church? Will we welcome younger leaders with their fresh voices and inexperience? Will we help shape, mentor, and form them in a way that allows them to have a meaningful voice in Christ’s mission?
But what about current leaders? What about experienced voices?
We are living in an in-between time. Technology is changing rapidly, but not everyone has e-mail. Social networking is sweeping the world, but you can’t reach everyone through Facebook. The outcry is, “Let’s do away with paper and go all electronic!” Yet, reams of paper keep coming our way.
It’s an in-between time.
It’s an in-between time for churches. But we’re designed to be really good at this.
As the times started changing in the first century, believers were led by the Holy Spirit to realize that there is room for both old and new—-as long as God was being served and glorified. God gave Peter visions to show him the way. Finally, he was able to say, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). In Acts 15 the Jerusalem Council made the declaration: “We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” The council then instructed the Gentiles in some key teachings of Moses that would help lift up the Jewish believers and create unity in the church.
The Church has always been about bringing old and new together, living lives of reconciliation, doing change well, and harnessing everything for the mission of the Gospel.
This remarkable self-sacrifice is rooted in the remarkable action of Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7a).
As redeemed people, this is what we do—-joyfully and willingly, founded on the unchanging Word, for the sake of reaching out with the Good News of eternal life.
Are you willing to make extra sacrifices and expend extra effort in order to reach out during these in-between times? What will it mean?
• Flexibility in communication methods
• Flexibility in how people are involved in church
• Flexibility in mission outreach
• Flexibility in accepting “outsiders”
• Flexibility in listening to and honoring “insiders”
• Flexibility in governance style
• Flexibility in worship methods and tools
You get the idea. As the Church, we have the opportunity during these in-between times to live out the self-sacrifice of Jesus. When everyone gives, everyone will receive. Founded on the truth of God’s Word, how do you need to be flexible to make room for effective ministry?
Is there room for a new generation of leaders in the church? Will we welcome younger leaders with their fresh voices and inexperience? Will we help shape, mentor, and form them in a way that allows them to have a meaningful voice in Christ’s mission?
But what about current leaders? What about experienced voices?
We are living in an in-between time. Technology is changing rapidly, but not everyone has e-mail. Social networking is sweeping the world, but you can’t reach everyone through Facebook. The outcry is, “Let’s do away with paper and go all electronic!” Yet, reams of paper keep coming our way.
It’s an in-between time.
It’s an in-between time for churches. But we’re designed to be really good at this.
As the times started changing in the first century, believers were led by the Holy Spirit to realize that there is room for both old and new—-as long as God was being served and glorified. God gave Peter visions to show him the way. Finally, he was able to say, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). In Acts 15 the Jerusalem Council made the declaration: “We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” The council then instructed the Gentiles in some key teachings of Moses that would help lift up the Jewish believers and create unity in the church.
The Church has always been about bringing old and new together, living lives of reconciliation, doing change well, and harnessing everything for the mission of the Gospel.
This remarkable self-sacrifice is rooted in the remarkable action of Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7a).
As redeemed people, this is what we do—-joyfully and willingly, founded on the unchanging Word, for the sake of reaching out with the Good News of eternal life.
Are you willing to make extra sacrifices and expend extra effort in order to reach out during these in-between times? What will it mean?
• Flexibility in communication methods
• Flexibility in how people are involved in church
• Flexibility in mission outreach
• Flexibility in accepting “outsiders”
• Flexibility in listening to and honoring “insiders”
• Flexibility in governance style
• Flexibility in worship methods and tools
You get the idea. As the Church, we have the opportunity during these in-between times to live out the self-sacrifice of Jesus. When everyone gives, everyone will receive. Founded on the truth of God’s Word, how do you need to be flexible to make room for effective ministry?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Making Room
Church Planting Series, Part twenty-eight
Where will new Kingdom leaders come from? Are we developing them? Are we making room for their ideas and mistakes? Do they have a significant place around the leadership table? Two observations make this question even more urgent.
Observation #1: I was on a run in Florida recently and saw a group of 70-year-olds whiz by me on road bikes. Each was dressed like Lance Armstrong. These guys were flying.
I turned a corner and saw a man in his eighties dressed in his technical running gear, adjusting his playlist selection on his iPod.
These guys are not like my grandparents were. They’re still center stage, grabbing the gusto, and living life to the full.
The result? A good number from the late Builder generation and early Boomer generation still hold strong places of leadership in the church. They will be actively leading for a long time. The key questions are:
Will they make room for the leadership voices of new generations?
Will they intentionally identify and mentor new leaders?
Observation #2: My older brother is like many in our generation. He and his wife waited to have children. He is now 50-years-old and has a 5-year-old child.
