"Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old time
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are...
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
-Tennyson---Ulysses.
I thought I would share a few things that I have seen take place in my experience of planting a church. I hope that it will encourage those who are caught in neutral in their own burden to see God grow His community in whatever place He has laid on your heart.
First of all...I wish I would have done it sooner. Life is far more exciting on the seas than on the shore or in the harbor. Yes the ocean of life is unpredictable but God has a wind for sailors of the spirit.
There is always a fear of pirates on the open seas.
I never seem to learn this lesson...fear always stands in the way of faith.
What looming villains of destiny haunt your thought of a spiritual voyage from safety to adventure?
There are always tales of disaster, or failure, of obstacles to large, tragedies, and BLACKBEARDS that sink ships.
Adventure breeds the cowards tale...remember that, it can become a sirens song that will steal your courage and castrate you.
There is ALWAYS reasons to not do something that is dangerous, risky, unpopular or simply crazy...but those seem to be the things that produce the most reward for me. I find God on the the edge of sacrifice and potential failure and at almost every point of decision to do such endeavors there is always many voices and situations that seem to scream out in opposition to such steps. No matter how deep the burden or how long the call has been echoing in the prayers and visitations of the Lord...there will always be reasons not to do it, whatever it is. Accept it, embrace it and learn to move in spite of it or you will stall in the freeway of destiny.
Our walk is by FAITH...get that in your head and take that as your compass and you will be able to sail seas in the night.
God travels a lot at night, so learn to guide yourself in the dark by the LIGHTS. For me those light are sometimes dim but they are always there. What "lights" have been with you for a long time. What words from the Lord, what visions and dreams stick in your heart like a deeply barbed hook? What scripture passages never let you go? What places make you weep and draw you to prayer? What kind of people touch your heart? What part of the city seems "different" to you? Where do you drive when you want to pray? All these are small lights that end up being quite navigable in the dark. They are not the primary LIGHTS but they are lights that help. In the end you are going to have to grab the wheel and direct this ship of destiny in some direction and the longer you wait the longer you will have other people steer you towards their destiny. Everyone wants a crewman not a captain.
An oar is a safe place but no matter what amount of energy you expend, you will still go in the direction the captain is guiding the ship...no matter how much you bitch about the course...until you leave the galley you won't get somewhere different. And realize this...there are many people rowing oars that love to complain but won't get on deck and dare to grab the wheel. They have many complaints but no compass or charts...they know what they don't like but not where they want to go. They will keep rowing, it is safer and there is a lot of company in the galley.
I'm not talking mutiny...get off the ship after you have learned enough. When have you learned enough, you say? When you are sure you don't have it figured out anymore. When you no longer no where to go but just that you have to go. If you want to take the wheel of the ship you are on then you are probably not ready. When you are wiling to jump off and swim for dear life and find your own ship...than you might be ready. These seas need daring captains these days and the safe ones are still scrubbing someones elses deck somewhere, sheding tears of regret as life slips by and lands destined for them stay unreached.
Nobody likes change but a baby in a dirty diaper and even they cry about it. Some people that you thought wanted change...don't and many you thought didn't...do. There will be people you thought were on the same page and are not and there will be people you never expected had it in them...they do. Be ready to be surprised and aware that you too will have to accept the changes and some of them will hurt.
Face it...it will cost you but the cost is worth it. You need vision and dreams but you also need to draw with an eraser because the work you are going to see emerge is alive and it will have a life of it's own. Like parents that have children...they will look and share much that is similar about you, they will be an outgrowth of your life but they have their own personality too. Train up a child in THE WAY HE SHOULD GO is critical. God is leading you in vision and dreams but you do not see all the picture only some of it, so be open, walk clearly but light footed in order to adjust quickly.
Don't write in permanent ink but with a pencil and make sure it has an eraser because you will need it.
You need a crew to sail a ship to live a dream. Sow years into a city, it will produce sons and daughter that will become the crew of your dream. Birth your own church body through love, care and time. Raise up sons and daughters and they will share your heart, understand your mind and trust God in you because they have seen God in you.
Go for it captain...there is One who is in you that knows the way...trust Him. He made you the way you are, dare to lean on that internal spirit that He has put in you. You are not what they say you are...you are who He made you to be. Trust who He is in you and you will make it. He's got a bottle of fine wine ready to smash against the bow of your ship if you are ready to set sail. We will all praise God from the dock and a few will join you too. Hoist your sails captain...the seas await you.
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