Author Archive
Spiritual Co-dependency
Posted by: | CommentsSpeaking of the way we do church, Mark Batterson (in Wild Goose Chase) says:
“…I’m afraid we’ve turned church into a spectator sport. Too many of us are content with letting a spiritual leader seek God for us. Like the Israelites, we want Moses to climb the mountain for us. After all, it is much easier to let someone else pray for us or study for us. So the church unintentionally fosters a subtle form of spiritual codependency.”
This is why it is so important for the church to encourage and equip people to be in the Word for themselves. It is also important for people to know that the church can provide opportunities for growth and equipping, but it is still up to the individual believer to take next steps in his relationship with God. The church cannot make anyone do that, and the church is not responsible to do that.
What do you think? Has the church made people spiritually codependent?
Guts… Dream the Unthinkable. Attempt the Impossible.
Posted by: | CommentsOk, I have 2-3 three more posts this week on things that struck a chord with me from Mark Batterson’s Book, “Wild Goose Chase,” and then I will be done.
“We need people who are more afraid of missing opportunities than making mistakes. People who are more afraid of lifelong regrets than temporary failure. People who dare to dream the unthinkable and attempt the impossible.”
I know this is where I want to live. Not that I want to fail or make mistakes, but I do not want to sit by and do nothing just because I am afraid of temporary discomfort or embarrassment from failing. I think this is why many churches fail to grow, and why many Christians are unhappy.
It is easy to play it safe when things are going good. After all, who wants to mess up a good thing by making changes? But here is the deal, if you are not constantly changing, you are not growing. If you are not dreaming, then you have no vision. If you are reaching into the past for what to do in the future, you are grasping at straws. We need more Christians and churches with guts. Guts to attempt BIG things for God. Guts to do the things that no one else is doing. Guts to “dream the unthinkable and attempt the impossible.”
I am praying for guts… what about you?
Worship Confessional: January 10th, 2010
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This was the second week of our first series of the year called, “The Body,” which focuses on the church working together to be the church. I think there are many Christ-followers today that are disassociated from the church which not only hurts them, but it hurts the body as well. I know there are sometimes reasons why people have left or felt rejected by the church, but it is still God’s plan for the believer to be engaged in a local church for relationships, for service and for accountability. Let’s look at the setlist:
- Forever – Tomlin
- Your Grace Is Enough – Maher
- You Are My Strength – Morgan
Special Music – Great job Lesley!
Video Intro for message
Message – “The Body”
Time of response
Offering and Announcements
- Friend of God – Houghton/Gungor
It has been kind of surreal to think about me only having two more weeks of leading worship at Glenville (or anywhere for that matter – read my announcement from last week if you have not). We have some tentative plans on what we will be doing that I will share in the near future here on my blog.
This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at theworshipcommunity.com.
Going… or Becoming?
Posted by: | CommentsContinuing on with some quotes from Mark Batterson’s Wild Goose Chase:
I am going to use two quotes here this morning. The first is from Mark as he writes,
“…God seems to be far less concerned with where I am going than with who I’m becoming. I think some of us want to know the will of God more than we want to know God.”
It is not easy to focus more on the process than it is the destination. Dreams, goals and vision that God gives you are certainly good to have, but God is more concerned with who you are becoming than He is in your achieving anything. It is not easy for me to write that, because I do want to know what the end result of my journey is gong to be. I want to know where I will end up, and when I will get there. And yes, God is interested in that as well, but if I get to the end and have learned nothing about God in the process, what have I really gained? Nothing! The journey is where we get to know God. It is where He works and shows Himself strong.
Mark then quotes Oswald Chambers:
“The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end. His purpose is that I depend in Him and on His power now. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.”
Wow. Just read that and let it sink in a bit. We think that the goal achieved, the desire accomplished, the status attained is what it is all about. Really, it is about how we get there, and how our relationship with God grows in the process.
So, what are you concerned with? Going… or Becoming?
The Lord Determines Our Steps
Posted by: | CommentsHere is another quote from Mark Batterson’s Wild Goose Chase that really struck a chord with me, especially with our recent events:
“God is far more concerned about your future than you are. We put so much pressure on ourselves, as if the eternal plans of the almighty God are contingent upon our ability to decipher them. The truth is, God want to reveal them more than we want to know them… In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
How much do you worry about things? I have been guilty of asking God if He knew what was going on in my life. Of course, I already knew the answer, but 
the fact remained that I did not think God was paying much attention to my situation. I had taken control, or at least I thought I had, and my control only led to more worry and indecision. I needed to listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life…” Jesus then goes on to explain how God cares for the flowers and the birds, and since I am a little higher up the food chain, He certainly will take care of me. He also reminds us to “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
I need to stay Kingdom minded and focused. God will take care of showing me the steps I need to take… of that I am sure! He works from the future back, and knowing that He has already been where I am going gives me great comfort.
