Wednesday, October 01, 2008
So, I got to thinking this morning whether or not it is wise to be planting churches in an "uncertain" financial climate. After all, when the financial picture is uncertain, how could you possibly dream of trying to raise extra funds to support this type of effort?
But, as I thought more and more, I began to think that perhaps this is a perfect time to be planting churches. We are in the midst of the "Great American Dream" being exposed as a lie. In our times of financial prosperity (even if it was built upon perceived equity instead of stable assets), we (as a society) began to buy into the lie that we could have it all, do it all, be it all: right now.
Of course, if we were to step back and analyze that ideal, we would quickly realize that the "Great American Lie" (as I like to call it) is simply not true. Unfortunately, for many people, the fallout of this massive unveiling of the lie is a sense of despair, hopelessness, pain, worry, and doubt.
Isn't this the very essence of the human condition that Jesus came to bring healing and redemption to? Consider the words of Psalm 121:
I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
The church is God's chosen instrument of grace and reconciliation in the world. Isn't this the perfect time for us to be looking to our neighbors, and offering them a relationship with the One who can bring hope, purpose, confidence, and peace?
Perhaps this is the perfect time to plant a church. Perhaps this is the perfect time to plant a whole network of churches.
What do you think?
Labels: church planting
Posts
I don't know what "everything" is for you or the next guy, but I do know most of America revolves around dollar bills.
I don't like to be in the middle of things. Half pregnant is no fun. I'd say conception or a baby is where there action is!!! That is when people are making decisions, that is when they have to take action.
I pray God would constantly put me in a pressure situation to do something with my life. The current market is making me face up to my pocket book reality!
This truly is a time where people are going to be making HUGE life decisions. Life and family trajectories will be shaped and altered. A simple question is this: will the modern-day incarnation of Jesus Christ, the church, His followers, be there to be the "light" that Jesus described in Matt. 5?
After all, we are a "city on a hill", our response (positive or negative) WILL be noticed.
Thanks for commenting!
We stand with you, around you and have your back! Actually, God is the One who goes ahead of us, surrounds us and behind us with His watch care and if He is for us, who can be against us!
It is time! As a matter of fact our time is dwindling away so it is urgent and imperative that we do something NOW!
Way to go, Man! Way to step into the waters! Leaders get to get their feet wet first!
They also get to see God do things that they can't accomplish! A front seat to the show! That's what I want! That's what you have got! Hold onto to your hat for the ride of your life!
Ben, you got me ramped up! Check out www.belindakendall.typepad.com. I couldn't even finish my post without getting down what God was stirring in me! Let's stir up more for HIM!