The Heart of the Matter

Leading people and churches to renewal is frustrating. Why is that? I remember when I began my ministry as a pastor. I was already 45 years old and I had had an encounter with Jesus that radically changed my life. As a result of that change I left my secular job and went into ministry full time. What else could I do. What else would I want to do? Jesus was alive - He was building His kingdom and He was calling me. Nothing else mattered. I wanted to do nothing else.

When I began my ministry I was certain that everyone who was a Christian would feel the same way I did. Imagine my surprise and frustration when I found that most people did not quite see it the way I did. They wanted to come to church on Sunday but not have this Jesus take over their lives. Over the past 10 years I believe this has been the basic frustration in my attempts at renewing the church. There is a disconnect between a leaders experience of God's call and the followers sense of that same call. That places a great responsibility and task on my shoulders as a leader. My responsibility and task as a leader is to preach, teach, live and pray this radical call of Jesus so other follow. To the extent I am faithful in doing that there will be renewal. If I am not able to do that it will just be church as usual. That I believe is the heart of the matter.