Here are my things NOT to do for this week:
- Do NOT go
- Do NOT preach
- Do NOT make friends
- Do NOT go to church
Jesus surprises me. At the end of His time here, He told his disciples to take all of His teaching, miracles and resurrection power, march right straight to Jerusalem and then – DO NOTHING AT ALL – at least until the Holy Spirit showed up (Acts 1:4 NIV).
I don’t get this right all the time. Often I go before I wait. Maybe if I did more waiting I would go where and when I should? So…
Item 1. Do not go (until I wait).
Spiritual leadership in today’s church has taught me how to master words. I know paradigm and relevant and cynergy and organic and many more. I am out of the box.
Problem is, I think at times, I use words to keep myself from action. My talking can be divorced from acts of restoration. His never was (Matt. 12:18 NIV).
Maybe I will see real change when healing and justice proceed my preaching? So…
Item 2. Do NOT preach (until I serve).
I am called as a slave to join a family (Philem. 16 NIV). This sounds good until you get in a few family fights. I like friendship evangelism. It’s safer than family evangelism. The problem is that friendship is a low calling.
Maybe I have set the standard of Biblical fellowship below Christ? So…
Item 3. Do NOT make friends (make family members)
The Church is not designed for celebrity leadership. It only grows as each follower does his/her part Eph. 4:16 (NIV). Participation not fame is the engine of change. Have I used performance (how my ministry looks on stage) as my strategy? Have I neglected participation (how those I am pastoring are used by God) as the true measure of my success?
Maybe if I increased participation I would see real growth. So…
Item 4. Do NOT just go to church…(be the church and help other be the church too).
