My one word 2013

Words…

What would life be like without them? 

They are powerful. 

Holding the future for those who hear them. 

Destroying what could be.

Distorting what was. 

It has been said that the pen is mightier than the sword. 

Words carry the power of life and death, let’s be honest.  Stick and stones may break my bones but words……

Words have wielded their power in my life…. for bad and for good. 

Words have been used by friend and foe in my life and whether the intent was to help or harm those words have left lasting scars on my life, on my heart, on my soul.  Scars leave the injured area tougher than before. 

Funny thing, I have a passionate love affair with words.  I find myself avoiding words… writing, reading, even at times speaking words, much like an addict avoids the object of her addiction.  Yet, I, like the junkie cannot stay away from my beloved for long.   I open the book, magazine, the kindle, even the labels in my kitchen and cannot stop feeding my hunger for words.  I swoon and sigh with relief as if the words itself satisfy an itch, a craving. 

And when, I can set aside my fear; unresolved, unreasonable, un-understandable, I share the words “bump tumbling” around in my head (thank you, T. Geisel).  Many of the words I share are not mine alone, but when you entertain friends for any length of time, they become part of you.  The lines blur, where you end and they begin melts into an ombre of thoughts and words. 

Words, mostly they have been a weapon formed against me which I have tried to dodge and run for cover from.  Have been…..

Was.

Past tense. 

I have learned many things since beginning my journey with Jesus Christ.  The lessons could fill a book.  In fact they have, the Bible.

Word… The Word was with God and The Word was God…. (John 1.1)

I could spend hours,

days,

weeks,

months trying to share with you the Truth I have found in Jesus,

The Word.

Maybe I will be able to articulate my understanding of The Word in the weeks to come.  But for now, I am claiming as my word for the year of 2013, “word”

It has so many dimensions.  I can scarcely scratch the surface nor possibly do my thoughts and ideas justice.  So suffice it to say that I will be diligent to try to use my words this year to bring glory and honor to God.

God SPOKE and created the cosmos with words.

God SAID man was created good.

God SENT His son.

God SPOKE and broke His silence to fallen world.

God CALLED the dead to rise.

God NAMED this child His beloved.

God SPOKE His desire to use me.

God SAID and I believed.

Jesus is The Word.  God Spoke.  He has placed in me a desire to use the words He has taught me the words He has placed in me.  My One Word for 2013 is "word."

Hang on… the implications are endless!

2013 Verse of the Year

Has it really been 4 months since my last post?  

I have no excuse, a lot of conviction but no excuse. Which I will get to in my next post…. Stay tuned! 

Every year for the past several years I have chosen a life verse for the year.  This has been an amazing process to see what God through His word claimed in my life.  I love it and so I continue that tradition this year.  

Funny enough, the verse that the Lord usually brings to me is not one I always like or would pick for myself.   For example, a few years ago, nearly toward the end of January, the Holy Spirit kept revealing Exodus 14.14 to me. In the Message Exodus 14.14 reads

"God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!"

Now, for any of you who know me, even a little bit, keeping my mouth shut is not a gift of mine!  And when I am confronted, at any point, I feel the obligation, nay even the responsibility to defend myself, my family, my friends, my reputation, even the truth! But God impressed upon me the absolute necessity to let Him handle whatever I was facing.  It took several weeks for me to completely understand how the Holy Spirit was using this word in my life for His glory, but little by little, challenge by challenge, I learned.  Throughout that entire year God gently reminded me of His promise to fight and my responsibly to let him.  This lesson even spilled over into learning to be submissive to my husband.  And time after time God proved faithful and I learned yet another aspect of His true love for me.  I am sure there were several in my circle of friends who may have gotten sick of hearing “Exodus 14.14” but I believe it impacted their lives as well. Learning to be still is not a lesson that is soon forgotten. 

Exodus 14.14 NIV

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

I could go on and on with similar stories of God’s faithfulness when I have applied His Word to my life, but, I would like to tell you about my verse for 2013 and how it came to be.

