That Geeky Christian

Growth, this is what most churches talk about.  How many people can they get into the door?  Ministry only grows during this time of year, and during that time you can expect to have low numbers is what they say.  Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of status quo.  I’m tired of doing what other people say we are supposed to be doing.  It’s time to buck the trend!

Growth in numbers is great.  It’s wonderful to have more people in your ministry, and I’m excited every time I hear what God is doing in His church.  True ministry is not about numbers, however.  The growth we should desire is spiritual.  I desire, and I believe God desires to see change in the hearts of the His people.  When I was a youth pastor I saw some amazing things.  I saw students come to know Christ when they didn’t before.  I saw the broken put back on the path to healing.  I saw the timid become bold.  God is still doing great things in His people!

Does this mean we should become complacent and not invite others into church?  Absolutely not!  We are called to make disciples of all nations.  So, for our mission to be fulfilled, we have to be willing to stand for Christ!  We have to be that voice in the wilderness trying to show a hurt and dying world the way to an amazing savior.  When we do that, the church will grow in numbers, but those numbers will not be superficial, they’ll be people looking for true change in their lives!

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You know, many people in the sports world are talented, but not all have heart.  See, those with heart are the ones who inspire.  They are the ones who no matter the situation are doing all they can to be the best at what they do.  Olympic athletes have heart.  They sacrifice time and money to pursue their dreams of an Olympic Gold.  They have a passion for what they do that cannot be taken away easily.  Just this year the U. S. team had a 41 year old swimmer who in between Olympics had a baby.  She asked the doctor the day her daughter was born when she could swim again, and was in the pool that same day!  She trained hard, and went to Beijing to win gold.  She missed the gold medal by 0.01 seconds, losing to a 16 year old girl.  Dara Torres has heart.  She walked immediately off the medal stand to help her team attempt to win a gold medal.  Even though she out swam her opponent in her heat, the U. S. team was too far behind, and they won silver again.

Dara was able to do what she did at the Olympics because her heart was in it.  She has a love for swimming, and an ability that few in the world, much less her age, have.  Having the ability would not have been enough, however.  We all have the ability to impact others for Jesus positively.  Where is your heart?  Is your heart in it?  Are you willing to sacrifice for God?  Many times we know we can do it, but we feel the costs are too high.  We are comfortable in our lives and it is too much work to prepare and train for God.  If your heart is in it, you can do amazing things for God.  What is your heart yearning for today?  Do you want to help people see who Jesus really is, or are you content watching others do it?

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Well, it’s a new year, and everyone knows what that means, it’s time to break your resolutions!  I love the beginning of each new year.  It is a chance for a new start, an opportunity for change, another year for things to be different, goals to be met, and our lives to change.  Even though technically January 1 is no different than any other day, it feels fresh.

One thing I like to do each year is reflect on the past year.  I guess it gives me some grounding to see what God’s done, where He’s taken me, and look at where I may be headed.  For me, 2008 was a rocky year.  I saw some of the highest times in my life, and went through one of the hardest.  I started out the year in a church where I fully expected to become a full time staff member and ended it looking for a new place to worship.  I saw a youth ministry grow to approximately double its original size with many teenagers coming to know Christ, and I’ve seen some of those same teenagers push me away.  God has never taken me down a straight and easy path, so I don’t know why I expected this to be any different.

The fact that my path hasn’t been straight is not an indication that I’ve been forgotten, however.  See, I know that no matter what happens in my life, God is in control.  He never fails, and his plan is flawless.  So, even though I look forward to 2009 as a year that can bring great change in my life, I know that God already has it planned for me, and it’s even better than I could have imagined.

I’m excited for this year.  I know that God is planning something big for me.  I know that He will not leave me in the cold, and even if my path is not what I will it to be, God’s plan is better and I’d rather follow it.  How about you?  How will you face 2009?  Will you continue to fight to get your own way, or stive to follow God’s?  His path may not be what you would choose, and it may not always be easy, but if you are willing to follow it, you’ll find that the result will be much greater!

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We all love entertainment.  Who doesn’t love a good movie?  I love the movies.  I like movies so much that this past summer I saw every blockbuster in the theater.  I saw the epic “Dark Knight” 4 times!  Man, thinking back on it, I may have given cinema a bit too much money!  That notwithstanding, entertainment can be a good thing.

We’ve become an entertainment society.  We look for entertainment everywhere, including our churches.  However, is that a good place to look to be entertained?  Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a great worship band and neat graphics as much as the next guy, but those things are nothing without God. Church isn’t a place to just be entertained.  It’s a place to be challenged to live for Jesus.  It’s a place to learn about God’s love a grace.  Church is where the spiritually hungry come to learn where the food is located.

Let’s get hungry for God.  Let’s not go to church just to see what the band will sing, or the cool videos used by the pastor.  Isn’t it time to make sure we are coming to church to hear a word from the Lord?  Isn’t it time we are here on Sundays and Wednesdays to hear from God?  I think so.  If you are missing out on God on Sunday or Wednesday, what happens when you need him the rest of the week?

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