Employment Or Empowerment?

Awhile back my pastor made a statement in one of his sermons: “I may be called to be a pastor, but you are all called to be ministers of Jesus Christ.”  It’s a call to reach outside the doors of the church, and present the Gospel in word and deed to those in need.  It’s a call to motivate the church, and I don’t mean just my home church, but the whole body of Christ to do more.

But it’s not an easy task.  Few are willing to serve in their church, and those who already serve feel like they’re already doing too much (it’s true in most cases).  They certainly couldn’t add anything outside of church too.  Those who refuse to serve in the church usually don’t have the heart to serve outside it either.  

Honestly though, I think we’re looking at the problem all wrong.  We’re looking for workers when we ought to be looking for family.

Workers can work hard or be lazy dependent on personality.  The family of God is invested in His kingdom.  They don’t work for accolades, they don’t work in locations, and they don’t even work for others; they work for their Father and His good pleasure.

The Bible says, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14) and “to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

Children of God are led by the Spirit to do the will of God.  I think our goal in churches ought not to be creating new programs or projects that require workers rather it ought to be always pushing, pulling, dragging others to God so that they might be empowered by Him to be a child of God.  When God is their focus, the Spirit will lead them in the work they ought to do and empower them to do it.  Then we ought to encourage them, support them, and pray for them in that work, just as they should do the same for their brothers and sisters.

Let’s empower believers rather than employ them.

I Hate Zombies

I hate zombies. I really do. Before I was a Christian, I used to watch zombie movies all the time, and they always gave me nightmares. At this point in my walk with Christ, I have no desire to watch any kind of scary movie, but every once and awhile, I still have a zombie nightmare.

Last night was one of those nights.

I dreamt that I was in a house, and just outside there was a zombie apocalypse. I began boarding up the windows in the hopes of staying alive and not falling victim to one of them to become a zombie myself. That's how it works you know. One bite and it's zombie land for you.

At one point, there was a little zombie girl banging on a window, trying to get in. Her hair was curled in ringlets, and she wore a beautifully blue dress with lace, but it was covered in dirt and dried blood, and her face was twisted in a lifeless snarl. I felt bad for her even though I was terrified to look at her. "A little girl doesn't deserve to become a zombie", I thought as I boarded up the window she was banging on.

The dream ended, as all good zombie nightmares should, with a breach of my defensive perimeters. The zombies were in the house, and I was as good as dead, or at least walking dead anyway.

I woke up from my nightmare, not scared like I used to be, but angry. I demanded from God why He continued to let me have these accursed dreams.

His answer was unexpected and convicting, a sure sign you're hearing the Almighty.

He said, "This is how I see the world. People dead in their sins, pretending to be alive, while they cannibalize one another. And those of you who are alive, board yourself up in your houses and do nothing to help them."

I hate zombies, and that's my sin. I've been given the means to show them life, to bring them the Gospel of Jesus, and yet I am so afraid that they'll infect me and make me one of them, that I've boarded myself up in the safety of my home, my family, my church, and other Christians to keep them away from me. And the ultimate result of this, most assuredly, is that sin will find a way in, and my fear of becoming like them will be realized. Wouldn't it be better to leave the house and make them like me? To show them Christ and Him crucified so that they can learn what it means to be alive and stop cannibalizing one another.

Lord, help me to love people like you do. Help me to love the zombies of this world, and show them You so that they can live.