Here are some insights from the most recent Leadership Summit last August. Today, I felt compelled to review some notes. (The workshop notes are still in my bag, 6 months later!)
"In other eras, the Jesus people were the inspiring, the dogged, the courageous, the unashamed. Now were mediocre, un-excellent, and unaccountable." (“LOVING” and “GRACIOUS” are words we use to ease any recognition of our lack of effectiveness)
"We’ve spiritualized mediocrity. We aren’t loving well and we’re not extending grace, we’re not trusting God to be sovereign, at work, and leading. We apply the label of 'faith-led' selectively to some of our circumstances but not all. We convince ourselves that circumstances are godly when they’re shallow and hollow. This is part of a very large problem."
"It matters!!! Be excellent, rigorous, effective, and accountable."
"Something is wrong if Christ’s yoke is light, but mine is heavy."
"God, rescue us from all things PETTY. "
Thoughts? Many of these quotes are from the second session, with Gary Haugen of IJM. Wow. He was inspiring. And courageous. In one 30 minute session, we were left with a beautiful impression of a person who leads entirely for the Kingdom ... and bears fruit. Wow.
But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.
Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
He hates those who love violence.
He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
punishing them with scorching winds.
For the righteous Lord loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face.
from psalm 11
yup I agree! I am continually frustrated with myself as well as others lack of understanding what it means to fully live out our faith in away that is not MEDIOCRE.
ReplyDeleteMe
I think we get caught up too much with the "God wants us to live comfortabley" statement, and "Enogh money for a future", and then maybe we worry about money, and maybe then, is when we stop trusting God, and live a medicore faith life. I feel that as Christians we often get caught in the money trap... In the society trap.. Sometimes I feel like we are trying to appeal to society to get people to understand and join us when in reality it was the very exact opposite that Jesus showed the world. Their love was completely different, it was not over-consumerized green-ness and advocacy, it wasn't a little family of four or five wearing polished shoes and going to church. It was a whole family of people who loved Jesus, and when they found this love, they loved others. It was a group of people who lived compeletely different and together, sharing ALL the money, living together. Loving together. If God is love, then loving together must mean living in Christ together... These people who lived in Christ, they weren't afraid to give up all they owned, ditch fishing with thier fathers, withdrawl all the money out of their bank accounts, learn to sacrifce, learn to grow, to learn that war really isn't the answer.. Even so called peace-keeping. These people lived in together in Christ since they loved togther which I explained above is the the smae thing. Anyway these people gave up living "for their bank accounts so they can live for God". I don't think these people worried or evern were concerned about money, they were to consumed in love.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the rant... I have just been thinking about what you wrote about for a very long time, and I think now that I have actually said what I have been thinking, I might go an rethink my life and my plans for my future.
C. Lynette
*Giant Hug*