Many of us know what it is like to be in a traditional church, or a church that has been around a long time, having a lot of history. If you have been the pastor at one of these churches you know how hard it is at times to move a church, having a lot of history, into a church relevant for this generation.
We have to be relevant or we will lose a generation, which is what has almost happened, but we also have to remember "from whence we came." Don't build monuments, just for the sake of building them, build them as memories telling a story.
Each monument that is build should represent a time when God has spoken, or moved in your life; or the life of your church. Just because God has spoken in a certain way, or done something miraculous, does not mean He has to do it the same way again. That so limits God! Why should we limit a God who created everything around us. Allow Him to move as He wishes. Tell the story of what God did to motivate those around for two reasons:
1)It should motivate and challenge them to seek God and desire to get to know Him more,
2)It should motivate and challenge them to provide the necessary groundwork to give God fertile ground on which to move again...possibly the same way...possibly different.
How has God moved in your life? What are some of the ways He has moved? Are you expecting Him to move in the same way as before, or are you open to new and fresh moves of the Holy Spirit in your life and those around you?
Remember we are leaving a legacy for others to follow. Are we motivating and challenging them with by making monuments, sharing memories, and motivating them to capture the presence of God?
God spoke to Abram in Gen. 12:1-3, telling Him how he was going to be a great and blessed nation. When Abram arrived in Canaan God spoke to Abram again, promising him this land. In Gen. 12:7 Abram built an altar "at the place God appeared to him." Every time God spoke to Abram he built an altar, but CONTINUED MOVING. He did not stop and say God, "You spoke to me here, so this is where I want to stay." No He acknowledged God's presence and built an altar to remember, but kept going where God was directing.
Don't lose sight of what God is doing just because He met us in a certain place. Those places are meant to be looked BACK on in REMEMBRANCE and THANKFULNESS for what God has done. They are meant to MOTIVATE and CHALLENGE us. Look back and say, "Yes, God did that for me THEN, but I am expecting God to do MORE NOW." "Yes, God did that for our church THEN, but we are expecting God to do MORE NOW."
Go throughout your day remembering where you have come from, what you have been through, and what God did in your life and the lives of those around you; BUT, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in your life and what He is doing NEW AND FRESH NOW!
Blessings to you as you move forward in God!
1 comment:
I love that concept, and fact, that Abram kept moving. He heard and word and worshipped and then he just knew in faith God would keep talking and showing up. Again, great thoughts and encouragement!
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