I have been listening to and reading suggestions from Steve Sjogren for the last several weeks. His thinking has confirmed what I have sensed God saying to me for the last few months. Here’s one of his latest blog posts titled “Learning to See Outside,” from his blog “Growing Edge Buzz.”
We are encouraged by the current state of things in the Church to think inside, to look at things as they are and to work within those ways of doing things. In other words, to always be an echo and never a real voice.
Yet I find that a difficult parameter to stay within. I believe God has something greater for all of us. There are many scriptures that make it clear that God desires that we hear from him and not be so many repetitious voices.
Of course, we always stay within the boundaries of what the scriptures teach, but the scriptures are not that difficult to understand. If you have attended a basically good bible-teaching church for the past 3 years say, you have gotten plenty of Bible teaching on the basics of the Christian life. In my mind, you are ready to step out and begin to make a mark on the kingdom on your own.
Granted, I can assure you, you will be marked in most cases as being “rebellious” for stepping out to hear from the Lord on your own. You will not be encouraged to do something on your own, to hear from the Lord on your own.
This business of hearing or being directed by God’s Spirit is absolutely natural and biblical. But THIS generation has a horrible case of the fear of criticism --- the fear of failure, so it will go down in the annuls of Church history in 100 or 200 years as being the generation that took very few risks.
One last thought: Everyone who has done anything that has been noteworthy faced the fear of stepping out and doing something grand, the fear of failure.
Consider Mother Teresa. She was around 40 when she stepped out to obey the call of God upon her life to go to Calcutta and begin a home that would serve the dying in that huge city where approximately 1,000 died every day on the streets of curable diseases. She contacted the local Catholic church in Calcutta with her God-given vision. Guess what they said? Probably what they’ll say to you. “We’re doing a wonderful job with that issue already. We don’t need your help. Keep on doing what you have been doing...” That is, teach French at a cushy private girl's school in Europe. Yet she had a great audience she lived to satisfy, not the local church, who sometimes misses the boat out of their fear, shortsightedness or jealousy, but the God of heaven. That attitude persisted until...she made it onto the cover of LIFE magazine. It’s amazing how the Church’s attitude tends to change when one’s ministry makes it to the cover of a worldwide magazine a couple of times."
One of my friends asks God for a word every year that will guide him. It’s an interesting idea. If I have a word for 2006, it is “outside.” Now I’m trying to figure out what that means for me on a day to day basis. But, a beginning point is to spend more time out of the office and with people.
Jerry
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Kingdom Work
A few weeks ago a pastor friend and I talked briefly about ministry. His comments troubled me greatly. He intuitively knew I was upset by our conversation. However, he mistakenly thought it was because I was upset about something with my church.
In reality, I was upset with him. His comments told me that he had no vision for the future of his church. He had no interest in Kingdom expansion. His heart is no longer burning with God’s call to spread the gospel. The people of his church seemed happy, so he was happy. However, these happy people are a group of about 10 who worship in an area where there is unlimited Kingdom potential.
In reality, his church is dead. He isn’t concerned.
While Dodge Park Church of God is not setting the world on fire, we are committed to entering the arena of Kingdom work and giving our best effort. We want to take new territory for God. We want to be soldiers in the great battle against Satan and evil. We want to honor Christ and serve him in the work of the Great Commission. We want to rescue people who are perishing. I believe our best days lie ahead of us if we embrace Jesus’ commission and compassion for our community.
As a pastor, I have known great successes and great failures. A few times the failures have led me to temporary retreat while my wounds healed. But, success and failure motivate me to continue the work God has given me.
Kingdom work is both invigorating and discouraging. Sometimes small gains leave us with doubt. Kingdom work requires great commitment to God’s assignment even when we don’t experience advances as often as we would like.
I think Dodge Park Church is committed to Kingdom work. To use a baseball metaphor in honor of the start of next week’s new season – we intend to keep swinging until there is no strength left to pick up the bat and walk to the batter’s box. In other words, we'll be at His work until He returns.