Last year in December of 2012, I received my bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries.  I have been ordained as a pastor since July of 2011.  I received the called into full time vocational ministry in October 2003.  I have been waiting on God for his provision for 10 years.  Sometimes I wonder if this is how Sarah felt waiting for God’s promise.  OK, that may be a stretch, but I feel the ache of being pregnant with the promise of God yet wonder when He will deliver.   

I have been blessed to see those I have mentored and discipled step into the calling that God has promised for them.  And while I rejoice with them, there are slight pangs of discouragement.  Why not me?  Am I doing something wrong?  Am I not friendly enough?  Not pretty enough?  Then my girl-flesh kicks in and if I were to entertain my rampant imagination, I would end up questioning every single little thing about me, from my character to my calling to my hair color! (Which, by the way, is quickly fading to grey)

So for the past few months, I have been trying to focus on the ways that God is using me for His glory, in spite of my lack of a place to punch in to do it.  I have been stepping out of my comfort zone to try new things with new people in ministry and I have been blessed.  I have been celebrating what God is doing in spite of my lack of a title or position.  I have shared salvation with the dying and seen lives change.  I am not afraid to get my hands messy in the midst of ministry, vocational or not.  I have even considered going to work in a secular job and using my giftedness to share the Good News that way.  Yet, no. 

I do not want to be like Sarah and try to force God’s will, so I wait.  In the meantime I will be faithful to what he has called me to.  So I prepare myself and when the time is ready I will take up the mantle just as Elisha did with Elijah’s mantle (2 Kings 2.13)

Which brings me to my verse for 2013. I am called of God. I do have a work to do. I am being used for His glory.  It has taken me a long time to separate my calling from a job. (Which is reasonable since I am a pastor!) But in my case, I need to separate the two, or wallow in self-pity because I can’t find a church which is willing to even interview me! So, I am trusting God.  Verse of the year for 2012 was

Habakkuk 3.2 “But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”  

Continuing His work in my life, God has impressed upon me for the 2013 calendar year I will be claiming

Isaiah 61.1-3

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

I posted this scripture to my social media site and was truly encouraged by many people.  One comment in particular was complete and total affirmation for me.  My friend said….

“My friend I can personally attest to the fact that you are well on your way to this well before 2013…. You are a poster child for this verse! You have been a rock to me and many others. Your friendship and support seem to have no end, even when contact is sparse, I know I could call on you any time and you'll be there. Thank you for everything! You are a good and faithful servant!”

What more could I ask for?

Praising God because His Spirit is upon me, with or without a “job”!

Be Careful Little Eyes

My alarm went off the morning and the sun was shining and the birds were singing.  I floated off to a clean kitchen to pour myself a cup of already brewed and steaming hot coffee, which I took to my sanctuary where I met with the Lord for 30 minutes of blissful intimacy with God.  As I finished praising him with a resolute “Amen”, the alarms of my children woke them gently to greet the day.  Sharing the mirror, dressed in their finest, they washed brushed and powered perfect faces as I prepared a nutritious hot and filling breakfast which they had ample time to finish in time to walk to the bus and head into their educational journey of the day.  I washed the dishes, dressed to my shoes, as the laundry whirled in the machines.   Neatly and efficiently checking items from my "to do" list, enabled me to send a card of encouragement, make a meal for a friend, and pick a basket of apples before heading out to the grocery store to do my weekly shopping.  Within a few short hours I had stopped at the post office, made a deposit at the bank, dropped off the recycling and the meal for my sick friend.  Picking up a cup of coffee, I efficiently saved over 60% on the groceries thanks to my well maintained coupon binder.  I arrived home in time to get dinner started and bake a fresh batch of cookies for the kids to snack on after school.  A hot well balanced meal was on the table when my husband arrived home from work and we sat together as a family to eat and share the blessings of the day.  Our evening was filled with the quiet thinking that accompanies homework, evening devotions and a walk around the block as a family.  Nightly prayers with each child a their bedside tucked away the day and my husband and I share a meaningful conversation before retiring ourselves at a hour which would provide us a complete 8 hours of restful sleep………

