Ministry...

Reading through Radical by David Platte has been quite the experience for Meghan and I. We don't get to read together as much as we would like, but when we do finally get to read a chapter, it seems like we are always challenged.

This last chapter was about the Church. It was definitely a hard chapter to read. Platte referenced some different churches that he had visited in countries that currently don't allow Christian missionaries on their soil. He referenced the power and passion that the churches run with because of their total dependance on God for everything they need to grow and succeed.

He said that his view on American churches had been severely impacted because of his encounters with these churches...that American churches were relying on their own power to succeed instead of relying on God and the power of the Holy Spirit. That accusation is something that really made me struggle. I don't like to think of churches in America being selfish and not rooted in prayer, but the sad reality is that there probably are churches where that is the case.

We live in such a commercialized society that we tend to focus on what WE can do to bring people into the church, like modern videos, louder and more entertaining worship, and energetic, relevant preaching. I'm not saying that these are bad things, but if we as leaders are focused on what WE can do and not what God can do then we have a problem. Ministry needs to be constantly bathed in prayer asking God to bless ministries and work through people to bless people.

Probably the most thought provoking thing that I read in this chapter was something Platte said about prayer and the Holy Spirit. He said that so many times we miss the point when we pray and are waiting for answers. We could be praying for God to provide something to us that we need and while we are waiting for that to simply be handed to us...God has already sent us the Provider. His point was that so many times we fail to see that God answers a lot of prayers for us in ways that we don't expect. Like meeting a physical need for us by sending someone else along to help. It was something that I hadn't really thought about much.

Sorry this post was so choppy and didn't flow...these were just some things I took away from this chapter. I would love to hear thoughts and comments about this subject and how you think the church is doing.

Thoughts...

Something that Meghan (my fiance...yes, I'm engaged) and I both really like to do is read. It is something that we have always done in our spare time alone, but has never really been something that we do as a couple. Since we started dating, we have read a couple books together (a couple relationship books to help me be a better boyfriend/fiance). We have both really enjoyed reading together and spending time together that way, so we decided to keep that going.

Tonight we started a book called Radical. Just from the opening chapter, it seems like its the kind of book that is going to either really challenge me to start living my life in a different way, or make me question exactly what the author is getting at and be almost judgmental of the whole book.

After reading the first chapter, Meghan and I started talking about what we thought and parts that stuck out to us. We started discussing how we thought the author was almost intentionally making us feel like we suck at being Christians because we fail to reach out to the poor or follow Jesus in a more radical way. The author mentioned some of the tactics that Jesus used in His ministry such as using teachings that were so challenging that He drove followers away, asking His disciples to give up everything to follow Him, require suffering and persecution along their journey, etc.

This was a point where Meghan and I had some differing thoughts. She mentioned that this thought kind of scared her. She said that it made her really uncomfortable to think that she might not be sacrificing enough. That by the time we are done reading this book, that she will have rethought things so much that living out our daily lives feels like its not right and we will feel a need to change everything and step out of our comfort zone. It scares her to think of Jesus as something other than a comforter, especially if He is someone that requires such a radical life of His disciples.

This same thought that scared Meghan gave me a different feeling. I immediately thought that I love this about Jesus. I love that He required so much of His followers and taught things that were so hard to grasp that by the time He was done teaching, and there were only a few followers left, He really knew who was in for the long haul. I love seeing Jesus as the "all that is man" type of guy. The Jesus that wants the most out of His disciples and expects great things from them because He knows that they are capable. The Jesus that calls people into a radical relationship with Him. It excites me!

At the same time though, I see how it is a scary thought. I have always been someone who likes change and ushers it in with open arms. I generally like being challenged to step outside my comfort zone. But I know that there are people who get scared by the very thought of change. Who love their comfort zone and would stay there forever if they could. I was really encouraged by my conversation with Meghan after reading this book for a few reasons...one...it is really nice to have a time like this to just spend time together and talk, which is something that I think people take for granted...two...I love that Meghan and I can push each other a little bit to see things in a way that we normally wouldn't...and three...I really think that this book is going to make us think about a lot of things in our life right now.

I'm excited for what else this book has to bring...for the conversations it sparks. And I hope that everyone reading this blog has some kind of opportunity to do something like this as well. It is always good to learn and strengthen each other up in love.

Crazy Love - Chapter 10

I just finished Crazy Love (which is something that took me months longer than it should have) and loved it. Instead of summarizing the chapter, I just wanted to mention a few points that I thought were interesting and let you ponder on them.

"How we live our day is...how we live our lives." -Annie Dillard

"I urge you to consider and actually live as though each person you come into contact with is Christ." -Chan

"When people make changes in their lives like this, it carries greater impact than when they merely make impassioned declarations. The world needs Christians who don't tolerate the complacency of their own lives." -Chan

"What will people say about your life in heaven? Will people speak of God's work and glory through you? And even more important, how will you answer the King when He says, 'What did you do with what I gave you?'" -Chan

This may seem like a confusing post to you...and if these quotes seem disconnected and confusing then I want to urge you to read through my past posts on this book...or better yet...read Crazy Love. I promise that you will be encouraged and challenged to reshape the way you live.

Crazy Love - Chapter 9

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet...partly because I'm on my lunch break, and partly because I really don't have much to add to this topic.

In this chapter, Chan gives numerous examples of people that he has come across that exhibited the kind of crazy love that he has been talking about in the book. If you are looking for encouragement that there is still some good left in the world or looking to be challenged and stretched in your faith or looking for examples of radical ways to serve in your life, read Crazy Love (specifically chapter 9 for the stories). I am constantly both amazed and encouraged by these stories as well as challenged to love in a more radical way every time I read this chapter.

I hope it does the same for you!