I found this quote from some guy named Wolfgang Simson.
Don't know who he is & don't know what he's all about.
But... I have, indeed, been hearing God say the same thing for quite a while now.
"God is changing the church, and that, in turn, will change the world.
Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They are saying in effect,
'Church as we know it is preventing church as God wants it.'
Amazingly, many are hearing God say the same thing to them."
Makes me want to cry, work, run, pray, bail, jump, do, be!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Raise That Torch!
The glowing blue lights bobbed & swayed in the air - their rhythmic weaving reminiscent of fireflies dancing or a school of luminescent fish swimming in unison. But the periwinkle light was not coming from insects or underwater creatures. The soft blue glow was that of thousands of cell phones brightening the air.
‘Back in the day’ I attended concerts where the crowd lit & held their archetypal lighters in the air. Man did your thumb get hot pretty quickly! That was many years and a lot of technological advances ago. Since cell phones have become more prevalent than smokers, they have replaced the lighter as the unofficial concert torch.
As we worshipped & celebrated at an evangelism conference this past weekend, thousands of students (& chaperones) held up these digital torches. It might take some convincing if you’ve never seen it, but this display was actually quite beautiful. The crowd of over 9,000 was somehow unified by the constellation of lights scattered across the stadium. As the musicians used their gifts to enhance our worship, there was a connection of the worshippers with one another. We experienced that tangible thrill that comes when many individuals bond together for a common purpose, a common goal, a common task, a common mission. In that moment, our focus was on celebrating the love, joy & hope found in our saving God.
It’s easy to keep the torch in our pocket – refuse to hold it up. We can use our cell phones for their intended, functional purpose and never be part of something different & alive & beautiful. Who first decided to hold up his glowing cell phone in the context of a concert? Did others laugh, point, pull out their own digital lights? Innovation can be beautiful – especially if it leads to advancement or a deeper sense of organizational unity. In fact, without breaking into new frontiers & creating new uses for old things, progress cannot be made. The best way to propel the gospel forward is to pray for invigorating new methods, concepts & contexts in which to share it. And then, we must implement the guidance the Lord provides.
When is the last time you found a new use for an existing object – or giftedness – or strength – or idea that you possess? When is the last time you raised your torch in unison with others for a God-sized purpose? What exciting ministry, outreach, worship, discipleship, fellowship concept has been lying dormant within you – just waiting to be flipped open and held high for all to see? Would you discover it? Share it? Incite thrill in those around you with it? It’s time to raise that torch.
‘Back in the day’ I attended concerts where the crowd lit & held their archetypal lighters in the air. Man did your thumb get hot pretty quickly! That was many years and a lot of technological advances ago. Since cell phones have become more prevalent than smokers, they have replaced the lighter as the unofficial concert torch.
As we worshipped & celebrated at an evangelism conference this past weekend, thousands of students (& chaperones) held up these digital torches. It might take some convincing if you’ve never seen it, but this display was actually quite beautiful. The crowd of over 9,000 was somehow unified by the constellation of lights scattered across the stadium. As the musicians used their gifts to enhance our worship, there was a connection of the worshippers with one another. We experienced that tangible thrill that comes when many individuals bond together for a common purpose, a common goal, a common task, a common mission. In that moment, our focus was on celebrating the love, joy & hope found in our saving God.
It’s easy to keep the torch in our pocket – refuse to hold it up. We can use our cell phones for their intended, functional purpose and never be part of something different & alive & beautiful. Who first decided to hold up his glowing cell phone in the context of a concert? Did others laugh, point, pull out their own digital lights? Innovation can be beautiful – especially if it leads to advancement or a deeper sense of organizational unity. In fact, without breaking into new frontiers & creating new uses for old things, progress cannot be made. The best way to propel the gospel forward is to pray for invigorating new methods, concepts & contexts in which to share it. And then, we must implement the guidance the Lord provides.