BEEP…. BEEP…. BEEP…. BEEP…. BEEP…. BEEP

My alarm went off and my feet hit the cold floor with the reality that I had slept in, and my dream was shattered.  I am not that woman, wife and mother, in the dream sequence I relayed previously.  I forget numerous phone calls that need to be made, return home only to find I had forgotten to go to the grocery store, the laundry piles up and the dishes spend more time soaking than waiting in the cupboards.  I miss deadlines, forget to pack lunches, lose sign and returns, and rely way too heavily on my calendar and spell check.  I really gave up the superwoman myth years ago, Proverbs 31 woman is not a literal goal I have set for my life.  And I am okay with that.  It took years for me to admit I am not perfect nor should I be, nor will I ever be.  I am a work in progress and I rely on GRACE to water my field… daily.

Several days ago, my oldest announced, quite out of the blue, that she could not wait to get married and have babies.  Now, keep in mind, she is not dating at the present moment and there are no babies on her immediate horizon.  I think she was just sharing the desires of her heart to be a wife and mama… someday.  She also has dreams of college, a career, and world travel, all of which I think she can and will accomplish in her life with God’s grace.

…… It is also worth noting that this is the same child, who after many, many years of watching her Mama go through 2 high risk  pregnancies and then raising her younger siblings (one of which was a preemie) swore with every last fiber of her being she would NEVER EVER BIRTH CHILDREN!........  

So we chatted a bit about her newly embraced heart fire to nurture a family.   I told her I thought she would make a great mom and I do!  Very casually, and without much thought I mentioned a few of our younger mom friends who are great, loving and fantastic with their children, telling her that she had very good role models to fashion her life after. 

She kissed me on the cheek and said “And YOU, Mom!” bouncing off down the hallway with the happy though of someday being a mom herself. 

I haven’t been able to get her comment out of my head.  She and I have been through a lot together. 

A LOT!

I remember a time sitting in my pastor’s office crying that I was ruining her and she would someday be a mess as big as I was.  In his wisdom, he always encouraged me that although she was a strong willed child God had a plan for her life and He would use her, trust him, and trust God.  Eventually I did and God has been faithful.

And regardless of what I mess of a mom I think I am, she wants to be like me.  I hope and pray she takes all the good and leaves behind all of the bad. 

She was watching. 

What I think struck me hardest was the fact that all these years she saw…

she saw right through my flaws and saw my heart…

my heart for her and her siblings, my heart for her daddy, my heart for Jesus, my heart for people, and she found in her heart was planted a seed for the same.

Danetta & I, Easter circa 1997

Struggling?

How many times have you quietly wondered why another person, friend or foe, seemed to be sitting in the light of God’s favor while you yourself constantly struggle to stay obedient?  It’s not as if you wish others ill, in fact you are actually quite happy for those who don’t struggle, unlike yourself, who seems to live in a constant state of struggle. 

Being a follower of Jesus, I know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  God chooses to bless those whom he chooses.  Who am I to question His blessing, and who he chooses to bestow that blessing upon?  The hard thing about this blessing thing is that I really don’t envy those whom God is blessing, really.  In fact it is the most bizarre thing; I celebrate with each the blessing from the Lord I hear about.  When God is blessing others, it makes it obvious that God is still working in the lives of his children.  Why shouldn’t I celebrate? 

What still remains though is the question of struggle.  

I was speaking to a young friend the other day and she was struggling. She had the very same questions I have had.  She shared with me the very same things that I had thought but never had the courage to speak.  “Why do some of us struggle, while others seem to live a charmed life?”  I couldn’t answer her.  I had no idea.  And I felt bad because of the void she was experiencing. And it reminded me of the same void I occasionally have in my own life. 

