Wrapped up the Wild Goose Chase series today. I got pretty fired up. Translation? Long message! Really felt the message today. Talked about the cage of fear and one of my favorites phrases in Scripture: "Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf." (I Sam 14:6)
Love that modus operandi. I think a lot of Christians take the opposite approach: Perhaps the Lord WON'T act on our behalf. And that fear or lack of faith keeps us from the Wild Goose Chase. We let fear dictate our decisions instead of faith.
It's an intangible, but it feels like we've got a ton of momentum right now. Tough series to end, but I'm excited about The Elephant in the Church. We'll kick if off next weekend.
Love that modus operandi. I think a lot of Christians take the opposite approach: Perhaps the Lord WON'T act on our behalf. And that fear or lack of faith keeps us from the Wild Goose Chase. We let fear dictate our decisions instead of faith.
It's an intangible, but it feels like we've got a ton of momentum right now. Tough series to end, but I'm excited about The Elephant in the Church. We'll kick if off next weekend.
4 Comments:
Mark,
I don't know if you get a chance to read Inc. or Fast Company magazines very often, but articles in such magazines would suggest that two elements of what you described in your sermon are simply recognized attributes of natural leaders.
Leaders see the future as being more real than the present, and leaders, given a situation that takes them outside of their circles of comfort, would ask -- actually, kind of naively, others might think -- "Well, why don't we just expand our circle of comfort?"
God doesn't need that many people who question the prevailing norm and identify better alternatives, really. A couple will do. He needs plenty more who feel most secure when they look to the front and see someone worth following...reassuring them by identifying lots of destinations worth reaching...and things worth doing.
If I might offer a destination worth reaching, Mark, I'd suggest a less expensive coffee house/community center sitting squarely on H Street, serving people not exactly like ourselves, from whom we expect little or nothing back. A guideline might be: Are we helping and supporting those who don't already have abundant help and support, and of whom people might ask, "Why are you people here with these people...what do you get out of being here?"
And the answer would be: We are loving others as we were told to do...and some of these people needed a place that feels secure and hopeful more than we needed another church location.
Would you be risking being judged and maligned for trying to show Christ's love? Of course. : ) It's climbing the cliff to see what God may have in store. But...can you imagine the effect that your church's quality of communications and presentation could have on kids who now look forward to a 50% drop-out rate and poverty-level living conditions? Wouldn't they ask: Why are you putting so much effort into US?
And wouldn't Jesus or Jonathan ask: Why are you NOT?
Thanks!
John Verba
John,
As I see, we want to take an all-of-the-above approach. God is blessing our locations and coffeehouse so we want to continue to do more of what God is blessing.
But the Convoy of Hope was such an amazing outreach that we want to find some ways to do that on a daily basis. A "Hope Center" would be a huge answer to prayer. I'm believing that God has a few surprises up His sleeve in the coming year!
Going into a reconnaissance season. Praying God will "order our footsteps" as we look to expand God's kingdom in DC.
PM
Mark,
Will this be a different elephant than the last?.... and if so how many weeks and is there a general description available?
Wayne,
Probably do six weeks. Not sure on all topics yet, but we'll hit some more hot button issues...
Might be a little overlap with last year, but hoping to hit new issues...
Mark
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