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Oct 26
Love0

My Part, God’s Part

By Envision, Headfirst, Personal

A hinge can only function with two engaged and matching halves

There are many theological dynamics to the concept of “My Part / God’s Part” –  after all, if God the Father planned salvation, God the Son accomplished salvation and God the Spirit applied salvation, then my part is simply to receive salvation.  Easy enough?

So once I’m saved – by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone – what’s the division of labor between me and God as I step into the good works created beforehand for me to walk in? (see Ephesians 2:8-10.)

I’ve been thinking about this for a very practical reason – trusting God to provide for our family’s financial needs.  That’s something pretty much anyone can relate to, especially right now in the world economy.  For our family, the nuance is that all of our funding comes from God through His people contributing to our ministry.  I have a job, and it doesn’t matter how many hours I work – if people don’t give to the ministry, there’s nothing for me to be paid.  So fundraising becomes a spiritual endeavor, much like evangelism: it’s my part to initiate with people and tell them the news (e.g. God loves them, Christ died and rose again to forgive sin, you can be our partner in bringing the Gospel to those who’ve never heard) and it’s God part to move in their hearts and reveal who responds.  I have no control over who receives Christ, nor over who chooses to join with us and give back to the Lord through our ministry.

Here’s where I recognized a rebuke from the Holy Spirit – I decided that God wasn’t providing adequately for our needs, and I became frustrated and angry with Him.  After all, wasn’t I doing my part?  I’d been inviting people to join us as ministry partners.  So if I was doing my part, and we still had such a significant need – that meant that God wasn’t doing His part.  (My guess is that you can relate to getting frustrated or mad at God for your circumstances.)  After all, Moses raised his staff and the sea parted, right?  Elijah called down fire from heaven and the offering was burned up.  Hey God, in case You hadn’t noticed, I’ve been sitting here and praying and I’d like to see some supernatural action, okay?

The truth is that I wasn’t doing my part.  As my heart was convicted, I asked myself: have you truly done everything in your power or ability?  Or have you only done what you were willing to do, and then blamed God for not responding?  Could He be waiting for you to step out in faith, to go beyond your comfort zone, to truly trust in Him alone for your needs?

So it became much clearer who I should be frustrated and angry with – me.  I haven’t been doing my part.  Once I’ve done everything within my power, everything humanly possible, I can go back and seek Him out and…  give thanks for the ways He has answered and provided.

P.S.  Your equation of “My Part, God’s Part” may not be financial, it may be something else.  I expect that the principle still holds true in your circumstances.

Oct 10
Love0

Pictures of Change

By Envision, Equip, Involve

We had a few minutes to put together this video clip from the Transformational Leadership trainings in Haiti and the Dominican Republic the past two weeks.  It’s chronological, and it should be pretty obvious when we leave Haiti and get to the DR.  I’ve chosen to include the good and the bad, because it helps to laugh (like when our friend “KK” got locked in the bathroom).  Some of the pictures we took show empty chairs – trust me, they were all full: it wasn’t always possible to get pictures during teaching times.  Especially in Santo Domingo during the Spirit-led times of surrender and reconciliation.  Over 100 Haitian pastors and over 100 Dominican pastors & leaders took part in the institutes and we all experienced the presence and power of God…

Enjoy!  (And turn up the resolution to 720p if your internet connection supports it.)

kOKAEpgpYC8kOKAEpgpYC8
Sep 23
Love0

When you can’t get along

By Equip, Personal

Anger.  Frustration.  Anxiety.

What happens inside you when you experience conflict?  And what do you choose to do with the relationships that bring this conflict?

This isn’t meant to be a treatise on conflict, but I do have a few thoughts as it relates to ministry.  Whether accurate or not, haven’t you heard the contention that the number one reason for missionaries to leave the field isn’t lack of fruit, opposition or finances – but conflict with teammates?  Or watched a church split that wasn’t really about theology or ministry philosophy, but actually about personalities? Read on about dealing with conflict

Aug 16
Love0

Do Heroes Question God?