I spent some time mulling over the question, spent some time asking that same question out loud to myself… to my husband… to God.  There was still silence, no answer, except grace.  And grace is enough.  Maybe there are some questions that we simply have to accept as fact, understanding that the answers are beyond ourselves. 

But then, something occurred to me.  I am sure it was the Holy Spirit speaking into my heart a truth I had not pondered before.  It occurred to me that all throughout the Scriptures, God uses some of the most marred, broken, and irregular people to accomplish his task and to show His glory.  Jesus told Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  (1 Cor 12.9) This is a fact that we know. 

We also know that the miracles recorded in the ministry of Jesus are those of broken and hurting people, the leper, the bleeding woman, the demon possessed boy, the adulterous woman.  And we also know of countless, nameless, faceless others who were healed by his hand, but those are the ones for which we don’t have an intimate personal record of the life change they experienced. 

In the Old Testament, we have story after story of the imperfect vessels God chose to deliver His message, His blessings, His people… Joshua, Gideon, Elijah… and just as importantly there were nameless, faceless, faithful followers recorded. 

Here is the point.  God will use who He chooses to use.  It seems to me that he uses the most broken among us… not for our glory but for HIS.  There will be those who are faithful and true to the Lord and He will use them.  They will be counted among the faithful and their contribution to The Kingdom is valuable. 

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE…. If you are struggling, and you are faithful to what The LORD has called you to, the rain will fall.   It may seem like it is pouring with no relief in sight.  But God is on the throne; and He will use all things for good (Romans 8.28).   He may have chosen you to share your story with someone who is struggling… with the same thing you struggle with.  Your struggles may be the very thing that God want to use to bring glory to Him and freedom to His children.  If we can allow our storms to wash over us and we can do it without struggling against them, God can and will use them in our lives for good.  CELEBRATE! Rejoice in the fact that the Creator of the Universe chooses you, wants you and has a plan not only to redeem you but to redeem others with your story. 

The rain falls on the just and unjust.  But if others seem to be skating through life, let them be.  After the resurrection, Peter asked Jesus, “"Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me." (John 21.21-.22)  Our responsibility is to follow Jesus, on our own path, not the path of others.  His grace is sufficient for every occasion.  And if He is choosing to use you, maybe, just maybe He knows that your story is important enough, broken enough, and full of struggles enough to be able to show others hope through you in Him. 

Struggling, but staying close to the dust of The Rabbi, 

~Christy

   

The Apple Tree

So we came home the other night, well after dark only to find our driveway blocked by the enormous apple tree branch which previously canopied our driveway. So we piled out that the end of the drive and maneuvered around the wreckage to get to the house. I was sad. This tree is one of the things which sold me on this house. It stands vigil on the bank of the driveway half way between the road and the house. In the spring it is a mass of tiny white blooms, in the summer the shade is cool in the heat of the day and in the fall the woodland creatures emerge from the surrounding pastures and thickets to feast on its fruit. Its fruit was small & gnarled but the bees, birds and many four legged furry friends had plenty to eat.



This is the third time in 13 years the weather has won in battle with this ancient centurion and I am afraid to say that this last battle may have dealt the fatal blow. Although she still stands guard, her truck is split in half, bear and clean, amputated by the skilled chain saw of my husband. I couldn’t bear to be part of the surgery which took hours to clear from the path on Sunday morning. I was sad. This was a morning I should have been worshipping with my brothers & sisters in Christ. Circumstances being what they were, I was exiled to the house to occasionally glance at the aftermath of Mother Nature, in grief.



I don’t know why I have such as soft spot in my heart for trees, but I do. And this one, just last week had become home to woodpecker! God’s provision abundant in the life of her branches, for us and our neighbors.

