Interesting post. You made some great comments, and you are correct in that we need to be uncomfortable or else we will never grow in our relationship with God nor be a faithful witness to the power of God (Acts 1:8, 4:33, 6:8, Romans 1:16, I Corinthians 1:18, 4:20 and many more) working in us to conform us into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29). So yes we must be willing to be uncomfortable … that is to change.

You made this statement: “It’s not about me. It’s about the people who desperately need to know the hope, love and forgiveness found only in Jesus Christ.” yes and no. It is not about me. amen! It is not about what I like or what I want. True. But it is not about those who do not know Christ. Don’t jump out of your seat read on … It is ALL about GOD! It has always been all about God …

“Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and and with all your strength” … the greatest commandment … and yes the second is very similar “love your neighbor as yourself.” But WHO is first?

“Have no other gods before Me” … there is only One God … One Lord, One Father, One Spirit, One Hope …

Jesus said the reason He came was to testify to the Truth (see John 18:37). He also stated in His prayer the night He was arrested, while still with His disciple, that He had done all that the Father desired, bringing Him glory …

In other words it was not about the disciples, it was not about Him … it was about God! (Jesus as God incarnate said I am the Truth … so God is the Truth … Jesus came to testify about God )

Romans chapter 1 points out that since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities — His eternal power and His divine nature — have been clearly seen! All are without excuse becasue it is clear … it is plain for all to see! It is ALL about God.

True … God’s mission is to reconcile the world to Himself … true …God desires all to come to repentance … so of course we must have the eternal persepctive that God has … wanting and desiring all to come to salvation = forgiveness and new life in Christ. But what is eternal life? John 17:3 asnwers it … “knowing God and the One who You sent, Jesus Christ.”

Its all about God. People are leaving the church because it is too club like and too institutional … go and pay for the services you receive (called offering), and then go home. You got what you need for the week and then live for yourself. When you die you gain eternal life … this is FALSE. But that is the impression. I wanted nothing to do with that either.

its not about me. Its not about the ones Jesus misses. Its not about the style or technology. Its all about God.

I little bit about me: I am a pastor … and I am 36.

God bless you as you serve Him each and every day.

Lately, I've been thinking about how organizations are able to grow wildly and others are dying a very slow death, regardless of the economy. Tony Morgan made a post about an older couple finding Christ at their satellite campus in South Carolina….

It must be hard, though, for an older leader to relinquish some control and serve the younger leader, since, in the old model, they themselves had to wait to get where they are. It must be very tempting to think:

“I worked hard, paid my dues and had to wait to have influence, they should have to do the same. They can wait till they’re old like me.”

Thanks for sharing these thoughts! So Christ-like.