Hey Friends,
I have been an avid student of church growth for over 25 years. I actually have a doctorate degree in the field. Who knew? I have watched many transitions in the church in this quarter century. I know many of my contemporaries dislike the new model – I guess that is an understatement! Whether your church is traditional, contemporary or somewhere in between is not the real issue of the day.
Where is the power? Is it in the choir? Pulpit? Programming? What about the moving lights and the hazers? How about the new music? Maybe it is in drama, video, or even creativity. NONE of the above is the answer. The power is still where it always has been – with God and His Spirit among us!
I have watched and been in the middle of worship wars, stylistic skirmishes, decibel debates, Sunday School verses Cells, and programming pounding. It really doesn’t matter in the end; the major issue is the power of God to change a life. We all want the same thing and yet we argue over style. It’s sad that saints are that easily taken out of the game. We must wake up and smell the coffee, or lose the war altogether.
Creativity is awesome but it does not change a life. Creativity gets someone’s attention and then the anointing of God is able to move in. The power of God comes on the man or woman of God who gets with God, hears from God, and obeys His leading. Let’s not lose the power of God by fighting the form over function.
The question for every church leader is not, “How do you do it?” but, “Is God in on it?” Is the Word cut loose to do its work? Is the Spirit of God free to convict, encourage, save and deal with hearts? If we are going to fight, let’s fight hell and the devil for souls before it is eternally too late.
So, leader, where is your focus?
Just a thought,
Pastor
Doesn’t where your focus should lie where God has told you to look? I manage a bunch of projects but each one has to have a vision, a place that it needs to go and a goal to reach. I can’t focus on someone else’s vision.
For church leaders, the analogous thought has to be – What has God commissioned me to do? Paul was sent as a messenger to the Gentiles. He wasn’t given the command to focus on Gentiles.
SO, the BIG question for the spiritual leader (and any of God’s people) is the same question Paul asked Jesus on the Damascus Road – What do you want me to do Lord?