I am obsessed with the church…Psalm 69:9 JUMPED off the page the other morning at me…I love what I get to do, this past Sunday I stood backstage with Shane and asked him, “Can you believe we get to be a part of this?”
Yet…there are some fears that I have in regards to the church—here they are…
#1 - Our Refusal To Dream Big!
It breaks my heart when a church loses it’s desire to dream. We serve a God who is able to move mountains, yet I am afraid some have lost their awe and reverence in regards to what He can do and seem to be satisfied with taking a missions offering once a year and repainting the restrooms in the fellowship hall.
HE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE!!! (Ephesians 3:20!)
It’s a sad day in our churches when we hear that God is doing something awesome in another church…and we pack buses and vans and take off to visit another place when we ought to be on our faces saying to God, “If you can do it there then you can do it here—RAIN ON US!”
#2 - Politics
This article by Todd bothered me. It seems that the SBC has, once again, became obsessed with the political process. As I read the Scriptures I just don’t see evidence of men jockeying for position to obtain a title that, in the end, doesn’t really mean anything.
When a church becomes obsessed with politics…it’s pretty much the end of that church. I pray that the SBC wakes up and will passionately fall back in love with Jesus instead of churches and leaders that seem to give the most to the Cooperative Program.
#3 - Insecure Leaders
One of the biggest problems that NewSpring faced in our early days was MY insecure leadership!
When I heard of another church experiencing success…I always felt the need to attack it OR find something wrong with it.
When I heard a speaker that was better than me I often sought to say, “Well, yeah…but I didn’t agree with him when he said…”
When I saw another church experiencing growth I would begin to point out the things I perceived that we did better…OR I would attack a particular aspect of the pastors life.
Then I grew up! It SERIOUSLY bothers me (because I did it) when I see a church planter and/or pastor begin to blog or preach about all of the things they are NOT doing.
Don’t let who you are NOT define you…let who God has called you to be define you…and be that person and/or church no matter what!
Pastors attack other ministries MOSTLY for one reason…insecurity! Men, we need to put our big boy pants on and realize that John 3:25-30 is an example given to us that we should follow!
#4 - Us Not Realizing How Good We’ve Got It
What if Paul and Peter would have had the technology we have today? What if Paul would have had a blog? (The Bible would be MUCH thicker!) What if Peter would have had a cell phone…OR an iphone?
Yes, there are more people on the planet than we’ve ever had…but there are also more ways to reach them than ever before.
Jesus blew my mind when He said what He said in John 14:12—BUT…I believe He was telling the truth…and I believe that if the church would realize the tools that God has placed at our feet and combine that with the supernatural power that exists through His Word, Spirit and anointing…IF we got that—HOLY SMOKE…I am about to freakin’ SCREAM OUT LOUD RIGHT NOW! DANG…the church could flippin’ explode!!!!!!!!
WOW…just had a Pentecostal moment on my blog!!! :-)