“As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.” (Acts chapter 5, Verse 15 NLT) On a hot, muggy day in an Alabama month of May, shadows of trees offer great relief from the heat. But shadows seen in the middle of the night? Not such a great relief. And the other day, I was thinking about shadows–and how they influence us and others. And the saga of the apostles came to my mind and heart. And that single line written by Luke: so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.
Who were them? Sick people! Wow! What an influence Peter and the others had in their culture! And notice, it wasn’t because of Peter. Look at that opening line again: As a result of the apostles work! The Greek word is about consequences! The consequences of their fire and passion for Jesus and the Kingdom was that even Peter’s shadow would heal Sick People! Can you imagine them walking down a road and just up ahead, family and friends sitting, even laying down, all sorts of sick people? Can you see the hope in the eyes of all those people? Not just the sick, but those who cared enough about them to take time from their busy schedules just to help!
And what about us apostles today? What??? Did you just think, “I’m not an apostle!” Why would you even think such a falsehood? I’ll tell you why you bought in to this horrible lie. You’ve been influenced to think you can’t make a difference in the lives of sick people. What if I told you:
My shadow, YOUR shadow has an influence on others. It can be a good influence or a bad influence. Think about it. What causes “shadows”? Light! And guess what? Jesus said “I am the light of the world!” To bring change into our culture all depends on what our shadow does for other people. If, like these first apostles (notice the use of lowercase), we have a fire and a passion for Jesus, then our shadows can and will change sick people. And who knows, our shadow may fall on someone who doesn’t realize they are sick–but then they encounter Jesus and are made whole. So, what kind of shadow do you cast?
Love God with all your heart. Love others the way Jesus loves you. And make sure all the glory goes to Him!
Recently our President Biden et al., based on information from a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), espoused that 12 people were responsible for killing people in this mess called COVID-19. He furthered asserted that their weapon of choice for killing people is the (in)famous FACEBOOK. Does this mean he wants to ban Facebook like he longs to ban guns? President Biden gas since tried to soften this words with the social media giant–but that’s like try to put the egg back into the chicken after it’s laid.
According to The Guardian, these 12 people, dubiously classified as The Misinformation Dozen, “have a combined following of 59 million people across multiple social media platforms, with Facebook having the largest impact.” Doing the math, this means each one has 4,916,666.666666667 people buying into (and thus selling) their Misinformation. How can 1 person have the clout and amplitude to influence and control 4,916,666.666666667 people. (As far as that .666666667 person, we all know someone who checks all the boxes.)
I could assert that the President’s declaration of war against The Misinformation Dozen is lunacy, absurdity, and derangement all rolled into one neat package. And I’m equally sure that some would agree with me and some would vehemently disagree with me. And to argue would be an exercise in futility and ineffectuality. There are better ways to expend my time and energy.
But then I got to thinking–so buckle your seat belts and remained seated until this plane comes to a complete stop. Maybe it isn’t so crazy and I haven’t gone berserk this morning. But the day is still young! Wasn’t there another Dozen a long time ago that influenced some 3,000 people at one time? Well, technically there were 120–but 108 of them had already been influenced by them and their incredulous story about 1 man named Jesus. And if memory serves me accurately, they were accused of spreading Misinformation.
No, I’m not saying The Misinformation Dozen are telling the truth. What I am saying, and I’m saying this to those who wear the title “Christian”, (I prefer the title Follower And Disciple Of Jesus) if 12 people can influence 4,916,666.666666667 people with Misinformation 4,916,666.666666667 people each–imagine how many more people that the Followers And Disciples Of Jesus could in influence with The Truth that sets men and women free! I’m just sayin’. . .I’m just sayin’
Last night was–how can I say it? It was wonderful, stupendous, marvelous, exalting, phenomenal, monumental, fantastic, and other such synonyms. Some of you may be wondering, “What is this crazy preacherman talking about?” What??? Where we you last night? It was there for everyone to see! In fairness, for those who may have just this very afternoon ventured outside of their cave for the first time in over a year, I will tell you. THE University Of Alabama, A.K.A. the Crimson Tide, won ANOTHER National Championship.
