A prayer, a conviction:
So much of our psychologies and pastoral mind sets in pioneering church contexts has been deeply influenced by the felt need of church growth or apparent success in the eye of man. It may not be the elephant in the room but it can be in our hearts. Success is a god that we have too often felt the need to build towards even subconsciously. Too often we may have placated when Jesus might have said 'get ye behind me satan, you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men'! This is not a vote for rudeness but just to get back to what it's all about - the things of God! Our radical edge can get blunted if we hold back in every facet in order to 'keep people' and in the medium and long term this is unproductive anyway since placating Luke-warmness and placating rampant individualism is never a healthy or compelling church foundation! What if we send the Dagon of worldly success packing and crashing to the ground? How would it be if we were way way more concerned about honouring God and making Him famous and being so red hot that it sends both the demons of hell and the religious minded Christian away in distress....what if our church halved in size but this became the seed in the ground for broader revival due to radical obedience? Could I cope if I didn't look good but brought revival to a few? Would we obey or are we too conditioned to stroke when we should confront (and I am not voting here for a harsh rebuking church, no way, rather a God loving one)? If Christ is truly our desire and the goal church is ultimately about HIS glory firstly and everything else secondly then why would we be surprised if a brother leaves because he finds you too radical? Has God not said that in the last days the love of many would grow cold? Who then is this all for? May we titivate no longer but love one another more deeply. May we soothe way less when it's the truth that will set free. May we worry less about attendance and more about our delight in God. May God fill my sometimes hollow chest with unbridled passion for the lover of my soul and make me to walk the path He sets before me, no matter what man thinks nor how he votes.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Dining at the table of God, not the table of popularity
A prayer, a conviction:
So much of our psychologies and pastoral mind sets in pioneering church contexts has been deeply influenced by the felt need of church growth or apparent success in the eye of man. It may not be the elephant in the room but it can be in our hearts. Success is a god that we have too often felt the need to build towards even subconsciously. Too often we may have placated when Jesus might have said 'get ye behind me satan, you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men'! This is not a vote for rudeness but just to get back to what it's all about - the things of God! Our radical edge can get blunted if we hold back in every facet in order to 'keep people' and in the medium and long term this is unproductive anyway since placating Luke-warmness and placating rampant individualism is never a healthy or compelling church foundation! What if we send the Dagon of worldly success packing and crashing to the ground? How would it be if we were way way more concerned about honouring God and making Him famous and being so red hot that it sends both the demons of hell and the religious minded Christian away in distress....what if our church halved in size but this became the seed in the ground for broader revival due to radical obedience? Could I cope if I didn't look good but brought revival to a few? Would we obey or are we too conditioned to stroke when we should confront (and I am not voting here for a harsh rebuking church, no way, rather a God loving one)? If Christ is truly our desire and the goal church is ultimately about HIS glory firstly and everything else secondly then why would we be surprised if a brother leaves because he finds you too radical? Has God not said that in the last days the love of many would grow cold? Who then is this all for? May we titivate no longer but love one another more deeply. May we soothe way less when it's the truth that will set free. May we worry less about attendance and more about our delight in God. May God fill my sometimes hollow chest with unbridled passion for the lover of my soul and make me to walk the path He sets before me, no matter what man thinks nor how he votes.
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