Step By Step
Statistics. Demographics.
Lostness. Evangelization.
Need. Opportunity.
Resources. Support.
Trends. Movements. Reaction.
Creativity. Good ideas.
Common sense.
Duty. Tradition.
Ease. Difficulty.
Guilt, pity, fear.
Passion, compassion, desire.
Love.
We are constantly tempted to allow these things to dictate our missions activities. In many cases, these are the motives that were used to recruit us into sacrificial giving and to service. We all participate in different ways and for different reasons, but the things listed above can easily get us "ahead of God" and out of tune with what He is doing. As far as I can tell, the best- the only- sure foundation for how to know what missions is and how it ought to be done in my context is this:
Step-by-step obedience to the Spirit of the Most High God.
8 comments:
I spent some time with guys from Mosaic church recently and one of they're core values is "structure must always submit to Spirit."
There's much wisdom is utilizing the various things you listed but ultimately they should simply assist us in how to seek the Spirit of God concerning how we do ministry.
With our organization we do much teaching on how to collect and utilize the above mentioned but very little on how to use these in submission to the Spirit. When the two combine is when the good stuff happens.
Stepchile,
the only problem with this approach is that it does not always lead to the results the organization wants to see. I was always told that if you were led by the Spirit you would see lots of conversions and growth and bigger and better and more opportunities to speak everywhere and tell your story. but i think you and i would agree that may not always be the case.
in defense of the organization, however, if ive got a guy on my team that thinks God told him to sit in starbucks all day and surf the internet and i never really saw him doing anything that would seem remotely like cooperating with the Spirit, i would send him on his way and take the rap at the judgement seat if indeed i was wrong.
since i dont know you very well and dont know what you do all day, i apologize if i have stepped on your toes. and i have nothing against starbucks or the internet
Watchman,
I agree. "Following the Holy Spirit" can lead people to do all sorts of things. I think any organization should support people who are being led in similar things.
"God's leading you to sit in Starbucks all day drinking coffee? We wish you the best with that, but that isn't something we can support. He's leading us as an organization to intentionally plant indigenous, biblically faithful churches."
Stepchild,
to stay on the devils advocate theme, what happens when a guy has been hired to intentionally plant indigenous, biblically faithful churches, but can't seem to get it done, for whatever reason. Let's say he's not sitting in starbucks, but busting his tail everyday, but nothing is going right. how is the organization to respond, since the mission is not being accomplished?
watchman
Watchman,
It sounds like you're describing me, so I'll let you know how the organization responds...
Seriously, I think this is the trouble with having "something only God can do" as your goal. What do we do when, for whatever reason, God doesn't do what you're working toward?
It would be one thing if it was just me that has yet to see things happen. Or my team. Or my cluster. But our entire region, despite our tremendous efforts, has yet to see anything that even resembles a church planting movement.
I guess what I'm not-so-subtly suggesting is that maybe our "mission" is not God's. Maybe we should all be fired for not "producing."
That is precisely my point. Its one thing to fire a salesman for not meeting his quota, but its another thing to set the same kinds of business standards in an arena that you and I only have part on a say, or no say depending on you flavor of Calvinism.
Now that I'm not a part of an organization, I can sit in starbucks and surf the internet and not feel guilty.
watchman
Great stuff on step by step. I thank Jesus for directing our steps through His Spirit!!!
Stepchild,
Just started reading your blog and have to say that I really enjoy it. I know you love Jesus! In I Cor. 2:9 we know God is going to honor those who love Him. One day God will do something there. I'm not that smart about CPM's and the leadership of our organization, but I just want to encourage you and tell you that we are praying for you in your work in Western Europe. Hey, go get some coffee at Starbucks, read the internet and tell your Catholic Priest, Atheist and Agnostic friends they are going to hell. That is a country boy's point of view. Keep up the good work! Love you man!
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