Francis Chan has said that the Western church today must change from the mindset of “come and listen” to one of “go and tell”. One of the turning point sermons of my life was delivered by Greg McClain. He was comparing the way we look at church as either a cruise ship or a battle carrier. Those who see it as a cruise ship expect to find comfort and entertainment; they might participate in a few programs, but for the most part they are there to be served. On the other hand, people who view church as a battle carrier realize they have a job to do as part of a larger mission. Battleship Christians are always working toward a common goal and are there to serve others.
Archives for June 2013
Abandoned to Obedience
In David Platt’s latest book, “Follow Me”, there is a powerful passage that details what our lives should look like as followers of Jesus. The author writes, “All throughout history, God has purposed to raise up a people who by His grace are so holy and so pure and so abandoned in their obedience to Him that they dread the thought of disobedience. A people who are so serious about sin that they help each other to avoid it at every turn because they know how dangerous and deadly it is. God has determined to display His character through a distinct people who show a watching world that He is great, holy, powerful, and pure.”
Comfort in the Storms
My parents have a German Shepherd named Gabe that is absolutely petrified of thunderstorms. Recently when dog-sitting for them, I found myself cradling him while lying on the floor of a closet. I’ve never seen a dog shake so badly in all my life. The fear is irrational of course. No matter how loud the thunder, it can never injure Gabe. No matter how hard it rains, the water cannot reach into the upstairs closet where Gabe is trying to seek comfort. Even if the winds begin to howl and rattle the house, my arms are wrapped around him, protecting him against whatever will come. Despite all of this Gabe still shakes uncontrollably. It reminded me of how fearful we tend to be despite having the arms of the all powerful God wrapped around us.