What has happened to faith in the church? I am not talking about the mental cognition that God exists - but the life that results from the reality of that choice. So many people that I see in our church claim to follow Jesus Christ, but continue to live worrying about status, finances, everday life stuff. The church itself isn’t much better. We choose to dwell in models, how-to-books, numbers analysis, church consultants, and other safe models of church “management”. Where are the risk-takers? Where are the true faith-possessors? Isn’t that what God desires for His church - that we would dream big and actually be willing to step out into the unknown and trust Him to take us there? Instead we choose manpower. We look for the “sure things”. Church planters investigate the financial viability, the numerical possibility, and the growth potential as they search for a location to expand the bride of Christ. Whatever happened to searching for the voice and direction of God? How far down the line (if at all) should finanicals and numbers be in the church planting process!
But I am no different. I have been obsessing for months about “taking care of my family”. The church I work at doesn’t pay me enough to live in the affluent community the church is in. I now have two kids. And it saddens me to admit that I have been seriously contemplating starting over in the comfort and financial ease of my hometown. No voice of God. No clear as day direction from Him telling me to move my family to a new state - just my worry, my frustration, my lack of faith. A friend of mine recently told me the story of how his family had downsized recently. No car payments, little house payments (at least for SoCal), and simple living. He described how “free” he felt to do and be what God wanted him to be. As I have allowed my friend’s story to challenge me, I am realizing that “freeing us” is exactly what faith does. It takes so much of the pressure off of us. We are incabale of fulfilling our needs anyway! We must have faith. It has to be the driving force behind who we are and what we do. No more wimpy, heady, faith - but a real, life-changing, freeing faith where our lives actually look like we believe Jesus is all we need.
I am far from that destination, but I want to get there. And as a church leader, I want to take some people there with me.
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Comments (3)
brokeDAmouf added these pithy words on Feb 11 05 at 4:54 pmzack, man this is where we need to be. the name of the game is trust. i find myself being such a nancy-boy when it comes to trust. if you were to examine my life, you would probably find that I am great at trusting. trusting myself that is. i find faith to easy as long as it is the kind of faith that only nods its sissy head in intellectual agreement. but real faith, isaac on the alter faith, that is a different story. but that’s the kind of man i want to become. let’s do it. let’s take God at his word and see where it leads.
Moose added these pithy words on Feb 12 05 at 8:18 amWhile I agree that many churches and church leaders fail to put that trust in God as they should, I feel you are making some big generalizations. Many churches are grabbing ahold of God and His direction. Many churches right now are thriving because they are attached to the vine. I can honestly say that I feel my church has found that balance of following God while at the same time planning accordingly. Sure we all get caught up with money and poilitics. But to not plan would be dumb as well. Imagine a church taking a leap, not focussing on money, but truley relying on God’s direction because they feel “led”. Where will that church be when they are bankrupt because it wasn’t thought through. Where they be when no people follow. Planning has to be a part of following God’s plan. Think about Nehemiah. Risk takers are great, but there needs to be a balance.
I understand that many sway to the worry side then the obedience side. That’s our nature. We need to be encourage and challenge as you say. But we need a balance.
-Just a thought from the Bible Belt.
John Lynch added these pithy words on Jul 22 05 at 7:45 amThere is Wisdom from the ‘moose’ … but I, John Lynch, in the name of Reformation, hereby give you, ‘Z-Wiggy,’ permission to be dissatisfied in love (as if you need or want it). I think we need to allow each other to feel the inadequacy of the church and move toward healthy change.
BUT… we must remember, it is the responsibility of the discontented not only to speak, but to ACT! (…in the leading & power of the Holy spirit)
Peace.
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