Then I began to think about all the things I loved about this house when we bought it. The grape arbor, the beautiful flower gardens, the fruit orchard, the apple tree, the port window in the kitchen and the corner windows on every corner of the house. There was a small greenhouse off of the basement door and the most amazing rock wall flanking both the front and back of the house. But that was 13 years ago. And so much has changed. The orchard has not borne fruit since we set up house here and the apple tree has thrice battled with the eastern blowing winds to have lost a little more each time. The port window remains but it is broken and cannot be repaired or replaced while maintaining its integrity. The greenhouse was gone before we signed the papers, due to “dangerous construction” and each of the corner windows has been replaced with the additional of rooms and space. The grape arbor has been overrun with weeds, the flowers left to do what they will and the rock wall in the back has collapsed under the weight of the weeds. Some of this is directly of my doing but some is not.



I came from a heritage of gardeners who shared with me their love of beautiful foliage and fauna but somehow the genes which allowed me the ability to participate in nature slipped through the sieve. I am not able to put my hands in soil or near the beautiful creation of growth without my skin exploding in massive allergic protestation. It makes me sad to know that something someone else so lovingly created I am unable to carry on. So I look with longing at the rock wall, my heart breaking to repair its damage but knowing full well that one touch of the poison growing around it and I will suffer beyond imagination. . The arbor produces the smallest sampling of the most delectable purple round flavor yet knowing I cannot care for the vine; the taste is small and teasing. And I am left to question. The orchard needs pruned to produce but pruning is not an option because of the camber of the landscape. There is always a reason, not an excuse but a reason.

The widows needed to be eliminated to add to the living space as our family grew. And all of these things are valid but as I pulled into the drive a few days ago, I realized that this house which we have made our home is not the same place we fell in love with when we bought it. Funny thing though, neither are we the same people who bought that home all those years ago. We have changed. We have grown. Then we were a family of three. Now we are a family of five. Our first will be a senior in High school in a few short weeks. The busiest year of her life has commenced and there is no stopping it. The baby will most likely take issue with being called a baby once he steps onto the Kindergarten bus in August. And the middle child is beginning her own adventures as a middle schooler. We have so much to be thankful for but we are different… just as our home is different.



There was a time when I was so passionate about being the proud mistress of this home that I would have given my very life to defend her. Some of that hasn’t changed, I am still proud of this home we have given our children, but I am no longer ferocious in my possession of her. She has served us well. We have so many memories and love that have been made within these walls, but she is no longer my focus.



I know that God is calling us, but much life Abraham, I have no idea where or when we are to go. As I have examined the hearts of each of those in my family, I know that they too are ready to go… whenever…. where ever God calls us. Funny thing… all of the things I loved about this house in the beginning are now gone. And now there is something most assuredly missing from the landscape of this home with the loss of the main branch of the apple tree. I can’t help but think that God has been gently preparing us for the time when he sends us. Or maybe it was just a bad storm again an old tree. Trees fall every day….. right?

Wondering about beauty...

So, the other day Grant & I were sitting at the breakfast table and looking out the window.   Over the crunch of my spoon and the slurp of his soggy one, 


he whispered "Mom!  Look at that cardinal!"  


Sure enough, there was a cardinal couple flitting around the yet dormant tea roses.  The daddy was bright red and very, very busy, prancing around the mama who seemed anything other than interested.  

It reminded me of the spring dance scene in Walt Disney's Bambi, when the Owl talks about spring time making everyone "twitter-pated."  It was a a great way to finish off the boring bowl of granola that morning.  


I watched the cardinal couple for the past few days and it got me to thinking....


About things.....


About the way God created the animal kingdom & how the mating practices of animals are similar to that of men,  but so very different....


As far as I can see, from my very limited and amateur perspective, it seems as if in the animal kingdom, it is them males who are the most beautiful, the most elaborate, the most visual, while the females are muted, demure, & more camouflaged.    


For example, our cardinal on our back wall. 
The lion in the Sahara,

The peacock from Asia, 

The mallard duck in North America.

In all of these couples, it is the males who are the most ornate, decorated, elaborate, for the purpose of attraction, primarily, of their lady counterparts.  They puff up, bristle, flaunt and even flounce to make sure that the ladies see them.


