Okay, so the title probably only makes sense if you read it out loud in a gravelly voice that announces commercials for places that sell cheap furniture....
So Gayle resigned her church yesterday, and now she is beginning to experience all the emotions that come along with such a thing. Some people are excited for her future. Some are angry. Some just walked out without saying a thing. It's tough. Of course, I say that like I know. I have resigned as an associate, but I have never left a church I was pastoring. It sounds awful, but she is doing what God is leading her to do, and she has peace and relief. I am proud of her but still praying for her church.
As for my place, the reactions yesterday were fascinating. Many clearly understood the emphasis on fasting and prayer. I received a couple of wonderful e-mails from individuals who expressed the thought that there is something waiting in the wings--something great that God wants to do here. Others, however, may have not quite gotten the point. There were several who expressed concern over me and how I must be feeling overloaded and overwhelmed and overworked and couldn't they do more to help me. The response is, of course, YES! Fast and pray! That will come. We are all at different points on the journey, and some will naturally be a bit farther down this road than others.
And so now we embark on this new journey as a community, seeking God's favor and attention. I just hope that, when he shows up, he grants us his mercy.
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The fascinating thing is...I can see those faces. Those are the same faces I see in Walmart, or at a soccer game or at the bank. I'm not saying whether I was there at your church or not, but what I am saying is that those ARE the faces of our community. And yes, we are all at different stages in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Some of us "get it" others are still darting their eyes back 'n forth wondering what they missed. That's where the "community" part comes in. That's where we as the Body of Christ must work together. As individuals we can't and shouldn't be trying to do anything alone. The Body=arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes, ears, etc. we all bring something to the table (if you will). I think so often, that we get stuck trying to be perfect, that we forget about letting God take the wheel and allowing him to move us and mold us, and if it's not "perfect" in our eyes, it doesn't mean that God is disappointed with our efforts. I like to think of him as "Abba". The daddy that has his hands out ready to catch us as we attempt new things, stick our necks out and take new steps toward Him. I'm pretty sure there were many who considered it just another Sunday morning sermon, but I guarantee you that the ones you think didn't "get it"...are the ones who are probably going to grow the most from it. I will be curious to hear more about the emails and comments you receive as the Lord slowly or quickly starts moving people...either way, good, bad, or ugly, it's the Lord's doing, and how can you argue with that?...keep us posted.
I like wha tyou say about how, "if it's not 'perfect' in our eyes, it doesn't mean that God is disappointed with our efforts." I think that many of us type-A's have a tendency to think that, once we have this wonderful "revelation" from the Lord that everyone should become equally as enamored as we are with the whole thing.
There has been some good conversation happening, and some of the teachers/leaders in the congregation have been communicating to me how individuals are seeing a need in their own lives for things like confession. It's always interesting to me, too, to hear what people hear me say. One person told me that they finally understood from my clear teaching on tithing that they need to be more faithful with their giving.
I never mentioned that at all on Sunday.
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