What’s Growing Inside of Your Church or Ministry?
Hey Friends,
God gave me a cool thought last week while reading in my devotion time with Him. I was in 2 Kings and got to Chapter 11. There is a great story, rich with symbolism and meaning for us today. King Ahaziah died in battle and his mother, the Queen, killed all of his kids – all except the one she missed. Joash was taken and hidden in the Temple. The Queen didn’t even realize he was missed in the mass execution. For six years the priests hid him from the wicked queen. I guess they knew she wasn’t EVER going to the Temple! A whole different lesson altogether…
At the end of the sixth year the guards brought him out and proclaimed him King. They killed the Queen and made Joash the King. As I pondered on the passage a thought hit me: what are we growing in the House of God? Think about it. They were growing a king that made sweeping reforms for God.
What are we growing? Warriors? Scholars? Jesus Freaks? Christ-followers? An army for God? Saints? People sold out in deep love with God?
Take a look around your ministry, your group, church, family or friends. What are you helping to grow for God? We don’t usually look forward to where we are going so we don’t worry about the crop of Christians we are raising up. Do you think this is an important question? I do, and I am sure God cares because He has so much to say about this topic.
Would it be fair to say that in the last two or three generations we are not raising up warriors? It is easy to see we are losing this generation and we must accept some of the responsibility. So, what will we do about it? I challenge you to seriously consider my query and make a deliberate decision on what you want to be a part of raising up.
God wants to use you! Are you up to the challenge?
Love ya,
Pastor Chris
3 Comments
In Wild at Heart John Eldridge says we are growing up “Mister Rogers” which is a far cry from a warrior. He goes on to probe marriage and parenting and says that wives grow weary of mister rogers and children don’t respect him. Mister Rogers may be fun to play with in the land of make believe but He is not a warrior to take into battle, to fight for marriage, family, community, or to breach the gates of hell and rescue those in bondage. It would be better to raise up Maximus, Sampson, William Wallace, David, Joseph…
Tony Campolo, a sociologist who made a big name for himself in the 80’s and 90’s as a dynamic youth speaker and general ecclesiastical gadfly, said something once that I never forgot. In his classic eastern accent he shouted, “youth is not a time for entertainment, it is a time for heroism!” An inveterate iconoclast, Tony was fond of attacking religious idols. The one he was hammering on at the moment was insipid youth programming that foolishly strove to compete with MTV and Disneyland, as if providing good, clean fun defined the youth pastor’s highest aspiration.
Tony was saying what we all know, young people, especially those who have not yet reached 30 are wired for challenge, for risk, for adventure. They gravitate toward it like hawks circling road kill. Youth carries with it a thirst for significance. And, if the challenge is strong enough, if the vision is compelling enough, the Grand Adventure large enough, they will give it their very lives. It is no wonder that it is from the pool of recent High School graduates that marine recruiters meet their yearly quota of aggressive, death-defying warriors.” – T.J. Stoner
I thought this was fitting for your blog today.
Todd,
I read that book and one called “Why Men Hate Going to Church.” I agree with you. Men were made for challenge, risk, and a battle. When the church doesn’t encourage men to go after a challenge following God, then their passion and zeal fades.
Andy.