My friend, not knowing what I was thinking, has encouraged me to share my trouble with him. I haven’t done so yet. I’ve want to be able to express myself more clearly when I talk to him.
I’ve run across two quotes this week that help me. Both, I think, have something valuable to say to the church.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue gave his annual address at the winter owner’s meeting this week. Quoting an unnamed economist, he said: “Great companies and great organizations compete against themselves. They may be the best, but they are never good enough. They can always become better. History is clear. Those individuals and organizations that are remembered are builders. Sometimes the buildings are physical. Sometimes the building is intellectual. But those who are remembered are always builders.”
Tagliabue’s application is summed up in a phrase he coined: If it ain’t broke, fix it anyway because you can always make things better. That’s a good approach for the church. Continual steps of improvement can be taken to make us more effective in accomplishing our mission.
The second quote comes from the March 2006 edition of “Christianity Today” in an article titled “The Lessons of Jabez.” It is an editorial about Bruce Wilkinson’s resignation from the ministry he founded and named Dream for Africa. Bruce recently resigned apparently from burnout and disappointment.
The article quotes Teddy Roosevelt: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”
Who wants to be a cold, timid soul for Christ? We can enjoy the “dust and sweat and blood” that comes from being actively engaged in Kingdom work. We must dare greatly for God. Souls depend on it.
In reality, I was upset with him. His comments told me that he had no vision for the future of his church. He had no interest in Kingdom expansion. His heart is no longer burning with God’s call to spread the gospel. The people of his church seemed happy, so he was happy. However, these happy people are a group of about 10 who worship in an area where there is unlimited Kingdom potential.
In reality, his church is dead. He isn’t concerned.
While Dodge Park Church of God is not setting the world on fire, we are committed to entering the arena of Kingdom work and giving our best effort. We want to take new territory for God. We want to be soldiers in the great battle against Satan and evil. We want to honor Christ and serve him in the work of the Great Commission. We want to rescue people who are perishing. I believe our best days lie ahead of us if we embrace Jesus’ commission and compassion for our community.
As a pastor, I have known great successes and great failures. A few times the failures have led me to temporary retreat while my wounds healed. But, success and failure motivate me to continue the work God has given me.
Kingdom work is both invigorating and discouraging. Sometimes small gains leave us with doubt. Kingdom work requires great commitment to God’s assignment even when we don’t experience advances as often as we would like.
I think Dodge Park Church is committed to Kingdom work. To use a baseball metaphor in honor of the start of next week’s new season – we intend to keep swinging until there is no strength left to pick up the bat and walk to the batter’s box. In other words, we'll be at His work until He returns.
My friend, not knowing what I was thinking, has encouraged me to share my trouble with him. I haven’t done so yet. I’ve want to be able to express myself more clearly when I talk to him.
I’ve run across two quotes this week that help me. Both, I think, have something valuable to say to the church.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue gave his annual address at the winter owner’s meeting this week. Quoting an unnamed economist, he said: “Great companies and great organizations compete against themselves. They may be the best, but they are never good enough. They can always become better. History is clear. Those individuals and organizations that are remembered are builders. Sometimes the buildings are physical. Sometimes the building is intellectual. But those who are remembered are always builders.”
Tagliabue’s application is summed up in a phrase he coined: If it ain’t broke, fix it anyway because you can always make things better. That’s a good approach for the church. Continual steps of improvement can be taken to make us more effective in accomplishing our mission.
The second quote comes from the March 2006 edition of “Christianity Today” in an article titled “The Lessons of Jabez.” It is an editorial about Bruce Wilkinson’s resignation from the ministry he founded and named Dream for Africa. Bruce recently resigned apparently from burnout and disappointment.
The article quotes Teddy Roosevelt: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”
Who wants to be a cold, timid soul for Christ? We can enjoy the “dust and sweat and blood” that comes from being actively engaged in Kingdom work. We must dare greatly for God. Souls depend on it.
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