When is the last time you found a new use for an existing object – or giftedness – or strength – or idea that you possess? When is the last time you raised your torch in unison with others for a God-sized purpose? What exciting ministry, outreach, worship, discipleship, fellowship concept has been lying dormant within you – just waiting to be flipped open and held high for all to see? Would you discover it? Share it? Incite thrill in those around you with it? It’s time to raise that torch.
What Tribe Are You From?
“Can you help us? Our success rate is only 65%. How do we get more people to receive Jesus when we share the gospel?” This was the question that a native Kenyan posed to a short-term American missionary. This local evangelist was deeply disturbed because only 2 out 3 of the people he witnessed to accepted Christ. How would we, in America, feel about such a ‘low’ percentage?
Some of us may be blessed with a 100% success rate. You see, if we never share the gospel, then there is never the opportunity for failure. So, in essence, not sharing is probably the only way to keep a perfect record! But, I have a really tough time believing that God is pleased with that type of ‘success’. I’m sure He’d much rather us have a 100% obedience rate in sharing the story of the love of Jesus with everyone we come in contact with.
I asked this short-term missionary, Eric, to share how exactly the natives of Kenya shared the gospel with their fellow countrymen. “I don’t really know. Even though they spoke English most of the time, they used each individual’s tribal language when sharing the gospel.” How beautiful.
I see in this answer a great truth that we in the West need to learn. Regardless of how you slice it – America is no longer a ‘Christian nation.’ Sure, there are still plenty of Christians in it. There are thousands upon thousands of church buildings. But what about our heart? Our worldview? Our priorities? Our values? Our overall attitude to the exclusive claims of Christ? Whether we like it or not, many researchers tell us that we are actually in a ‘Post-Christendom’ America where churches no longer hold their once-prominent, central place in society.
If this is true, then believers have to reevaluate how we minister to the culture around us. One thing we can learn from the Kenyans is that we must speak to each soul in his or her own tribal language. Do we present the gospel to a 21 year-old the same way we present it to a 55 year-old not-yet-believer? Is there a different dialect that we must employ to engage each tribe? Is it OK to share the eternal truths of God’s Word in different ways based on a person’s background, age, lifestyle, needs, media exposure, communication methods, interests, etc?
It better be.
If we are not willing to engage people with a language they understand, we might as well shoot for the 100% success rate that comes from not even trying. But, once again, I have a tough time believing that’s what God expects from us.
Some of us may be blessed with a 100% success rate. You see, if we never share the gospel, then there is never the opportunity for failure. So, in essence, not sharing is probably the only way to keep a perfect record! But, I have a really tough time believing that God is pleased with that type of ‘success’. I’m sure He’d much rather us have a 100% obedience rate in sharing the story of the love of Jesus with everyone we come in contact with.
I asked this short-term missionary, Eric, to share how exactly the natives of Kenya shared the gospel with their fellow countrymen. “I don’t really know. Even though they spoke English most of the time, they used each individual’s tribal language when sharing the gospel.” How beautiful.
I see in this answer a great truth that we in the West need to learn. Regardless of how you slice it – America is no longer a ‘Christian nation.’ Sure, there are still plenty of Christians in it. There are thousands upon thousands of church buildings. But what about our heart? Our worldview? Our priorities? Our values? Our overall attitude to the exclusive claims of Christ? Whether we like it or not, many researchers tell us that we are actually in a ‘Post-Christendom’ America where churches no longer hold their once-prominent, central place in society.
If this is true, then believers have to reevaluate how we minister to the culture around us. One thing we can learn from the Kenyans is that we must speak to each soul in his or her own tribal language. Do we present the gospel to a 21 year-old the same way we present it to a 55 year-old not-yet-believer? Is there a different dialect that we must employ to engage each tribe? Is it OK to share the eternal truths of God’s Word in different ways based on a person’s background, age, lifestyle, needs, media exposure, communication methods, interests, etc?
It better be.
If we are not willing to engage people with a language they understand, we might as well shoot for the 100% success rate that comes from not even trying. But, once again, I have a tough time believing that’s what God expects from us.
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