I’ve been serving in active church ministry for 12 years and, of those years, I’ve worked full-time for eight. It’s been an amazing journey learning the ins and outs of church leadership and being able to be used by God to speak into the lives of many people. It truly has been a blessing to serve God’s community, as well as, being given the opportunity to serve the community at large.
I’m truly humbled by the opportunities that God has given me.
Needless to say, it’s been a long journey.
On the other spectrum of my spiritual expedition (especially as of late), is the countless hours of meetings, theorizing, and strategizing church growth structures and systems building. I’ll be the first to admit that this latest leg of ministry life hasn’t been my most favorite. Don’t get me wrong, we should continue to train and grow as leaders. But, if we’re not careful, ministry can easily turn into a man-driven machine that no longer relies on God. If we’re not careful, leadership meetings and, even, Sunday church services can slowly begin to replace the very reason why Jesus came in the first place.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He even said that it’s not the healthy who needs a doctor, it’s the sick (Mark 2:17). And, if we’re honest with ourselves, most of our efforts tend to cater to the already saved and not toward those who truly need His Light. If we’re honest with ourselves, all of our strategizing has all been in the name of trying to keep our people from leaving the church. We no longer focus on those who need Jesus and we try to make nice with our stakeholders so they won’t leave.
I’m tired.
I’m tired of relying on my own creativity. I’m tired of leaning on my own logic. I’m tired of gravitating toward my education and training.
The Church needs the Holy Spirit. The Church needs to turn back to the very Life that birthed her in the first place. The Church needs the power of God.
Incidentally, the world, as Jesus once put it, will tend to only believe because of His miraculous signs and wonders (John 10) not usually by our testimony and fancy “relevant” church ministries.
People of faith in Christ…will you join me in making a pilgrimage back into the powerful and embracing arms of God? Will you join me in allowing the Holy Spirit to reign down on us to do work in the lives of those slipping further and further away from Him. Will you join me in following God again?
Will you join me in returning to our first love?
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