I have a friend who, when I first met him several years ago, was passionate about prison ministry. He was involved in a band that played in prisons and he talked about little else. His passion and excitement for this ministry was contagious and I used to hang out to hear him talk more about it.
Now, four years later, this man shows no interest in prison ministry whatsoever. He is heavily involved in the music department of a local church and he is so busy with church that he has little time for anything else. Nearly every night of the week is taken up with a church activity – music practices, leadership meetings, young adults group, church basketball team, small groups, men’s group and the like. Worse still, he spends what little spare time he does have hanging out with other people from the church, further minimising any opportunity he may have to “outreach” anyone.
It breaks my heart to see that his involvement in church has actually killed his passion for mission.
How many people have experienced or witnessed the same situation? Church is supposed to fuel our passion for the lost; it is supposed to increase our desire to show others Jesus; it is supposed to instil in us a determination to “go into all the world and make disciples of all men”. Yet with the busyness of church these days, many Christians in many churches experience the exact opposite.
In my own life I discovered that once I took a step away from church leadership (worship leading, running a department, being on the missions committee) and the pressure to be at every meeting and event held by the church, my relationship with Jesus became so much more intimate and real. I began to get back to the basics, to look at the way Jesus lived his life, and as a result, my passion for outreach and mission soared.
God is a mission God. God sent Jesus to save us. Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to guide us. The Holy Spirit sends us to reach the lost. God is not just interested in mission – God is mission. The church needs to rise up and free their congregations to be the people God saved them to be.
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1 comment:
I know what you mean. Here I am, 55 years old, saved for 30 years and am just now functioning outside the four walls of the church to reach out into the community.
What I love about the Lord is that He has been faithful to orchestrate my life in such a way that right here, right now I have finally got it. Jesus visited the temple but He lived out where everyone else was.
Thanks for sharing. When God stirs our hearts then something amazing is about to happen. I want to be part of it, don't you?
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