Once they have a mate, that process doesn't end either.  These males use their beauty to ward off danger, to protect their families, to simply grace the world with their beauty, and they embrace their role.... as much as an animal can.


But that's very different than they way we humans operate.  Some where along the way, something got messed up.  


Maybe it was the fall of man.  


You know the story.  Adam & Eve in The Garden.  She is created so that he doesn't have to be alone.  There are some trees for food and some trees that are off limits, per the One who gave them this perfect place to live.  But, perfection isn't enough for them when they think they are missing out on something.  Together, they decide to compromise.  Just one bite.  One for her. One for him and trust is broken.  


So, here is my wonder for the evening.....I wonder about what life was like in The Garden before the bites that broke the trust, and brought the curse.  Was Adam the one who was most concerned with impressing Eve?  Was his stance one of beauty, bristle, flaunt... in order to impress & protect her?  Was she the one who was permitted the peace that comes with not having to impress?  Was she allowed the protection of simply being all that God designed her to be without effort? 


Was it that bite of deception that turned our existence upside down?  There is the report of the curse women & men as well endure because of that culinary choice, but how much is not revealed in the Word?  Without speculating, we simply don't know.  


This is what we do know.  Mankind is certainly different than the animal kingdom when it comes to courtship.  Men are not responsible for attraction at all.  Yes, yes, for the most part men at least are interested in smelling clean, looking nice, & presenting well but nothing to the extreme of their animal counterparts or even women for that matter!  


When Dave & I were dating his ritual for date preparation consisted of little more than a shower, shave &  a clean t-shirt, 20 minutes & done.  Meanwhile, I would begin my preparation for the evening at least an hour or so before his arrival.   It included shower, hair (just right), make-up (coordinating), outfit (perfectly planned for the evening's events), shoes, jewelry, outerwear, perfume, accessories, and the list goes on.... I was exhausted before he even arrived.  One of Dave's favorite sayings then, and even now a dozen years later is "Man, I'm glad I'm a man."


He's got it easy, him & most other men on the planet.  It is women who seem to have assumed the responsibility of primping for the purpose of attraction.  There is little else we use beauty for.  I can't help but wonder if beauty was meant for so much more... more than simply attracting a man.  Proverbs 31 reminds us that "beauty is fleeting" but Psalms talks about "the beauty of the Lord."  


I can't help but wonder if The Fall has even affected our perspective of beauty, it has effected everything else, literally.


I am, however, thankful that I have a husband who loves a blank canvas and I may have created a bit of an animal so to speak.  After years of refining, he now takes longer than me to get ready to go anywhere.  He is "twitter-pated" and I must admit, it is so much easier to relax and be myself..... Blank canvas that I am.  

But maybe that is the way that God intended it to be anyway.  


In the meantime, staying close to the dust of the Rabbi, until I can ask Him myself, 


~Christy 

Ministry Philosophy

This may be completely boring to some, well let's be honest probably every one. HOWEVER....... I had a request from a potential employer to define my ministry philosophy, and while I am very aware of how I operate, I never actually defined it, until now.  


So, in case you are wondering about my ministry philosophy, 
In case you know of someone who is looking to add staff, 
In case you have an open position needing filled, 
In case you are looking for a retreat speaker, 
Or in case you are simply totally board and have nothing better to do with your time ;) 


Here the the Ministry Philosophy of Pastor Christy L. Pittman........ 
*Drum roll, please* (Where is the daughter's boyfriend when you need him?)

My ministry philosophy is not easily defined and while I believe every sliver of my philosophy is founded in scriptures it may not necessarily be welcomed by traditionalists in the church.  While I am quite fine with those critics, I trust that God has created me for a body of believers who will accept and embrace my unique approach to ministry. 

