I've had the opportunity to play with legos lately (I say "opportunity" because you know we all want to, some of us just don't have the kids to get away with it). My daughter, Kendall, and I have been breaking open the bags, pouring the pieces on the table and building some fun things together. Half the fun is seeing all the pieces on the table - flat ones, square ones, big ones, small ones, common ones, unique ones - and knowing that step by step they will be formed into something spectacular.
I'm glad I get to play with legos; it has me thinking about the church.
1 Peter 2:4-5 says, "As you come to Christ, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Christ is building his "spiritual house" here in Discovery, and you are a part of it. I have spent the first months of my summer as a church leader opening the bags and pouring the pieces on the table. Who has God brought together in His church? Take a look around... Discovery is quite the collection of individuals! I am constantly amazed at God's goodness when I see you on Sunday mornings, in Community Group, and around our Leadership table. The places we've come from, the careers we are pursuing, and the experiences that have shaped us all have prepared us for the work that God would have us do in this time and place.
As I write this, I am thinking of YOU, praying for YOU, and thankful for YOU. God has created you as a unique individual. You are not an object, you are not a pawn in a game, you are a "living stone" that God is perfectly shaping and placing to build His house for His glory. Its not a physical building we're talking about, but the Community of God's people.
As I write this, I feel like all the pieces are out on the table. You are here. You are ready. I'm humbled to have the task of leading such an incredible Community of God's people who love Jesus Christ and desire to serve his purpose in his church. Sometimes I wish I had the instruction sheet that comes in a lego box. But step by step we are prayerfully seeking God's hand and will in building His church.
Here's my commitment to you:
1. I'll keep seeking God's plan over my own. We all have our own pictures of what we think the church should look like. But I think all those pictures will pale in comparison to what God has planned for us. It is He "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (Eph.3:20)
2. I'll keep praying for YOU. I do each week. I don't know if that comforts you, scares you, or make you feel weird. But I do. Its the only way I can hope to help you become who God has created you to be.
3. I'll seek God's wisdom to equip you to serve where and how He has gifted you. I haven't always done this well in the past. But I have grown to realize my calling "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." (Eph 4:11) If I don't delegate tasks and equip others to serve joyfully and passionately, it hinders me from being who God called me to be. It hinders you from being who God called you to be. It hinders the church from being who God called us to be. And that is much too high a price to pay. So I must take this calling to equip God's people seriously!
I hope you will as well. Being who God has called us to be requires that every piece be available. Ever try to put together legos, or a puzzle, and find key pieces missing? You make due with what you have, but you realize something is missing.
So here's what I'm asking you:
1. Be available. Earnestly seek to be who God has called you to be. Pray for His leading, be ready to use your gifts, abilities and resources to build up the church.
2. Pay attention to the needs you see in the church. Our growing ministry has revealed lots of needs. When you see them and think about them, that may be God may be inviting you to be a part of the solution.
3. Have a conversation with your pastor. I know you want to serve, you want to be part of what God is doing in and through Discovery. But we often don't know where to begin. So how about replying to this email right now and simply say, "John, help me be who God has created me to be." You don't have to worry about getting roped into huge commitments of time or a job that you hate doing. Trust me, I know the demands of your work and your family on your weekly schedule. I just believe when we are serving in the right place doing the right work with the right people, you experience the true joy of serving our Savior.
Today I'm heading to NY to take a vacation with my family, to get some much needed rest, to prepare to come back refreshed and ready to serve Christ as we head into what could be an incredible fall season of ministry together. Are you ready to be part of it? I hope you will send me an email, to let me know what God is laying on your heart about who you are and how He has gifted you to serve to His glory. I hope that you will be praying for me. I'll be praying for YOU.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:20
From one "living lego" to another,
- John
