Sorry this is a day late—but everyone gets a day off every now and then.
• Tons of guests again this week—some familiar and some brand new! I love that our people are inviting neighbors/friends, family and co-workers at this early phase of Impact Church. Not one person has mentioned the lack of bells and whistles (well, except me) as a deterrent—in fact, the warmth and friendliness of the people and the presence of God overcome all of that each and every week! I’d rather have that any day!! Friends, it’s so important that we always keep an outreach perspective. As we thank God for all He has done for us, we need to remember to point others to His grace and kindness. Remember, it’s not just about us!
• What an inspiration the book of Nehemiah is on leadership—and it couldn’t be more timely as hundreds of us set out on the adventure called, Impact Church! Why? Because the greater the movement potential, the greater Satan’s interest in it. I, like most, would prefer the evil one harass someone else—or, better yet, go jump in a lake (of fire), but then I remember that…his interest is directly proportionate to the threat he perceives a movement of God to be. Judging by that standard, we must really, really, REALLY be annoying him!
• As the people of Impact continue to worship together and prepare to launch a different kind of church for Charlotte, I am often taken back to a dangerous prayer I’ve prayed over the last several years. It’s a prayer not unlike the one folks pray who are “impatient,” ‘Lord, please teach me to be patient…’ Hmm, are we ever really ready for the likely outcome of that one? I know I wasn’t when I prayed it in my early 20’s. What immediately followed was a whole slew of incredibly annoying and aggravating situations seemingly designed to drive me crazy, or…perhaps to teach me patience. What’s the dangerous prayer of the last several years? Well, it’s not a pithy little, one sentence deal or anything, but the gist of it is this,
“Lord, I don’t want to ‘play church.’ Father, I want so much to be a part of a movement that makes an eternal impact for you. Do whatever you will in my life for that to happen…”
…Or some similar proclamation. Look at that prayer again, read it over and over. It should start to sound kinda…dangerous. Why? Because there’s no way to prepare yourself for something God considers BIG. We simply don’t understand His ways. So, when we pray a prayer like that and really mean it—chances are, your life will be turned upside down. You’re almost guaranteed to kiss comfort and predictability goodbye. And you will almost always experience pain as things and even relationships that might have been holding you back are torn from your life.
Don’t agree?
Then I challenge you to find even one person in the Bible whose life stayed exactly the same once they made the decision to go, “All In!” for God.
Bet you couldn’t find them, could you?
Of course not. So what remains for you? Do you want to fly under the radar as a believer? Do you want to continue to ‘play church’ and simply be a good religious boy or girl? If so, good luck with that. But as for me and my house…we will chase the Lord!