The Tide won not only another National Championship, but there were also tons of awards and recognitions given to members of The Crimson Tide. If I sound like a huge fan of The Tide, I am–because my daughter and a lot of my money went to that University. I have an investment in Tuscaloosa. And some of you may be wondering what all my rambling on about The Crimson Tide has to do with the Kingdom Life and today’s topic of Leadership. Good for you, wondering about that because I will gladly let you in on what The Spirit has been teaching me today.
Look at the question: What Is Leadership? Some would define leadership as the talent and ability to get everyone on board and in agreement with the current agenda or goals. But that doesn’t sound right. Some would say it’s the talent and ability create great ideas and lead others into getting onboard with those ideas. Nope, that’s not it. Some might say it’s the talent to be strong and forceful to get others in line. Oh, dear Jesus–that’s not it at all. Some think it takes great skill and talent to be a leader. In the words of the modern philosopher Madea,
So, What Is Leadership? I could go on and on with a lot of words, but let me drop a name: Devonta Smith. He’s been called Smitty and the Slim Reaper. He’s also this year’s winner of the Heisman Trophy. Oh yeah, he’s played football as a wide receiver the past four years for The Crimson Tide. By the alleged experts who have declared that wide receivers should be a certain height and weight, Smitty is undersized in both cases. In addition to being award the Heisman Trophy, Smitty has received Maxwell Award as the college football player of the year, the Walter Camp Player of the year, the Biletnikoff Aware as the nations top college receiver, and after playing only the first half of the National Championship game (because he was injured early in the third quarter) he the the Offensive Most Valuable Player. I’ve probably missed some.
If you haven’t seen or heard of Smitty, you may think this is some overwhelming personality. But watch the true Smitty in his acceptance speech for the Heisman Trophy:
Alex Leatherwood, one of those big and strong offensive linemen for The Tide had this to say about Smitty:
He’s grateful. But one thing about Smitty, he’s a great player, but he’s an even better teammate and person. I mean, you couldn’t ask for a better friend, to be honest. I’ve known him since before we even got here, and he’s always been just like a great dude, know what I mean?
Smitty is a leader, not because of his skills or, as analysts like to say, his physicality. It’s his character that makes him a leader. Great leaders are people who possess great character and who live out of that character every day. They aren’t perfect of course–but because of their character, their mistakes do not define them. I heard one announcer say that whichever NFL team drafts Smitty is not only getting a talented wide receiver, but they will get a man of character who will influence the entire organization.
Now, to me that sounds like what a real leader is and the real definition of a leader. A leader is someone of great character who influences others to desire those same qualities and will put forth the effort to achieve it. This definition of a leader will apply to every situation and scenario, period! Politics? We need more Smittys! Corporations and businesses? We need more Smittys! Families? Clubs and groups? Even Churches? Oh, do we need more Smittys.
What I’m trying to say is this: You can and WILL be a leader when you are a person of great character, one who values others and understands that nothing good comes our way without the willingness to work hard, to have the desire to get back up one more time than you are knocked down, and ignore the naysayers who say you can’t! We need leaders today–not the loud and obnoxious ones. We need those who by their example, that God can and WILL us to bring about real and positive change in the culture.
Let’s
do a quick review. This series has been
about how we can be a part of the God-Sized Task of Changing The Culture, and
we are looking at Gideon for our pattern.
Remember the definition of this word Culture: Culture Is The Attitudes, Values And Morals
Shared By People In A Particular Place And Time.
Attitudes
shape how we see life
Values
determine what is important and what’s not important
Morals
declare what is right or wrong
They
needed their culture to be changed. Gideon’s
culture was filled with the oppression of the Midianites. No one was strong enough to stop these marauders,
muggers, and murderers. This was a
God-Sized Task. The Hebrews cried out to
God for help and God started looking for the right kind of person for such a
God sized task—and it was Gideon. And
here is why:
1. Rather than Gideon doing it through God, it would be God doing it
through Gideon;
2. He got rid of his Asherah Pole, things that he thought gave him power
and held power over him.
3. Gideon looked for the signs that God would do
this through him, and our signs that God will do this through us are the Cross,
the Resurrection and the Holy Spirit.
4. And last week
we hit the pause button for perspective and clarity. Gideon operated out of his faith rather than
through his circumstances—by seeing an opportunity rather than a problem.
Now
we come down to the preparation for battle.