By Envision

Heroes raise the flag at Iwo Jima

What we all want to know is whether it’s okay to question God.  If heroes can do it, then so can I, right?  But maybe I should dig a hole and bury my questions, because if I ask them, somehow that will make me a doubter.  Can a person of faith ask questions – or does that mean I lack faith?

Read More

Jul 28
Love0

Trajectories

By Envision, Personal
Jason Berken pitching

Throwing well: RHP Jason Berken prior to his call-up (courtesy Green Bay Press-Gazette)

I love playing catch.  There’s something so simple and so peaceful about it.  Playing with a good friend or with one of my kids.  Unlike pitching in the Majors, it doesn’t take a lot of talent either – once you release the ball, it flies on a clear path to its target.  A good throw follows a natural trajectory to its destination.  A bad throw also follows a predictable route.  Our minds naturally understand and follow the flight of the ball, accounting for the force with which it is thrown, any blowing breeze and the gravitational pull of the earth.  Our eyes trace it, our legs speed us along – we track it down, ideally until it lands firmly in the outstretched web of the leather mitt. Click for more on our trajectories on and off the field

Jul 13
Love0

Sliding Headfirst

By Envision, Headfirst, Personal
All Star Logo

courtesy of MLB

Baseball exemplifies living headfirst in many ways – and stealing 2nd base with a headfirst slide may be the all-time epitome.  It might be safer to slide feet first, but it’s an all-out, no-holds-barred, face-forward assault.  I regret that too much of my life was lived “safely” without the risk or the glory of living headfirst for the Kingdom.  I had an internal question mark interrupting every opportunity, shouting out warnings, demanding permission, and challenging my choices.  It took a chapter of my life to recognize, understand and reject the fears and lies, but that’s a story for another day.

This month is filled with tremendous baseball opportunities.  See more

Jun 28
Love0

The Centurion

By Envision
Roman Soldier

Tomas Arana as the conflicted Roman leader Quintus in the movie Gladiator

Here’s what I love about the centurion – he’s a man of honor, faith, and respect.  He is well-trained, and ready to implement his training.  When he comes into a conflict, he is ready for battle and chooses the proper weapon for the fight.  Never identified in the Bible by more than his rank, this soldier comes to Jesus with a God-sized problem – one of his servants is paralyzed and in great pain.  (In today’s society, the servant would be an excellent candidate for euthanasia, particularly in the Netherlands.)   He doesn’t seek a doctor, because a doctor can’t heal paralysis.  God can, so the centurion goes to Jesus.

Click for how the centurion teaches me to live

Jun 07
Love0

Headfirst in Haiti

By Headfirst

Rick shares how Jesus changed his life

The classic headfirst apostle is Peter – with little regard for how things could be done or should be done, he went for it.  Long before Texas Hold ’em, Peter went “All In.”  On one of our final nights in Haiti, I had the privilege of preaching to a crowd from the community who had come to join us for a free meal at the Center for Hope.  About 200 adults and youth ate, listened to my friend Rick’s story of salvation, and learned about Peter’s courageous decision to step out of the boat (while ~80 children learned about Jesus and played a short distance away.)

All preconceptions are wiped clean when you Read More

May 20
Love0

Suppressive Fire

By Envision, Headfirst, Involve
24's Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer

Kiefer Sutherland as 24's Jack Bauer (courtesy of Kelsey McNeal/FOX)

Tracing back over several hundred years, the battlefield technique of suppressive fire was enhanced in World War II by the introduction of hand-held automatic weapons.  The thrust of the tactic is to respond to a threat with a barrage so powerful that the enemy is forced to temporarily stand down or withdraw from a battle, allowing safer maneuver of troops.  In modern media, a protagonist such as 24‘s Jack Bauer will request suppressive fire with a phrase as simple as “cover me.”

In Afghanistan, Master Gunnery Sergeant Peter Proietto of the U.S. Marine Corps was on a patrol ambushed by Taliban fighters.  His story and more

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