A significant number of people in the U.S. are getting married older, waiting to have children, and having fewer children.
The result? The age gap between parents and children is growing. Instead of 30 or 40-year-olds succeeding their parents’ generation in leadership roles, many 20-year-olds will be in that position. The key questions are:
Will these 20-year-olds have access to a faith-maturing, leadership development process from their parents’ generation?
Will these young leaders be given a chance to reach their generation for Christ in new ways that fit who they are?
If we don’t make room for a new generation of leaders, share leadership and Kingdom lessons with them, and allow them to have a meaningful voice, they may find themselves alienated from the church and ill-equipped to bring Jesus to a broken world.
Are you actively making room?
Next Time: Making Room for the older and younger, together in the church.
Where will new Kingdom leaders come from? Are we developing them? Are we making room for their ideas and mistakes? Do they have a significant place around the leadership table? Two observations make this question even more urgent.
Observation #1: I was on a run in Florida recently and saw a group of 70-year-olds whiz by me on road bikes. Each was dressed like Lance Armstrong. These guys were flying.
I turned a corner and saw a man in his eighties dressed in his technical running gear, adjusting his playlist selection on his iPod.
These guys are not like my grandparents were. They’re still center stage, grabbing the gusto, and living life to the full.
The result? A good number from the late Builder generation and early Boomer generation still hold strong places of leadership in the church. They will be actively leading for a long time. The key questions are:
Will they make room for the leadership voices of new generations?
Will they intentionally identify and mentor new leaders?
Observation #2: My older brother is like many in our generation. He and his wife waited to have children. He is now 50-years-old and has a 5-year-old child.
A significant number of people in the U.S. are getting married older, waiting to have children, and having fewer children.
The result? The age gap between parents and children is growing. Instead of 30 or 40-year-olds succeeding their parents’ generation in leadership roles, many 20-year-olds will be in that position. The key questions are:
Will these 20-year-olds have access to a faith-maturing, leadership development process from their parents’ generation?
Will these young leaders be given a chance to reach their generation for Christ in new ways that fit who they are?
If we don’t make room for a new generation of leaders, share leadership and Kingdom lessons with them, and allow them to have a meaningful voice, they may find themselves alienated from the church and ill-equipped to bring Jesus to a broken world.
Are you actively making room?
Next Time: Making Room for the older and younger, together in the church.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Fame or Service?
Church Planting Series, Part twenty-seven
My nephew is really good at basketball. He’s in fifth grade and scores most of the points for his team. He’s a good sportsman, has lots of fun, and absolutely loves the game.
I suspect you know, however, what every parent, coach, and observer says to his parents:
“He’s really good. You should sign him up for an AAU team.”
“He’s got talent. He may be able to get a scholarship to a major university.”
“With his skill, he may make you rich one day by playing in the NBA.”
I understand that it’s good to think about goals, plans, and using your gifts. I understand that you need to look ahead. But I also see a great danger in always dwelling on the next step. If my nephew gets too far ahead of himself, he’ll become miserable. He’ll end up hating basketball.
The same issue exists among servants of the church. When using gifts, talents, imagination, and initiative to serve the local church, the devil whispers:
“Hey, you’re really good. This might make you famous.”
“You know, you shouldn’t waste your talent here. You should hit the conference circuit.”
“With abilities like yours, you should stop messing around in your insignificant ministry. You should cash in on your talent.”
The temptation to fame attempts to replace the dedication to service. And if the desire for notoriety takes control, the servant of the church will become miserable, empty, and ineffective. Glorifying God will be replaced by trying to make an impression. Serving people will be replaced by lusting after personal prominence. Transforming lives will be replaced by gaining approval.
It’s a dangerous trap.
The answer? A renewal of faith. Jesus didn’t count equality with God something to hang onto. He made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2). And what happened? His humble, short-term ministry in a little corner of nowhere saved us.
Do you believe that your humble ministry in a little corner of nowhere will bring salvation to people in need? Do you believe that God has you there on purpose for His purpose? Do you believe that your gifts will not be wasted there, that the purpose of your energy and talent is for serving God’s precious people, not for getting your name on a marquee somewhere?
Do you believe in THIS step—-not just the NEXT step?
It’s wonderful when God lifts up servants to reach many people. It’s a blessing when we can reap the benefits of people’s great talents on a large scale. Renown can bring the result of widespread ministry impact. But let’s not miss the here. Let’s not miss the now. Let’s not allow a lust for fame to dilute the high calling of serving God's people in a local ministry that the world may never see…until that day!
My nephew is really good at basketball. He’s in fifth grade and scores most of the points for his team. He’s a good sportsman, has lots of fun, and absolutely loves the game.
I suspect you know, however, what every parent, coach, and observer says to his parents:
“He’s really good. You should sign him up for an AAU team.”