This moment is Crucial; So Crucial That Success Or Failure
Lies In The Balance. And the same
holds true for us if we are going to be part of God changing OUR Culture. Let’s pick up the story in Judges 7:1-8 (NLT)
So
Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the
spring of Harod. The armies of Midian
were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said
to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the
Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own
strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may
leave this mountain and go home.’”
So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to
fight.
But
the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will
test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When
Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the
men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands
and lap it up with their tongues like dogs.
In the other
group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the
stream.” Only 300 of
the men drank from their hands. All the
others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
The Lord told
Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the
Midianites. Send all the others
home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other
warriors and sent them home.
But he kept
the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp
was in the valley just below Gideon.
There are more people than you can shake a stick at in the Valley of Jezreel. It was bad enough with just the Midianites; now there are 3 times as many people. There may have been as many as 60,000 or more in the Valley of Jezreel. Do you know what the name Jezreel means? It means “God who sows.” To the average Hebrew it probably looked like God has sown seeds of destruction against them.
Be
honest, how many of you have felt the same way?
Ever felt like God’s hand was against you? You wonder to yourself, or even out
loud: “God, where are you? Don’t you
see what’s going on? Don’t you care how
I feel?” This is where Gideon was
emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
He is at the place where God sows and it looks like God has sown the
seeds of fear and destruction.
But
now he has an army of 32,000 warriors.
They are still outnumbered—at least 2 to 1—but Gideon is cool. Gideon knows that God is with him and God has
given him the signs of assurance and reassurance. Now he thinks the time has come to act and if
Gideon is a real person he probably has some butterflies in his stomach, but
that’s OK. God is with him. But God still isn’t ready to act.
If
his faith hasn’t been stretched enough, God stretches it some more. “You’ve
got too many warriors.” The
butterflies are probably gone now because his stomach is in a knot. “Excuse me God, outnumbered 2-1 and there
are too many? Why don’t you trim down
their army? How about making my job a
little easier instead of harder?”
Have you ever asked God to make your life a little easier? But God has a reason. He doesn’t always tell us His reasons, but
this time He does: “If I let all of you fight the
Midianites, then they will brag about how they did it all!”
Have
you ever done something for the church that God blessed but you said, “Look
at what I did! This is MY ministry. I worked hard and look at the results!” Or have you ever been in a really tight place
where you were struggling and thought you were going down for the count but God
delivered you? Instead of giving God ALL
the glory, you said, “Man, if it hadn’t been for MY faith and MY
wisdom I would have been a goner! But I
got through it!” We must
always be on guard against the temptation to take the credit that belongs only
to God. To help keep them And Us
from taking any of the credit, God does 2 things: a sifting and then a testing.
1. First There Is A Sifting
Anyone
here know what sifting is? It’s taking
something such as flour and passing it through a sieve or like a wire screen to
remove the lumps from the flour. It’s
getting rid of the things that get in the way that thwarts or distorts the
intended purpose. OK, It Gets Rid Of
What Messes Up What’s Going On!
God’s sifting comes this way: “All those who are timid or afraid, exit stage left.” That word for “Timid” means to be consumed Not By What IS, But What MIGHT Be. They haven’t gone into battle yet, but God has guaranteed victory. But they are consumed by what might be, and what might be? They might be defeated. They might be killed by the Midianites.
And
that word for “Afraid” means literally Trembling Because You’re
Consumed With What “Might” Be. And
22,000 left even before God revealed His Glory, Power and Majesty! I’m going to get really annoying with this
question: Have You Ever Left The Battlefield Before The Battle Started And Missed
Seeing His Glory, Power And Majesty?
Here’s
my take on this: It wasn’t their fear of
the Midianites and their allies that made them leave. Their fear wasn’t in the Valley or in their
head—it was in their heart. I Believe
They Were Afraid That God Would Not Come Through For Them.
Don’t
you think Gideon told them about what happened in the pit? Don’t you think Gideon told them about what
happened to the fleece? Don’t you think
that the assurance and reassurance God gave to Gideon that he gave it to
them? I won’t be too hard on the
22,000. Maybe they thought that God
would do it through Gideon, but not through them. Perhaps they thought ordinary people couldn’t
do something like this—only extraordinary people could.
Have
you ever felt that way? That God would
use someone else to change the culture, but that He surely couldn’t use someone
like you? Ever felt like there’s too
much shame, guilt, or failure in your life?
