Have you ever had a feeling that something is happening inside of you and you just can't put your finger on it. I'm not talking about a physical ailment rather a deep desire or brewing to see or make something happen. I have this, and I'm not sure what it is yet but I know it's there. My family and I have been through a lot of change this past year. God called me (us) to leave our church and friends of Anchor Community Church, www.anchorpeople.org and go to serve at another church across town, Union Chapel . This proved to be one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made, however it turned out to be the right one.
Shortly after taking the position at UC, I was asked to join the steering committee team for the United Brethren In Christ National Conference. http://www.ub.org/nc/about.html This was also a difficult decision due to the fact that I have never been involved in a planning team like this before, especially of this size. Since accepting the opportunity to serve in this capacity, I have been stretched and have learned a lot. I'm still in the process of planning but it is exciting to be involved in something of this magnitude and importance.
I'm so glad I'm a part of the things I'm a part of right now. The books I'm reading, the meetings I attend, the capacities in which I am serving, they are all pointing me in a direction of action. I find myself getting passionate about making a difference in the lives of those around me. I find myself thinking up ways to convey the information I have in a way that people will understand and want to listen to. I have a deep desire to see people find the truth about Christ and watch Him transform their lives, not modify, but transform!
Lately I have been reading a few books that speak to the position and predicament that the local church finds itself in today. I'm not talking about a building either, I'm speaking of the body of believers. It seems that in today's culture the church is laughed at more often than it is taken seriously, and I ask myself why. Why does it seem that the church of today isn't vibrant and growing like it should be? Why is it when I go to church, I never hear the celebration stories of so and so being saved, or so and so leading this person to Christ?
To me it seems like we are so focused on the inside of the church, we have forgotten that outside the walls of the building there exists this whole other civilization of people that are hungry for the information we know about Christ. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great when I see people from my church come forward during an alter call and get things straightened out with Christ, but why does it stop there? Why don't we go home and strike up conversations with people about what happened to us that day? Why does it always stop at the door when we go home? Where is the transformation? Behavioral modification is not the business Christ is into, but total life transformation!
As I look back at the past 8 months to a year, I see how God has been pulling me in this direction, and He never ceases to amaze me. Even when I thought life was spinning out of control, I can see now it was a perfectly devised plan from my wonderful creator.
Following God is hard, because is goes against everything the world tells us to do. However we are not of this world nor were we created to live here forever. I try to keep that in mind when I feel God tugging on my heart like He has been lately. It always takes faith and understanding that He will always do what is best for me, and that on my own I can accomplish nothing, but through Him, and through His strength, I can accomplish all things.
Praise God!
1 comment:
Exciting stuff, man!
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