The Thirst for Freedom

I am supposed to “go to church.” Good Christians do.

The problem is I’ve been bored sick with the messages I hear at any church for years now. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy feeling bad about that. I suspect that this expenditure of heart resources has been a waste – maybe I shouldn’t feel bad. Maybe I’m not the problem.

You see, in my heart I have a deep longing to have impact. I want to do.

And I don’t mean that I want to do the few things that will make the church or pastor feel successful. (Show up, tithe, sign up for the church’s programs, etc.) There is nothing wrong with those things, but they don’t scratch the itch. I suspect I am not alone in this.

I have an “internal itch” that “going to church,” local evangelism, conferences, or even “worship” time will never scratch. Especially if those things aren’t pointed decisively towards dominion.

I have a problem. I want to change the world!

In my case that means traveling, teaching, discussing, debating, writing, thinking (i.e. World Missions). For some it might be running a business, painting a picture, writing a song, or being an athlete.

Is the church a place to go focus on heaven for a while so you can survive your week? Or is it a place of connecting with other world-changers and getting equipped, charged and prepared to take over??

Bojidar Marinov has written an excellent article over at AmericanVision that I think you should read and consider, especially if you are in church leadership. Go read it, then come back and tell me what you think!

Here is a sample:

But then, why would a young man stay in the church? Is there a “male” message in our churches today? Is there a message that gives a young man a worthy cause to work for and to fight for? Why would he stay, to listen all his life to the same sermon over and over again, in many different versions of it? Come back every Sunday to learn—for the n-th time, over and over again—that God loves us? Shed tears over the same emotional stuff every week? Or hear that we live in the “last times” and therefore evil will expand and he can’t do anything to turn the tide? Or that his gifts mean nothing in these “last times,” all he is supposed to do is to “witness” to save a few souls from hell?  [Read More]

It’s an inspiring article. I hope you enjoy it. I hope it causes us to change something!

It’s time for a change!

An encouraging brief post from someone who has hope:

“…so get excited about something. choose something in the future and hold onto it. share your excitement with others, tell those you work with, those you go to school with, let them join in on your joy. trust me, no one would turn down an opportunity to join in with your joy….”
[Read More]

I find that the whole feel in our culture right now is pessimistic and negative. It is like a slime in the air that one can never quite get off of oneself. Christians seem lost in this as well.

We need people who see the brightness in the future that God can do! I need this.

Why not head over to Josh’s site and leave a comment thanking him for being an optimist?