That’s The Fear! Fear That God’s Grace Is Not Big Enough For
You. And so you go back home Sunday
after Sunday. But God’s grace IS big
enough for you.
OK,
back to the story. Now Gideon’s army is
down to 10,000. At first they were
outnumbered at least 2 to 1, and now they are outnumbered at least 6 to 1. I would imagine by now that the knot in
Gideon’s stomach has eased up, and the butterflies are coming back in. God has stretched his faith twice. Now they are ready to fight. Right?
Wrong! God tells Gideon, “You
Still Have Too Many!” Gideon
thinks it time to fight, but God is still doing stretching exercises. If I had been Gideon then, I would have been
thinking, “Well, now what,
God? The fearful are gone, who else
needs to leave? Excuse me, God, but have
you ever heard of Gen. George Custer?”
2. Second There Is A Testing
God
tells Gideon, “I will test them for you.”
He didn’t tell Gideon to Test them. God determines who can be used, not
us. That word Test is rich. It
means to smelt or refine. It’s what a
silversmith does before they make their jewelry. Today that is done through the use of
chemicals and electricity. Back then it
was done with heat. If it didn’t stay in
the heat long enough, it lacked quality and was worth far less. If it stayed too long, it resisted the master
craftsman work. Even though 10,000 were
not terrified, they needed to still have other impurities removed from their
hearts. They need a test.
God tests them in a simple way. He tells Gideon “Tell everyone it’s time for a water break. Watch how they drink. Put the ones who get down on their hands and knees to drink on one side, and the ones who cup their hands to drink on the other side. The ones who cup their hands and drink, there’s your army!” Why this test? I think I know why. Those who drink from their hands are alert to what’s going on around them. They can see more than those who are down on their hands and knees drinking out of the river.
And
this same principle holds true today. We
can get down on our hands and knees and moan about how bad we have it. When we get down on our hands and knees and
all we see is our own reflection. We
can’t see God at work.
Now there are only 300 left. Start with 32,000 subtract 22,000 timid and fearful and subtract 9,700 clueless = and you have 300 Culture Changers. And God says, “Now, we’ve got the right number!” 300 versus over 60,000. Outnumbered 200 to 1. Do you feel like that in your culture? You want to witness to others about Jesus but you feel outnumbered and outgunned! But God does His best work in this kind of environment.
And Here is the one thing you need to remember:
God Uses The Sifted And The Tested!
We
need to allow God to sift us—to get rid of the timidity and fear that can
paralyze us. What are you afraid
of? What makes you tremble with
terror? You must allow God to sift that
stuff, that junk, out of you. We need to
get rid of our pride and arrogance.
We need to be tested, refined to get rid of the things and attitudes that prevent us from completely trusting in God’s Promise, Presence, and Provision. We need to be alert and sensitive to what God is doing every day. And God is at work, we just need to be in a position to see His work.
Notice
carefully what Gideon does next. He
sends the rest home, but before they leave, he takes their provisions and
horns. Why? Well If They Weren’t Alert To What God Was
Doing, Then Leave It For Those Who Are Alert To God’s Activity. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25 about the
talents wasn’t new. Here it is in real
life—take from the ones who aren’t aware and give to those who are. Yes, God is gracious and merciful. He’s always ready to forgive and give us a
fresh start.
But if we are not in tune, in sync with God when God acts, He’s not going to waste what He has given you. He will give your place, your service, your worship, your gifts to another who IS in tune and in sync with Him. Now We’re Ready For The Game Plan, And YOUR Next Step: The Next Steps are the 2 questions that has been filling this place even before you arrived here:
What is it in your life that is keeping you from unconditionally trusting The Father? Allow Him to get rid of the stuff that is getting in the way.
Are you really alert and aware of what’s going on? God is looking for those who will always be on the lookout for what God is doing.
Be
honest, are YOU that person? God is
going to change this place and community, even if those who are ready are
outnumbered 200 to 1. It takes absolute
and complete surrender to Him. What Are
You Holding Back From God’s Grace That Is Big Enough To Change Your Culture
Even If You Are Outnumbered 200 To 1?
Will you allow God to Sift your heart?
Will you accept God’s tests that are not designed to crush you, but to
Refine your heart?
