Ruminations (of the Spirit?)

It's already January 8th and I have no New Year's resolutions. I'm not really a yearly resolution guy. As I continue to grow and backslide in my faith. Yes, I wish I could say I was on a linear upward projection in Quadrant I of the x-y axis, but in reality it's more like a trip to Six Flags. In this divine dance, we call life, I'm discovering God is far less interested in my "achieving" as he is in my "becoming." I've learned spiritual accomplishments are more about me than him.

So...no resolutions for me. Instead, I've been trying to discern the Spirit's voice..."What areas of my life need to become?" Discerning the Spirit is not science. Sometimes it is hard to tell if the Spirit is talking or if it is the overdose of salsa. So...I figure if the message I'm sensing makes me uncomfortable, it is probably the Spirit.

This is a list of my spiritual ruminations for 2014...so far. It's too much to chew in one bite. Not sure where to start. Not sure if it is all from the Spirit. Some of it seems contradictory...but all of these things are stirring my soul. This is pretty random!

1. Love your city! I'm hearing this both in my personal life and in my church leadership life. Scary, because I think it begins with praying for my city, but eventually it will lead to investing my time and energy in my city. I don't have time...which means shifting my schedule, re-prioritizing my "to do" list, and sacrificing some things I want to do.
2. Starve your appetites! Sounds a lot like fasting. My physical appetites consume so much of my mind-space and energy...everything from food, fitness and sex. All are great and God-given for our enjoyment (and most everything in between), but many of these natural desires easily become idols. Not sure what to do with this one and not excited about some of the implications.
3. Make time for people! I run a tight schedule from the moment I get up until about 9 PM. I throttle in 5th -gear, which means I often miss out on people. This becomes even more challenging since I'm an introvert and need some "me time" (sometimes a lot).
4. Simplicity! I know this is the Spirit because he tells me this every year. At first it seems to fly in the face of all the other holy nudges, but I'm beginning to believe it is the fertile ground that allows all the other "stirrings" to grow. The question I always have, "How far do I go?"
5. Talk about Sin! The Spirit speaks this into my preaching and pastoral life. I'm convinced I need to talk more about sin, repentance and holiness. We tend to ignore both the vertical and horizontal destruction our sin causes. 
6. What is the modern "Oikos?": Oikos is the Greek word for "household." In the New Testament it refers to the patriarch, his wife, children, and servants. It served as the most effective form of evangelism in the First Century. When the head of the household converted, the rest of the family followed suit. Is there a modern day equivalent to the "Oikos," not necessarily the family, but effective ways to engage communities of people with the good news of Jesus?

I write this to encourage those of you whose journey with Jesus is more of dance than a march. I pray God will give you discernment as your ruminations turn to action. Happy New Year....a bit late.

Acts The Sequel: KWO

In Acts 2, when the Spirit introduces himself to the Church, the Kingdom of God "makes an entrance."  It doesn't knock or call ahead; it just shows up, kicks in the door, hangs up the disco ball, and gets its swerve on.  Spontaneous foreign language fluency and an Easter sermon lead to 3000 baptisms!  What a logistical nightmare: there were not enough white jumpers for 3000 people, not to mention towels.  How many times did the song leader have to sing "O Happy Day?" Mary had only prepared communion for 120. "We don't even have a New Member minister."

There are times I wish I could have been in the crowd that day, felt the rush of the Spirit, heard Peter speak of a risen Lord, seen the people's hearts melt, and watch the water ripple with thousands of immersions.  For that matter, I wish I could be a fly on all the pages of Acts - to feel and experience the unmistakable work of the Spirit.  I have thought before, "If only the Spirit did such amazing feats today!"  But he does... oh he does!

While preaching at GCR, I stepped into the pages of 21st Century Acts.  During my first year, John Defore- a GCR member told me the story of the Spirit uniting a West Texas megachurch and the scattered rural churches of Kenya in an unlikely and powerful marriage that would change the shape of a country and the faith of thousands. The story follows OT genealogical phrasing: World Bible School beget Kenyan Christians, Kenyan Christians beget churches, churches beget orphanages, and orphanages beget KWO (Kenya Widows and Orphans).  Check out the story HERE.  It will blow your mind!!

Although things didn't end at GCR as I would have desired (due to my fault), there were many joys and great experiences in my 2.5 years there... I met some dear people.  It was a great place to worship and preach.  I found a second family in the staff.  I learned hard and humbling lessons that are making me a better man and follower of Christ.  But at the top of the list is the miracle happening in the sugar cane fields and green hills of Kenya and in the hearts of GCR members. 

"Thank you, Lord, for letting me see your Spirit in action!"