Chaos, Confusion, Persecution, Creativity

At Third Street, I had a conversation with Jim Embry. It started with wondering about what we could call “community development,” but is really a question about ministry.

You’ve heard me talk about a direction for Christian ministry, where we grow from doing ministry to people (handing out food baskets, clothing, medical care), on to doing ministry with people (getting to know them not only at the point of service, but meeting at home, having dinner, allowing them to do the work alongside you) and then the goal of doing ministry from them, where they develop ministries. It means that you have to let go. You don’t simply teach them to become like you and let them in on your leadership team, you are actively seeking to leave, to let them lead and develop ministries. Then, they, too give up their positions as another group that was ministered to becomes the leaders.

I was telling Jim that this is my philosophy and the direction that I have pushed the church.

Jim started with a low whistle. “As you’re in that turning point, it means chaos, confusion, persecution… but also creativity. So you probably have some people calling you every name in the book? [Wow, is Jim an invisible member of our church?] But I bet you’re also seeing people step up in new ways with new ideas?” Yeah. Not as much as I’d like, but yeah.

In this turning point, on this edge, there is chaos and confusion. That is, worship attendance is up by almost 150 since the beginning of the year. It’s hard to absorb that. Sunday School has ramped up. Monday night missions are a new beast. When so many people and so many new things come up, it’s hard to keep it organized.

Persecution comes in many forms, but the worst one, the most dangerous is when people new in their faith, or stepping out on faith to do something beyond their power get attacked or pushed aside. Sometimes that comes from within the church, as we can’t manage our anxiety about change (thus the amazing conversation I had with one woman who was put out because she did not know “who all these people are,” or where they were coming from). Sometimes it comes from the evil one who wants to torment and discourage. (Thus the conversation with someone on the edge of faith asking when life will get easier. Friend, it won’t. It will get harder. But you’ll have Jesus!)

The creativity makes it worth it. New ways of worshipping, new ways of reaching out, letting God work where He wants to. We have a staff that doesn’t need to be told what to do—they do it. We have so many volunteers (especially the ones who used to be ministered to!). There will come a time, perhaps it has come, where so many forces come together that we can’t resist where God leads; it will be so plain and so clear.