Next
week it’s all about Mason Jars,
Flashlights, And God!
(Disclaimer: Some may find my analogy offensive, especially those who think hunting is barbaric. If I offend you, then get over it and move on.)
Where I live, there are only 2 seasons: Football and Deer Hunting. Any event has to be planned around these 2 seasons. When Debbie and I were setting our wedding date, I chose November 13 because The Crimson Tide had a bye week and the Deer Season for hunting with guns had not yet begun.
Well, around here Deer Season (hunting with guns) begins November 23 and I am getting ready for it. Food plot planted. Mineral spots established. Game camera in place. Supplies gathered. Hunting clothes and gear are out and ready to be worn and used. But I’m still not ready for November.
What’s left in my preparations? Glad you asked. I haven’t taken my rifles out to see if I need to make any adjustments to the scope. The only way I can do that is to put up a target, load the rifle, take aim and shoot. The mark on the target will tell me if I need to make adjustments.
Without knowing this important information, I may miss that deer; or even worse, I may only wound it and it runs off only to die somewhere else. What’s the spiritual lesson in this? Well. . . you asked for it.
Look carefully at Paul’s words to the Thessalonians:
11 Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before. 12 In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (GNT)
So, how is your aim? Do you possess a calm inner spirit revealed in an even calmer outward demeanor? Do you aim to make your life more like Jesus rather than quickly and harshly telling others what they are doing wrong? Do you apply yourself to becoming the best you possible by being productive and adding value to yourself and the people around you?
To answer these (and many other questions) you need to look at the mark your life is leaving on others. And remember: Love God with all your heart. Love others the way Jesus loves you. And make sure all the glory goes to Him!
3 Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. 6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.2 Timothy 1:3-7 (NLT)
Does anyone here know The
Chaos Theory? No, it’s not a
way to describe what happens daily in Washington D.C. and Montgomery, though we
could make a good argument for it. Chaos
Theory is the science of surprises, of the unusual and the unpredictable. It Teaches
Us To Expect The Unexpected.
While
most traditional science deals with supposedly predictable phenomena like
gravity, electricity, or chemical reactions, Chaos Theory deals with things
that are practically impossible to predict or control, like turbulence,
weather, the stock market, our brain states, and so on.
Chaos
Theory maintains that a very small change will make a system behave completely
differently. Very small changes in the
starting position of a system that is subject to chaos, make a big difference
after a while. Something happens at a
certain point in time that will produce much bigger result than can be
predicted.
Edward
Norton Lorenz was an American mathematician, meteorologist, and a pioneer of The
Chaos Theory. It started out as a
mathematic theory, but before long, it was being applied to every aspect of
science, economics, human behavior, and social development. He noticed it by rounding decimals—that even
rounding a number up or down by 1 one-thousandths will create an entirely
different outcome.
He
introduced and coined the term The
Butterfly Effect to explain The Chaos Theory. In an over-simplification, The
Butterfly Effect states that if a butterfly in Africa flaps its
wings at the right moment, the air it moves will lead to the formation of a
hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Meaning,
had the butterfly NOT flapped its wings, the hurricane would not have happened.
Sounds
insane, doesn’t it? But there are
scientists who insist it is true.
Let’s
bring The Chaos Theory and The Butterfly Effect and apply it to nations. Anyone here know the name Gavrilo Princip? Well you should. Gavrilo hated a certain man and his pregnant
wife. He went up to them, pulled out a
gun and killed the man, his wife and their unborn baby. Now do you know him? His act of killing Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his
wife, Duchess Sophie, led to 37 million people either being killed or
wounded. It was called World War 1. Butterfly Effect
Let’s
bring The
Butterfly Effect into another realm—the realm of people, society and
culture. Who here knows Philo Taylor
Farnsworth? He grew up in a home that
did not have electricity until he was 14.
Yet he successfully demonstrated the first television signal
transmission on September 7, 1927. Who
can deny the impact of TV?
Now let’s look at The Butterfly Effect within the spiritual context. Remember the point of it: “Small Causes Will Have Large Effects”. And to bring this home, let me ask you a question:What Are You Doing To Change The Lives Of People Around You? Think long and hard on that question.
Your Life Has The Potential To Change Another Life—And The Culture Around You.
