Keep on living unleashed!

Jeremy

There was a new and special visitor at our worship service yesterday morning. The visitor was of the feathered variety. Since it was such a beautiful spring day, we had the doors open to our building. This provided a gentle, refreshing breeze to our celebration–it also provided the point of entry for a barn swallow. Right in the middle of my message, this winged visitor swooped in through a side door and began to perform strafing runs over the heads of all those gathered. Needless to say, I lost everyone’s attention–including my own. After frantically flying around the room for two or three minutes, the little aerial acrobat departed our midst through the same door he had entered. I don’t know that I got us fully back on track after that.

I must admit that I was a little disgruntled over this uninvited interruption. I mean, I had prepared all week for these moments and they seemed to have gotten lost to the performance of a bird. Immediately after that thought, it occurred to me that I shouldn’t think so highly of myself. The celebration gathering of a bunch of Jesus-followers is about Jesus and his kingdom–not me. If God decided to show off a bit through the graceful flight of a barn swallow, who am I to argue? It is ironic (or just a plain God-thing) that during this message, I told the story of Elijah standing at the mouth of the cave–waiting for the Lord to go by. God passed by in the gentle whisper. I think that God passed by our celebration yesterday–in the form of a barn swallow. I still have a lot to learn about hearing the gentle whisper of God–what about you? How often do we dismiss the still small voice of God as an interruption? I need to have my life interrupted a little more often.

Keep on Living Unleashed!

Jeremy

It is this inability to see clearly into the future that fuels the continued discussion and debate about what the future of the church looks like. What will be the model or program that will save the day? Will it be one particular leader or denomination? Do we get bigger or go smaller?

The future of the church does not lie with any one model, leader, denomination, or program. The future of the church lies in an attitude or posture. We must be consumed by passion for God on the mission that he has laid before us. When passion for God is the greatest motivator of our hearts, our choices and actions will be more and more in line with the heart of God. This passion should press us to follow Jesus with utter devotion. Different models and approaches will have greater or lesser potential given the situation that one is addressing. However, its ultimate effectiveness will be determined by our passion to live the kingdom life that God offers. So whatever you are going to do today, do it with a passion for God that is unquenchable.

Keep on Living Unleashed!

Jeremy

“How much I criticize you, my church, and yet how much I love you!

You have made me suffer more than anyone,

and yet I owe more to you than to anyone.

I should like to see you destroyed, and yet I need your presence.

You have given me much scandal,

and yet you alone have made me understand holiness.

Never in this world have I seen anything more compromised, more false,

And yet never have I touched anything more pure, more generous or more beautiful.

Countless times I have felt like

slamming the door of my soul in your face

And yet, every night, I have prayed that I might die in your sure arms.

No, I cannot be free of you, for I am one with you, even if not completely you.

Then, too – where would I go? To build another church?

But I could not build one without the same defects, for they are my defects.

And again, if I were to build another church, it would be my church, not Christ’s church.

No, I am old enough. I know better.”

Carretto captures the tension that exists in seeking church transformation and renewal.  There is much that we find that needs changing or even abandoning, and yet there is much that echoes the melody of God’s heart–his compassion and mission.  It is easy to attempt to vilify that which we wish to change instead of celebrating the parts that are right.  And yet, we can not get so wrapped up with a pie-in-the-sky attitude that we do not take on the hard and difficult task of challenging and confronting those parts of our system that flow more from our own agendas and traditions than they do from God’s heart.

To sort through these tensions, we must first commit to the discipline of fully surrendering ourselves to God’s heart and will.  It was once said that it is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.  By pouring all of our passions, desires, and plans through the prism of God’s heart, we will become more able to distinguish within the church that which is good–flowing from God’s heart–and that which is bad–flowing from our own agendas and traditions.

By allowing transformation and renewal to flow from our lives as they are being lived close to God’s heart, we will minimize the potential for building a church that honors ourselves and will instead build a church that honors and reflects Jesus Christ.

Keep on living unleashed!

Yet after being together for about four days, something happened in our worship. It became powerful, moving, and indescribable. Everyone became more engaged and interactive. The Spirit was present in a way that I had not felt during a worship gathering in quite a long time. When the celebration was over, everyone seemed to linger, not really wanting to ascend the hill back to the lodge. What changed? What happened?

