You see, and this is only my opinion, I believe we are a church in crisis. However, I mean this in a good way. Sometimes in crisis, God really has an opportunity to show up and do something great. My heart is breaking because many of our friends have left for some reason or another. My guess... is because of change. I won't lie. I don't really love change either. However, Desert Stream seems to be going in a direction that no other church in the city that I know of is going. It's a direction that makes the unchurched & unaccepted feel like they can belong. No, I don't mean seeker sensitive. Anyhow, this makes it very difficult for a guy like me who has grown up in the church, who is used to the old system where everything is the way it is and should always be. My way right? Man it's been hard for me to realize it's not about me. Really Hard! I have never been more aware of the passage in the bible that says that "His ways are not our ways & His thoughts are higher than our thoughts".
You see, my pastor said a long time ago that he believes that God will give him 5% of the cities population. He has mentioned this periodically from time to time since but yet I haven't seen it. I believed that if we could just pray more, shout louder, have more services, which are all great and all that I still believe in, and so on and then on some glorious moment, the church would just fill to capacity. WOW! I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THE WAY I THOUGHT.
I too believe that we will see 5% of the city taken for His kingdom. I believe it will happen with one person at a time. That means you and me just being Jesus everywhere with everyone. Loving them into His Kingdom. When society's unaccepted and unchurched see Jesus and grace the threshold of our church, church won't look the same. It won't be all prim and proper. It won't look like ordinary church as we know it and that will make people like me who are so used to the church being the same way it always has very uncomfortable. Like me and it has been tough for me, you have to let Jesus change your heart and see these people like He does. Church is not about me anymore. It never should have been. But it was and God had enough grace for me to allow me to change and begin to see what's really important to Him. Not the style or noise level of the music. Not who preaches or who doesn't. Not who sits, stands, shouts or yells. It's about Him and the lost.
There are many places in our city where you can go and find comfortable, ordinary or the same ole, same ole. But thank you Jesus that you won't find it at Desert Stream.
Also, Thank You to my pastor who understandably has to fill a diplomatic role at times but also does not bow down to the ordinary, comfortable status quoe.
Church is starting to stink and it smells GREAT!!!
4 comments:
Absolutely inspiring, Mike!
Amen Brother
Well said. 5% of the city!
What say we go for 50%
Thinking Big
Starting small
After all every Saint has a past and every Sinner has a Future.
As I tell the kids at JH
Christians are like snowflakes,alone they are frail but together they can stop traffic.
I love you more than words can describe. May we continue together with passion and commitment...HOLY go where no man has gone before!!!
I'm very late in reading this post - but very timely!! We love and appreciate you and your family.
Thanks for being one of the brave ones to stick this journey out with us. I will admit it's taken many different turns. Some aspects have stretched me and been so painful but when I look around Sunday morning and talk with many of our young families I am blown away!!
They are hungry and they are coming... and they are growing in their faith in leaps and bounds. I say "thank-you God for calling us out of our comfort zone"!!
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