Thursday, September 27, 2007

Did God Call Me to Plant a Church?

Well, I'm supposed to say yes to that question, but in reality I think the answer is no. God has called me to make disciples...that's the calling...it is not planting a church. Planting a church is just a method used to make disciples. But I'm not called to plant a church. The church plant is more of a by product of the real calling...that of making disciples. It's sounds like I'm splitting hairs but I don't think so.

If I think too much about planting a church as being the calling then for me, pride creeps in...this is my church....my vision...oh yeah and God is important, too...

But for me to stay focused I have to constantly remind myself that I'm here to make disciples. That will involve planting a church...probably with lights...sounds systems...auditoriums...coffee and all that. But making disciples is more. It's the small group in my house on Sundays. It's my soccer team on Tuesdays...It's perhaps an after school program or a gymboree type place. It is conversations over football on Sundays or a drink on Thursday nights... That's the bigger picture.

I'm praying today that we all recognize and stay true to our real calling in this world.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you not get the memo?

God gave up.

lol

Anonymous said...

Great insight Chris... that pride thing I'm always concerned about.

What comes to mind also for me is a community of believers. I see many that want to (or do) believe but need to connect and be part of something to help them believe and be taught that a church can and should be there for that reason. I know I need my weekly "spiritual fish" :) This is on my mind, primarily because of my church's sermon yesterday that talked about it... that I wrote about here...

Carl said...

chris,
great post. my question to you on day 1 of your church WILL be "did you make any disciples today?", not that other question.

LEHIGH VALLEY PROJECT said...

Chris,

This is so, so true! Great post! How are things going man - give me a shout!

Richie