Desperation
I posted a thought about this also in: www.startingamovement.blogspot.com
This blog is a little more lengthy than I like, but please read…
God has really been speaking to me lately about “ministry.” When I was called to ministry (church ministry), I did not enter the call to manage problems and play it safe. I accepted the call to see lives radically changed as mine was. Somewhere along the way I am lured by the models of success in Christendom. I begin to lust after successful ministry. One of my friends once called it ”Ecclesiastical Pornography.”
Before planting this church, The Well, I studied every church planting book known to man. I visited the Baptist Church Planting Conferences, Pentecostal ones and Independent. I studied the fastest growing churches and why they were growing. I taught church growth and even earned my Masters of Ministry in Leadership.
Churches can grow and be planted without desperation. I see many lazy pastors who have strong churches. I accepted this call to start a movement and see the world changed. I did not accept this call to play status quo and manage church polity.
Last night during our staff meeting I shared with the group about desperation from a book I was given by a good friend, Billy Mitchell. The book is “Movements that Changed the World,” by Steve Addison. He is speaking of the Salvation Army and he does training for them and was sharing about a time during training when he reminded them…”this movement was not started with great resources, only the call of God and a fire.” John Wesley shaped England and America with Methodism. This was done because he had a personal encounter with God that shaped his life.
We talked about a personal renewal by the power of God in our lives. The only way we can see God’s presence change lives is if we we encounter God and burn for Him.
Movements are not built on people who have a balanced, disciplined relationship with God. Rather, movements are built by those who have a burning passion for God. It is built on desperation.
