In the last few days I have really been thinking about this subject a lot. Bay Hills is entering into a new phase or season, as my friend Alex told me yesterday, and it can be a little scary. Today I received a comment from a worship leader named Jim on a post from a few weeks ago in which I revealed my deepest, darkest, most selfish ambitions (Confessions of a Worship Pastor). This prompted me to think even more on the subject of discerning whether or not God is working in our lives.
My conclusion is that as long as everything is going well, plans are coming together without a hitch, people are generally happy with what we're doing, etc., we are not being effective and God is not particularly involved in what we are doing. In an email conversation with a buddy from my high school days, Matt, he reminded me that Jesus was offensive and if he's not offensive then we don't know him like we should. So whether you're in ministry or work at the local McDonald's...which I won't be boycotting...if you're just cruising along, you may need to ask God to shake things up a bit.
I'm not saying you should intentionally tick people off but if what you are doing isn't ruffling a few feathers, if you aren't causing a few people to be offended, you may want to re-think your approach. People-pleasing is never the answer. What we as Christ-followers should strive for is God-pleasing and that is it. Those who are on board with what God is doing will be pleased...eventually.
So, good news Bay Hills. All of the struggle with facilities, the daily opposition you face as a Christ-follower in the Bay Area, and all of the other small conflicts we face, are a sign that God is getting ready to do something big. So brace yourselves, its coming.
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My conclusion is that as long as everything is going well, plans are coming together without a hitch, people are generally happy with what we're doing, etc., we are not being effective and God is not particularly involved in what we are doing. In an email conversation with a buddy from my high school days, Matt, he reminded me that Jesus was offensive and if he's not offensive then we don't know him like we should. So whether you're in ministry or work at the local McDonald's...which I won't be boycotting...if you're just cruising along, you may need to ask God to shake things up a bit.
I'm not saying you should intentionally tick people off but if what you are doing isn't ruffling a few feathers, if you aren't causing a few people to be offended, you may want to re-think your approach. People-pleasing is never the answer. What we as Christ-followers should strive for is God-pleasing and that is it. Those who are on board with what God is doing will be pleased...eventually.
So, good news Bay Hills. All of the struggle with facilities, the daily opposition you face as a Christ-follower in the Bay Area, and all of the other small conflicts we face, are a sign that God is getting ready to do something big. So brace yourselves, its coming.
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2 comments:
I really appriciate your blog this one makes me feel like we have been talkin bout what been going on in each others lives and that the blog entry is a response to that or
dang it i just wrote a deep comment and then i went to send it and it didnt go through so just so u know i really appreciate your blog
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