The Book of Reacts
Here is one of my crazy thoughts. The book of Acts isn't titled Reacts. It is titled Acts. When I read the book of Acts I see how proactive the early church was. They were the trendsetters and pacesetters. They weren't in "reactive mode." They were in "proactive mode." I hate to even suggest this, but part of me wonders if a book were written about the church today if it'd have to be titled "The Book of Reacts." I think more Christians know what they're against than know what they're for. We're too reactive.
I've just finished reading all four gospels and I'm just starting to read the book of Acts. If I had to boil down the transformation of the disciples into one thought this would be it: the disciples shifted from defense to offense. Let me explain. In the gospels, the disciples were playing not to lose. I think it's epitomized by the way all of them scattered when Jesus was arrested. They immediately reacted by fleeing. In the book of Acts, they start playing offense. They are playing to win. They were "on their heels" in the gospels. They were "on the balls of their feet" in Acts.
I blogged a week ago about "chickening out" at a community meeting. As I did an autopsy on my failure to really be a bold witness I realized that I was in a defensive mind set. I was playing not to lose. I think God has called us to play offense.
Jesus commissioned Peter with these words in Matthew 16:18: "Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." The only way the gates of Hell can prevail is if we never attack! The church should be staking claim to what the enemy has stolen. There is nothing defensive about the Kingdom of God. We're called play offense. And God promises to give us every place we set our foot.
Here is the perennial mistake made by churches and business and marriages. We work hard to build it or grow it, but then we start "maintaining it." And that maintenance mind set kills us. Instead of working to increase what we have we start protecting it. We do exactly what the servant did in the parable of the talents. We bury our talent. We have a core value: playing it safe is risky! The book of Acts is a case study in risk-taking. We could learn a lesson or two!
I've just finished reading all four gospels and I'm just starting to read the book of Acts. If I had to boil down the transformation of the disciples into one thought this would be it: the disciples shifted from defense to offense. Let me explain. In the gospels, the disciples were playing not to lose. I think it's epitomized by the way all of them scattered when Jesus was arrested. They immediately reacted by fleeing. In the book of Acts, they start playing offense. They are playing to win. They were "on their heels" in the gospels. They were "on the balls of their feet" in Acts.
I blogged a week ago about "chickening out" at a community meeting. As I did an autopsy on my failure to really be a bold witness I realized that I was in a defensive mind set. I was playing not to lose. I think God has called us to play offense.
Jesus commissioned Peter with these words in Matthew 16:18: "Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." The only way the gates of Hell can prevail is if we never attack! The church should be staking claim to what the enemy has stolen. There is nothing defensive about the Kingdom of God. We're called play offense. And God promises to give us every place we set our foot.
Here is the perennial mistake made by churches and business and marriages. We work hard to build it or grow it, but then we start "maintaining it." And that maintenance mind set kills us. Instead of working to increase what we have we start protecting it. We do exactly what the servant did in the parable of the talents. We bury our talent. We have a core value: playing it safe is risky! The book of Acts is a case study in risk-taking. We could learn a lesson or two!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home