First and foremost, coming to Christ later in life has given me a heart to reach out to the lost and unbelieving.   I think that this must be done in the most practical of ways.  We must first be willing to meet the needs of the lost before we can expect to be given the right to speak to their spiritual condition.  With the exception of one instance in the Gospels, Jesus addresses the physical needs of those he came in contact with before healing their souls. (Matt 9.1-6)  We should take our example of evangelism from our Lord, by meeting the practical needs of those we minister to, i.e., food, shelter, clothing, before we offer them the free gift of salvation. (Matt 25.35-36)   It was by this kind of practical love that Christ reached me when I was a homeless single mother, and it was through His gifts given by His children I understood His love for me.

Along those same lines, we have been created in the image of God for community.  God has always existed in community (John1.1-4) and while this culture teaches something quite different as far as in the importance of independence, the church is to be in this world but not of it.  Therefore, I believe that we are to be the essence of community within the communities’ we serve.  Jesus said we will be known by our love. (John 13.35) We must love one another & love those outside of our doors so that we will be seen as a light in the world we live in.  That is not always an easy task but it is not impossible.

Secondly, as we walk this path of life, we are never alone.  There is always someone who has gone on before us and there is always someone behind us following.  It is the responsibility of each believer to link together with those in front of and behind them in order to navigate this journey we are on, this is the essence of discipleship. (Titus 2.1-9)  It is our responsibility to seek out those in front of us to help guide us through unknown territories, just as it is our responsibility to seek out those who we can help through the areas we have already trod.  Just as God sent Moses back into Egypt to lead Israel out of Egypt, He too will send us back to shadows of our past to help others find the light we have.  (Exodus 14.19) Our lives are a constant journey, and one in which we should be linked together with past and present to ensure an easier passage. (Hebrew 12.1)

Furthermore, this leads straight into the idea of leadership training, and while that idea may scare some it is necessary for continued Kingdom growth.  Regardless of where we are or what our role is in the body of Christ, we must be intentional about the training of further generations of leaders.  We are but merely dust and to assume that we are indispensable in the role, ministry or occupation that God has given us is very dangerous.  Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are identifying, training, and equipping those who are gifted and passionate to serve the Lord, regardless of where that may happen.  (Acts 6.1-7)

Gifting is the next area of ministry that I simply must discuss.  This is an area in which I feel the church shrinks from because of the mystical air surrounding the Holy Spirit.  First of all, the scripture tells us that upon accepting Christ, each believer is gifted by the Holy Spirit.           (1 Corinthians 12)  Jesus Himself tells us that if we are not diligent in using the gifts he has given us they will be taken from us.  (Matt 25.14-30) Therefore, it is our responsibility to assist believers in identifying their gifts and then utilizing them appropriately, at any age.  The “SHAPE” we find ourselves carved in is an excellent barometer not only for ministry but for learning as well.  By the process of identifying giftedness, we are able to eliminate ineffective leading and replace it with passionate, sold out, energetic servants for the Kingdom.  (1 Corinthians 12.15-17)   However, that is not to say that we shirk responsibility due to lack of specific giftedness.  Servant leadership is a non-negotiable. (John 13.1-17)  Jesus was the ultimate servant leader and we as his body of believers simply must not accept anything less than leading through service ourselves. 

I believe that Jesus took the timeless message of salvation and delivered it to an unbelieving generation in a new & fresh way.  (Matthew 5.17-20)  As the church I believe that we are entering a new era of ministry.  This culture is taking humanity to place we have never been before, if the church intends to remain relevant to this changing culture then we must be willing to do church in a way it may never have been done before.  This can be done without changing the gospel, but what we do need to change is our delivery if we are to reach a new and fluid generation.  We have the unchangeable Christ living within us; He is the one thing that this world needs most desperately.  I think we should make the introduction!

So, That is it.  That is why I embrace being covered in the dust of my Rabbi, and while I don't always get it right, I am staying as close as I possibly can.   

Romans 10.15 "Beautiful are the feet of those who bring the Good News!"

In HIS dust~

Christy