We had become a true community. We had grown together as we were challenged to look deep within ourselves and identify all that God had placed within us. We had encouraged one another as we tapped into this potential and we began to develop into leaders. We faced fears and anxieties and tackled them. We overcame. We blossomed. It was amazing. The experience in worship was the result of a gathering of individuals who had opened up their lives to God and to each other. We were a true community. And we still are. We have each gone back to our “regular” lives, but we are no longer “regular.” Something has changed within us because of this awesome experience. That group of 34 people will always be a community because of what we hold in common. I look forward to worshiping with that group again.

The only passion that will truly bring peace, contentment, joy, and power to our lives is a passion for God as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ. All our other passions will fall into place if they are captured by this passion for God as the primary thrust of our lives.

God definitely created us to live passionate lives. And although, I don’t know that the advertisers that created the tag line for the cologne and I would interpret it in quite the same way, I can say that to live our lives without passion is unforgivable.

Acts 1:1-11.

Mentoring.  Jesus says that we will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth.  As with service, carrying the message of Jesus and his kingdom to the world is an integral part of being a Jesus-follower.
The most effective way of introducing others to Jesus and fanning into flame a passion for God within them is through relationships.  We mentor them by being involved in their lives and inviting them to be involved in ours.

Our mentoring goes beyond mere words.  It is most effective when our lives demonstrate the passion for God that we profess.  It does not mean that we have everything perfect, but our lives are moving forward to better reflect our passion for God and the attributes of his kingdom.

Mentoring is also intentional.  Usually, it doesn’t just happen.  We want to carry the message of Jesus to the world.  We want our lives to reflect his kingdom.  Therefore, we strive to establish relationships where these things can happen.

Once we stir up a passion for God in someone, we do not leave them.  We guide them through the same path of the Prism Principle so that they too can become mentors to others.

Do you already have relationships where you are intentionally sharing your passion for God?  If not, do you have present relationships where you could begin to share your passion for God?  Who are they?

Keep on Living Unleashed!

Matthew 25:31-46

Service.  The scriptures describe the movement of God throughout history as he is on mission to redeem humanity.  The climax of this movement is the death and resurrection of his son Jesus.  But the movement and mission does not stop there.  Jesus reminds us that no servant is greater than their master.  Jesus served to further the mission of God and bring glory to the kingdom.  He expects the same from us.  Service is not an option to exercise when we feel like it or have time.  It is an intricate part of who we are in Jesus.

Matthew records the parable of Jesus that we read today.  The parable describes what the judgement at the end of time will look like.  It is interesting as Jesus describes the standard on which we will be judged.  It is not based on our belief system, but on our actions.  Did we serve others who were in need?  That is the sole basis of the judgement in this parable.  That is why I said, service is not optional.

Sometimes we get so focused on what we shouldn’t do as a Jesus-follower that we forget it is also about what we do–in some ways even more so.  You see, we cannot follow Jesus, pursue the heart of God, or seek the kingdom if we do not or will not serve.  Why?  Because God is on mission, passionately pursuing those who do not yet know him.  So, if we are going to pursue the heart of God, we must pursue them as well.  Jesus came as a servant.  We cannot follow him if we will not serve.  The kingdom turns upside down worldly order–the first shall be last and the last shall be first.  We cannot seek the kingdom if we are not willing to serve others first.

In what ways have you been a servant so far this week?  In what ways can you serve someone today?

Keep on Living Unleashed!

Matthew 25:14-30

Individual growth. God expects that our results will be in line with the gifts he has given. Notice that in Jesus’ parable that the owner did not dictate how each of the servants was to invest their talents. However, he definitely expected that they would invest their talents and produce results. God does not just expect that we will accept who we have been created to be, he also expects that we will live it. I will not be judged on anyone else’s scale of talents, but I will answer for my own. What have I done with the life that God has given me?

One thing that is not lacking in the scriptures is plenty of promises of accountability. I will not be asked to account for what my neighbor did or did not do. I will be asked to account for what I did or did not do. Developing an intentional plan to become all that I can be is not an optional aspect of life, but expected of me by God. There is a part that I can play in sharing the Good News of Jesus and furthering God’s kingdom on earth. Discovering our gifts and talents and using them to their fullest potential is part of our calling. Being willing to step out and allow God to use us even beyond our abilities is part of faith. As we walk with Jesus, he will bring us to do greater things for him than we could ever imagine. And he will make it possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. Life as a Jesus-follower is an awesome trip. There is nothing more exciting or adventurous than partnering with God to change the world.

How are you using the talents that God has given you? As you discover more about your talents, are you actively making a plan for how to develop them and use them to the fullest of your potential? Are you asking God to show you how you can use all that he has gifted you with to make Jesus known to the world? Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?