You,
yes you, can be a mover and a shaker in our community and culture. You can be responsible for The Butterfly
Effect in a person who needs it so much.
God has a purpose for your life—to bring Him Honor and Glory. When you genuinely bring God Honor and Glory it will impact another life. This Is How His Purpose For Your Life Works. Remember that: His Purpose Is HIS Purpose For HIM!
It Is Not To Make Your Life Shine—But To Shine The Glory Of HIS Life Through You! But you must be deliberate with your life. These are serious times, my friends. God has never been, nor will He ever be looking for a casual relationship with anyone. God is looking for serious people who want more than an hour or 2 on Sunday morning.
Think
about Timothy’s grandmother and mother.
We don’t know a lot about them, but there were a lot of people who felt
the impact of their lives. Their impact
continues to be felt today. Their impact
continues to be felt all around the world.
It’s here today, and it will be here the next day and the next—until the
end of time.
Here’s the thing about God’s Glory: Anyone Can Reflect It, And When Someone Reflects That Glory, It Becomes The Butterfly Effect That Reaches Out And Changes Everything. But it takes 3 key, let’s call them, “Immoveable Commitments” By You. Here they are:
1. Make An Immovable Commitment To Be Hungry For God’s Grace!
Live
your ordinary daily life knowing that real life is found only as we live it in
God’s Grace.
Through your
life show others that Grace is what
overcomes the power of sin.
Through your
life show others that Grace is what
overcomes the damage of sin.
Through your
life show others that Grace is the
place to go when you fail.
Through your
life show others that Grace is what you
need when life gets hard and difficult.
Through your
life show others that when the
questions of life arise, Grace holds the answer—whether you find the answer
here and now—or you reveal the confidence that one day God will make the answer
clear.
We equally need Grace, and if are going to see lives change and cultured transformed—we need to recognize our need for Grace. We often say our world to change, it needs to know its need for God. But I would say it this way: For Our World To Change, The World Needs To See Our Need For God! And when we recognize our need for Grace, it’s easier to then share that Grace.
Grace Does Its Best Work When One Person Transformed By Grace, Shows Grace To Another Person. Butterfly Effect
2. Make An Immoveable Commitment To Live Into
The Bigger Purpose
Live
with the sense and expectation that you are part of something much bigger than
anything else. What Would Jesus Do is a phrase most of us are familiar with.
It
comes from Charles Sheldon’s book “In His Steps”, where he told
stories of people facing a dilemma between choices, and he would ask the question: “What Would Jesus Do?” The answer to that question is our purpose. And that purpose is to love God and honor Him
by becoming the reflection of Jesus with our attitudes, words and actions.
Our Purpose Is To Think In Ways, Act In Ways, Speak In Ways That Reflect The Real Jesus To The World. To do this you need to Expand your capacity to enjoy God’s presence and reflect His Heart.
3. Make An Immoveable Commitment To Be Get
Involved With God’s Mission
See
yourself as part of an unfolding story—an ongoing narrative. And the narrative is about God reaching out
into the world to redeem and restore the broken and fallen lives. Too many are living out a story that is way
too small.
There’s a word being said frequently to churches wanting to grow. The word is WIG! Not hair! WIG stands for Wildly Important Goal. It’s so wild, it’s impossible for us to do—but it’s possible with God! It comes from that sense of urgency that the Holy Spirit is working in our culture. Without that W.I.G. here’s what we do:
We Dream Too Small.
Our Vision Is Too Short Sighted.
We Muzzle Our Imagination.
It’s time to set our hearts and minds free because we are in the middle of God’s Story! We make a difference in our community and culture—By Our Need For Grace—Through Our Purpose—With Our Mission.
Your Life Has The Potential To Change Another Life—And The Culture Around You. The Butterfly Effect!
“Every Single Thing You Do Matters. You Have Been Created As One Of A Kind. You Have Been Created In Order To Make A Difference. You Have Within You The Power To Change The World.”
Andy Andrews, The Butterfly Effect
And we see this effect that 1 life can have at this Table of Holy Communion. The effect of Jesus’ death continues to transform and change human hearts and lives.
Next Step: Come up with your own W.I.G.— Wildly Important Goal that reflects the truth, that God designed your life to make an impact on His creation.
Kingdom Pastor 