Several weeks ago I came across a pastor online named Perry Noble. He pastors NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC and has a vision for reaching 100,000 people. I’ve been following the guy a bit because he’s got great things to say and he’s being torn apart by those that say he’s dreaming too big and focusing on the wrong things. Um, yeah.
Anyway, yesterday he wrote a post entitled “If I Were The Devil…” that describes the things that Perry imagines the Devil would do to screw up and paralyze the church. It’s a funny list, if it weren’t so tragically true.
Here are my three favorites:
- I would tell Christians to not allow themselves to be polluted by
the world, but rather to attack it consistently so that those who are
in it would be driven further from the church. - I would tell pastors that it is perfectly acceptable to substitute
ministry work for their personal walk with God; after all, He should
understand. - I would tell churches that boycotting “secular” organizations is the most practical and effective way to reach the world.
Because of my passion to see people live fully alive, I found these three particularly powerful. They speak to a problem I see created by misuse of the idea of being in the world, but not of the world.
In an attempt to ensure that Christians are not ensnared in the world, we have created false rules and regulations that have left us – men and women – in a kind of “time out.” A time-out that pre-punishes us for messing up by forcing us to sit out all the activities.
We are men and women living in a frustratingly small, ineffective and mediocre corner of a world created to explore, conquer and change. We know there’s something wrong, of course, because we – all people – were created to do the exploring, conquering and changing. So we face the wall in an attempt to ignore the world, but it never works, at least not for long.
Our frustration then leads to “sorta” living in the world. We earn just enough to have nice things while being sure to not outspend our neighbors so as not to appear greedy. We work just hard enough to not starve, but not not hard enough to appear overly ambitious. We love just enough to keep our lives together, but not enough to risk rejection, pain and embarrassment. And we numb our pain in secret ways that we never ever reveal.
It’s just wrong. We were made to manifest the power, creativity and love that is inside of us. All of us. To do anything less is a tragic and disheartening way to live, if it is life at all.
I encourage you to read Perry’s post and consider what he says about churches. Do your part to change this thinking anywhere and everywhere you can.
More importantly though, consider what he says about those around you and yourself. What about the power, creativity and love. Are you seeing it? Are you encouraging it’s release in other people? How ’bout you? Are you letting it out? Is it working for you? Is it working for those around you and the world you live in?
I hope it is. Live fully alive.
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