Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Will. . .of God?
Not often enough, but every once in a while and never by accident, we come to a place in our lives where our abilities mesh almost seamlessly with the vision of God. We find ourselves in circumstances where we say to ourselves, "I was brought into the Kingdom for such a time as this."
The great tragedy that befalls many is that since this combination feels so natural, seems so effortless, we fail to recognize the preciousness of it.
What makes something precious? A supply that doesn't keep up with demand, rarity.
A few times in my life, I have been in churches where God decided to move in a special way. Without fail, something seems to take the place of the move of God. In some cases it is simply rebellion; knowing what God wants but refusing to do it. In other cases it is routine; repeating the things (service elements, songs, environment) that were present when God moved in the hopes of maintaining the move of God. In all cases, though it is fleshed out in different ways, it is a failure to continually seek God.
One of the reasons the ultimate result of this failure to seek God goes unnoticed is that the secondary items that we focus on will by themselves promote some result; masking the underlying problem.
For example; suppose a church, having sought God to move; is visited by just such a move. Tired dusty traditions are removed, and a fresh energy, ushered in by the Spirit of God permeates the worship services. New music with lyrics that draw people into the presence of God is introduced; preaching that is anointed flows from the pulpit. Growth is measured not only in the numbers of people attending but by their energetic desire to be transformed into the image of Christ.
People (normally a smallish core) step up and fill positions that are needed and the move of God continues.
Now suppose outside forces begin to be exerted (or exerted more forcefully). Some members of the congregation miss the old church where they knew everyone. Some people, having lived in the relative comfort of not being challenged by the Holy Spirit find this new dynamic unnerving. Others are okay with the move of God, but just dislike the new music and elements introduced in the worship services.
Now up to this point, those who wanted a move of God, although they may not have expected it to look like this, are okay. But a subtle change begins to take place, almost imperceptible at first. People are so busy 'administering' that we begin to pray less and less for the vision and plan of God. Some people, ranging from passively to actively hostile to elements of the Move of God, stop praying because they're not sure they really want any more of it.
Weaknesses in infrastructure begin to become evident and in an effort to patch them up, popular writings from other successful churches are read and gleaned for tips to help. Focus on an overriding vision begins to be supplanted by daily decisions that must be made just to keep operating.
Six months, a year passes and suddenly someone realizes that leadership hasn't spent any significant time in prayer for a long long time. But even then, schedules are such that no one dares suggest yet another meeting for leadership. We become so busy executing God's will that we no longer take the time to seek it.
But momentum, and results of preaching the Word and serving God faithfully mask the underlying loss; the fresh vision of God and an all encompassing vision to execute it.
And so, by the time we realize our error; a great deal of time has passed. Old traditions, long removed have either crept back in or have been replaced with new ones. Religious tradition is really nothing more than using some method of bringing people into the presence of God long after it has ceased to be effective. It doesn't matter whether that method is a creed, a brass cross, stained glass windows or a multimedia projector; once it ceases in its ability to effectively draw the congregation to a place where their hearts can be impacted by God, it is an empty tradition that can, according to scripture, make even the Word of God of no effect.
And so we have come nearly full circle. And before long, if we do not change; surrounded by elements that no longer speak to them, a generation will rise up and seek the Move of God. And God in His faithfulness will move.
*****
We are not so much heading in the wrong direction as failing to ask in what direction we should head. We are not so much missing the will of God, as we are missing the opportunity for God to refine His will for us. We are not so much in rebellion as we are on auto-pilot. We have not so much missed God as God misses us. ¶ 9:20 PM
Not often enough, but every once in a while and never by accident, we come to a place in our lives where our abilities mesh almost seamlessly with the vision of God. We find ourselves in circumstances where we say to ourselves, "I was brought into the Kingdom for such a time as this."
The great tragedy that befalls many is that since this combination feels so natural, seems so effortless, we fail to recognize the preciousness of it.
What makes something precious? A supply that doesn't keep up with demand, rarity.
A few times in my life, I have been in churches where God decided to move in a special way. Without fail, something seems to take the place of the move of God. In some cases it is simply rebellion; knowing what God wants but refusing to do it. In other cases it is routine; repeating the things (service elements, songs, environment) that were present when God moved in the hopes of maintaining the move of God. In all cases, though it is fleshed out in different ways, it is a failure to continually seek God.
One of the reasons the ultimate result of this failure to seek God goes unnoticed is that the secondary items that we focus on will by themselves promote some result; masking the underlying problem.
For example; suppose a church, having sought God to move; is visited by just such a move. Tired dusty traditions are removed, and a fresh energy, ushered in by the Spirit of God permeates the worship services. New music with lyrics that draw people into the presence of God is introduced; preaching that is anointed flows from the pulpit. Growth is measured not only in the numbers of people attending but by their energetic desire to be transformed into the image of Christ.
People (normally a smallish core) step up and fill positions that are needed and the move of God continues.
Now suppose outside forces begin to be exerted (or exerted more forcefully). Some members of the congregation miss the old church where they knew everyone. Some people, having lived in the relative comfort of not being challenged by the Holy Spirit find this new dynamic unnerving. Others are okay with the move of God, but just dislike the new music and elements introduced in the worship services.
Now up to this point, those who wanted a move of God, although they may not have expected it to look like this, are okay. But a subtle change begins to take place, almost imperceptible at first. People are so busy 'administering' that we begin to pray less and less for the vision and plan of God. Some people, ranging from passively to actively hostile to elements of the Move of God, stop praying because they're not sure they really want any more of it.
Weaknesses in infrastructure begin to become evident and in an effort to patch them up, popular writings from other successful churches are read and gleaned for tips to help. Focus on an overriding vision begins to be supplanted by daily decisions that must be made just to keep operating.
Six months, a year passes and suddenly someone realizes that leadership hasn't spent any significant time in prayer for a long long time. But even then, schedules are such that no one dares suggest yet another meeting for leadership. We become so busy executing God's will that we no longer take the time to seek it.
But momentum, and results of preaching the Word and serving God faithfully mask the underlying loss; the fresh vision of God and an all encompassing vision to execute it.
And so, by the time we realize our error; a great deal of time has passed. Old traditions, long removed have either crept back in or have been replaced with new ones. Religious tradition is really nothing more than using some method of bringing people into the presence of God long after it has ceased to be effective. It doesn't matter whether that method is a creed, a brass cross, stained glass windows or a multimedia projector; once it ceases in its ability to effectively draw the congregation to a place where their hearts can be impacted by God, it is an empty tradition that can, according to scripture, make even the Word of God of no effect.
And so we have come nearly full circle. And before long, if we do not change; surrounded by elements that no longer speak to them, a generation will rise up and seek the Move of God. And God in His faithfulness will move.
*****
We are not so much heading in the wrong direction as failing to ask in what direction we should head. We are not so much missing the will of God, as we are missing the opportunity for God to refine His will for us. We are not so much in rebellion as we are on auto-pilot. We have not so much missed God as God misses us. ¶ 9:20 PM
