in the waiting

I know I'm all about videos this week. But I just couldn't resist.

I got this from one of our young ladies today - she emailed it and said, "Watch this. This is my heart." And I am so proud of her. She's helping friends with wedding plans, sending them off on dates, oohing and aahing over their newest relationship news. Her heart is so consecrated to Jesus and enthralled with His plan for her.

Waiting for God's best is hard. But there is much more reward to the wait than pain. Much more. I'll be testifying about those rewards soon! Can't wait to tell you about the wonderful man Jesus has brought into my life. And he's showing me more every day how much he is worth the wait.

Be encouraged! Whatever you may be waiting on - God's got it!

building attendance or attendees

Chandler and Furtick from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

Lately my thoughts have been circling around the concepts presented by Matt Chandler and Steven Furtick in this video.

I've never been to either of their churches. I frequent Furtick's blog; I've never read anything from Chandler. I'm not throwing them up here for a game of pick the "right" pastor. They just represent two different approaches for advancing the Kingdom (which I believe both are doing successfully). I'd be very interested to know where you/your church stand on this conversation.

The tagline of this exchange was "Preaching to build the attendance VS. Preaching to build the attendees".

My thought? Why the VS? If I had to choose?...Both. Why not both?

Preach the Gospel. And use whatever means, short of sin, to bring in more people to hear this Good News. I don't think we need to forego depth in order to reach more people. There's got to be a way to get the real Message to many people without compromising It's truth.

Why do we feel the need to choose? Why think we can be "seeker sensitive" or we can "preach the Word"? It's not about choosing between quality and quantity of attendees. It's about facilitating the opportunity for your church to make many, true disciples.

Every time the Pastor enters the pulpit, there can be temptation beforehand on either side of the spectrum. He can think, "I better strike point three. Just saw so-and-so and I don't want to offend them." Or he can think, "Good. They're here. They need to hear this." Both thoughts are fleshly.

If our Message seeks to honor Christ, crafted in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit, preached to bring Him glory and see Him lifted up...He will take care of the results. He will draw people to Himself. And He'll draw them into a deep, thriving relationship.

Our job isn't to build "large" churches. Or to make people become more faithful as disciples. Our job is to be obedient in seeking God and speaking truth...in love, and with listeners in mind. Our job is to provide every possible opportunity for people to get to know the real Jesus. As many people as possible.

I'm sure, when you get to the bottom of this exchange, that's what both pastors are saying. Build the Church - which is made of people. The only true way to build a church, is to build people.

How does your church do this?

everybody's fine

Sometimes I forget God is God. On the throne. Not my buddy or my confidante or even just the lover of my soul. Almighty God. The One responsible for everything.

The One responsible. For everyone.

I like to think I'm a bit of a caregiver. I like to take good care of people. I enjoy being the kind of person who helps. Who anticipates what might be needed. And, before it's even asked - done. It's a family trait. A great caregiver can do this without you even seeing that they've taken care of you. They become invisible. Amenities and comforts just *poof*, appear out of nowhere.

My Mother has always been this way. She never had to say, "here". Things were always just there. There were no midnight runs to the pharmacy in our home; we were always stocked with the necessities. Never waited for clean linens. Never noticed dirt in my home; it was gone before given the chance to be fruitful and multiply. She has always taken incredible care of us. I like to think I learned a little from her - though at times my caregiving tends to be more "personal" than "practical" (midnight runs to wal-mart and beyond aren't a stranger to my life).

The plight of the caregiver? Thinking if they don't give, someone will lack. If they don't care, who will? We run ourselves ragged thinking, "They need this..." or "I have to do this," and "what will happen if I don't?". Pride gets the best of me sometimes. I think that I can (and should) take excellent care of every person in my life. That I'm somehow responsible for their well-being and happiness. I create this picture where everyone needs me and I have value in my world because I can provide for people a comfort and ease that they need. Dangerous territory, that is.

There's a part in the movie Bruce Almighty where Jim Carrey, who is assuming the responsibilities of God (yes, Yahweh, God, Jehovah), is responding to hundreds of "prayers" (emails) and doling out answers and blessings. Until he can't. Until it's overwhelming. Until he realizes he's barely a decent human...let alone a suitable "God".

Feels good to be needed, doesn't it? Feels good to "come through" for someone. Until I can't. Until I reach my limit. And then, there are a bunch of people I've set up to "need" me who feel failed, disappointed. Or thankful that I've realized I don't have the capacity to meet their needs anyway and they can stop stroking my ego which is begging for affirmation.

It feels horrible in a really holy, beautiful way to look around and realize, "everybody's fine".

The race comes to a hault; I look around to spot Jesus' eyes. He is calmly reclined, amused by my dance, and waiting to take care of me in all the ways I keep telling everyone, "I'm fine".

I've kept Him waiting long enough...