“He’s got talent. He may be able to get a scholarship to a major university.”
“With his skill, he may make you rich one day by playing in the NBA.”
I understand that it’s good to think about goals, plans, and using your gifts. I understand that you need to look ahead. But I also see a great danger in always dwelling on the next step. If my nephew gets too far ahead of himself, he’ll become miserable. He’ll end up hating basketball.
The same issue exists among servants of the church. When using gifts, talents, imagination, and initiative to serve the local church, the devil whispers:
“Hey, you’re really good. This might make you famous.”
“You know, you shouldn’t waste your talent here. You should hit the conference circuit.”
“With abilities like yours, you should stop messing around in your insignificant ministry. You should cash in on your talent.”
The temptation to fame attempts to replace the dedication to service. And if the desire for notoriety takes control, the servant of the church will become miserable, empty, and ineffective. Glorifying God will be replaced by trying to make an impression. Serving people will be replaced by lusting after personal prominence. Transforming lives will be replaced by gaining approval.
It’s a dangerous trap.
The answer? A renewal of faith. Jesus didn’t count equality with God something to hang onto. He made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2). And what happened? His humble, short-term ministry in a little corner of nowhere saved us.
Do you believe that your humble ministry in a little corner of nowhere will bring salvation to people in need? Do you believe that God has you there on purpose for His purpose? Do you believe that your gifts will not be wasted there, that the purpose of your energy and talent is for serving God’s precious people, not for getting your name on a marquee somewhere?
Do you believe in THIS step—-not just the NEXT step?
It’s wonderful when God lifts up servants to reach many people. It’s a blessing when we can reap the benefits of people’s great talents on a large scale. Renown can bring the result of widespread ministry impact. But let’s not miss the here. Let’s not miss the now. Let’s not allow a lust for fame to dilute the high calling of serving God's people in a local ministry that the world may never see…until that day!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
When the Earth Shakes
Church Planting Series, Part twenty-six
The earth shook. 7.0 on the Richter scale. Haiti is in crisis. What is the response? Walls of self-centeredness have crumbled. People are scrambling to help. People want to help. People are hungry to make a difference.
When the earth shakes, people take notice. People look away from themselves and reach out to help those in need. It’s refreshing, isn’t it? Suddenly we are moved from a culture of consumption to a culture clamoring to care.
Even churches are awakened to the greater need, to think about the reason for their existence, to awake from slumber and move forward with ears that hear, eyes that see, and hearts that are softened by the call of the Holy Spirit.
When the earth shakes, people take notice.
It happened before. As Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross, Matthew 27 tells us, “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’” (vss. 51-54)
The walls of unbelief crumbled. The curtain of separation was removed. The centurion confessed the truth of what he saw. And the world changed forever.
What shakes your world? What shakes your church’s world? What reawakens you to the mission, the core, the purpose of your life in Christ?
People are hungry to make a difference. This is a deep need for unbelievers. It is also a Holy Spirit fueled desire in believers. It is the intersection of all humanity as people yearn for significance. As a church, you can give people real purpose. You can lead people to making an eternal difference in the lives of others. It’s Biblical. It’s God’s deep desire. It’s the reason we are here.
Haiti may help remind you of that. It may help you re-prioritize what’s happening in your church. It may be a reality check. The earth has shaken. Will you and your church take notice?
The earth shook. 7.0 on the Richter scale. Haiti is in crisis. What is the response? Walls of self-centeredness have crumbled. People are scrambling to help. People want to help. People are hungry to make a difference.
When the earth shakes, people take notice. People look away from themselves and reach out to help those in need. It’s refreshing, isn’t it? Suddenly we are moved from a culture of consumption to a culture clamoring to care.
Even churches are awakened to the greater need, to think about the reason for their existence, to awake from slumber and move forward with ears that hear, eyes that see, and hearts that are softened by the call of the Holy Spirit.
When the earth shakes, people take notice.
It happened before. As Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross, Matthew 27 tells us, “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’” (vss. 51-54)
The walls of unbelief crumbled. The curtain of separation was removed. The centurion confessed the truth of what he saw. And the world changed forever.
What shakes your world? What shakes your church’s world? What reawakens you to the mission, the core, the purpose of your life in Christ?
People are hungry to make a difference. This is a deep need for unbelievers. It is also a Holy Spirit fueled desire in believers. It is the intersection of all humanity as people yearn for significance. As a church, you can give people real purpose. You can lead people to making an eternal difference in the lives of others. It’s Biblical. It’s God’s deep desire. It’s the reason we are here.
Haiti may help remind you of that. It may help you re-prioritize what’s happening in your church. It may be a reality check. The earth has shaken. Will you and your church take notice?
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