ChosenRebel's Blog

Musing on Church Planting

Lurching, Lunging, and Leaning into the Spirit of God

What if all our (North American) church planting and multi-siting attempts and efforts of the last three decades were merely the reflection of God’s smile and blessing in the same way a parent smiles and blesses a five year old’s drawing of a horse that looks like a cat on stilts?

What if God blessed and smiled on our efforts not because they were good, or biblical, or effective, but because they were done in faith and love for him?

What if all our attempts at faithfulness to the gospel in the last three decades were to be likened to the beginning lurching lunges that new parents trumpet as their child’s first efforts to crawl?

What if all our lurching efforts were a part of the process of learning to walk and run hard after God?  (But they couldn’t really be called walking or running yet.)

Wouldn’t it be strange if we arrested our own development as disciples by holding on to the patterns and methods of the past, called them principles, and insulated ourselves from learning how to really run a race that multiplied itself into a movement?

What if the only thing holding us back was not theology but fear?

Oh Lord our God, keep us from trusting anything but You.  Help us to embrace all of what You want to do to change the world.  In Jesus name, Amen.”