In all my years of ministry, I have created and envisioned and led in creative places that "no one would go". I usually had a foundational faith platform from which I lept into those unknowns. Something happens though, when you find that your faith platform needs an overhaul. It's not as though I suddenly find God in a different way. How I think He wants to work in our world is not as clean and easy as I have always declared. Well, easy might not be the exact term . .but . .neat and tidy . .the proverbial . .'if you do . . . then God will".
I recently read a transcript of an interview with Rick Warren. Whatever your thinking is about him, he is clear on what paradigms he will change . .and which ones he will not. He says he didn't change his lifestyle or his passionate desire to lead people to Christ. It's always been about people. He did say that he'd change according to the culture or at least meet people where they are and give them Jesus.
Now . .the idea of being willing to do those kinds of paradigm shifts is what intrigues me. Christians are told that they are to be in the world but not "of" it. My training really leaned on the "not of it" part. I think I am seeing the "in the world" part a little more clearly these days. I think the whole idea of "in the world" needs more intentionality in a believer's life. Now, it could be that I have been in this mode more that others. I just don't know. The thought of actually planning my life, setting my goals, even moving to a predetermined neighborhood for the purpose of impacting those around me has really only just dawned on me lately.
For example, I really wanted my church to hire me to do some things that they really have not been doing. There's just not enough manpower, or even planning to consider what I was thinking about. Finances are always the problem. (After seeing this go on for years, I wonder if we should just chuck our whole system and try again, you know?) A couple of years ago, I was struck with the idea of putting myself in a place to touch people. I can do that every time I work at my job. I am a cashier. I've never done that before this, but I "sold" the idea on the store manager and was hired. Now, every day I work, there are people I touch. Sometimes it's my coworkers. Sometimes it's our customers. I feel like I have worthwhile intentional ministry to people. I am in such a much better place to fulfill the mission of my life - to reconcile the world to Christ.
Here's my challenge . . . I don't know very many people who live like that. I would love to have people to talk and pray with daily about this. My friends who live like this are not my "in person" friends. They are mostly on the internet. We gather to talk about our day and see what God is up to in different situations. It's like a grand gathering. Blogs give that opportunity too within the time space that it takes to read them. I wonder if there are "in person" people who'd do the paradigm shift and be both? (blog and be "in person" too!)
This is getting too long . . . more another time.
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