How
simple it is…
Yesterday (November 24, 2010), we had a time to sit down with 5
pastors in the community and wow, just WOW!!! I HATE sitting and ‘speaking at’
people so I suggested that we circle up and have a ‘discussion’ time with them
like the original church (like our house church format)! I don’t really know
how we can fully encourage someone unless we know what’s goin on in their lives,
so I suggested it and everyone jumped on it!!! We got there at 9am and only 5
showed up so we started 45 minutes late.
At first, we introduced who we were, then we let one of the pastors
tell us something that was on his heart. Abusa (pastor) said that he was having
a lot of trouble because 3 or 4 of his most faithful church families have left.
At first he thought that the word wasn’t having as much power (a lie from
satan), and then he was just very discouraged because these families had a
great impact in the church. He said that he didn’t know what to do and needed
some encouragement. I added that often, I have noticed that this usually
happens because there is some sort of disconnection between the families and
the church body or between them and the leadership. I went on to talk about a
little bit more and encouraged them in that. Shortly after, he said, “No,
the families just left because their jobs were elsewhere.” I was like…
‘OH…!” hahahaha So much for that one right!?!?!? NOPE!!!
Then a few of the other pastors said, “I am having trouble with
that though….” One of them said, “You mentioned that there could be
some sort of ‘disconnection’ between the people and leadership. Can you
elaborate on that a bit? How do you fix this?” I was chomping at the bit
because I LOVE discussion like this!!! I love talking through things and diving
deep with people! It’s like house church all over again!!! I told him that I
was a youth pastor for two years while I was in college and this was a
difficult time. I was busy with college, there were a ton of things to do, and
I lived 45 minutes from my kids. This is a huge challenge and disconnection
could have come easy. I said something to the effect that often we spread
ourselves too thin (too many things going on that we are trying to handle and
do) and we forget about what is most important, we forget how simple the Gospel
is. As busy as things may get, we have to remember that spending time with
people and investing in their lives is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than any sermon or
anything that seems necessary. We can have the best sermon that anyone has ever
heard, we can be prepared like nobody’s business and we can ‘know it all’ but
we can still have no impact because we don’t do what’s most important, spend
time loving people (1 Corinthians 13). The Gospel is as easy as loving God and
loving people and we can’t lose sight of that. I said that when we internalize
the unending love of Jesus for us, loving God and loving people is easy. I
challenged them to go to see the kids at school, spend some time with the
parents, go see people at their jobs, do more door to door and simply hang out
with them, nothing more. Build the relationship. Get to know them better, spend
that time and BE CREATIVE!!! It will mean the world to them way more than any
big sermon or event at church, for them to see that you genuinely love them.
They were LOVIN IT!!!
Another pastor said, “But a lot of the people don’t want to get
close to the pastor.” This broke my heart. He said, “What do I do
Colby!? What do I need to do!?!?” Isn’t is humbling speaking to OLDER
PASTORS and they are asking for wisdom from you and advice!?!?!? CRAZY!!!! I
said, just spend that time loving them. Hang out with them, persist and don’t
stop loving them. They will eventually see that you are a normal guy and that
there is nothing intimidating or ‘special’ about you. I know where you come
from, because sometimes people think we as missionaries are some ‘super people’
but we aren’t! We are normal people who love Jesus just like anyone else…. Keep
loving them, because once we keep loving them, the love of Christ will break
down all walls and nothing will be left but Christ….” He LOVED IT!!!!
Another pastor then said, “You know, last year in 2009, God
told my brother and I to start doing door to door and we did. I had a FIRE for
it and God did so much in that! That is actually where most of our church
growth came from, but I started to have so many things to do that I soon forgot
about door to door and lost my passion for it. I eventually stopped because I
had too much to do. But yesterday when we did door to door, God revived me!!! I
have a fire for it again and God reminded me of this, that the all of the busy
work isn’t as important! I know that God brought you all here to Malawi for
me!” At this time, we all were going crazy inside!
Another pastor said, “Yes, God has been speaking to me about
discipleship and I have been so busy that I have lost touch in it but yesterday
when that man that we met said that he wanted more 1 on 1 and we met with him
for a few hours that afternoon, God revived me in that! That is what it’s all
about!” Y’all, I was GOING CRAZY!!!!!!!! THIS is what I LOVE TO SEE!!!!
Discipleship at its finest!!! They hung out with this young guy and now are
going to start discipling him during the week! He was HUNGRY for the Gospel,
hungry for discipleship!!! All we have to do is seek it out and we will find
them!!!! You know, I’m not sure who was lovin’ it more, me or the pastors! Haha
We talked about discipleship for a good while and had some GREAT
discussion about it all and then moved on to the last few guys! I’m still
PUMPED about it because these guys GET IT!!!!!!!!! They were JUMPING THROUGH
THE ROOF WITH ENTHUSIASM!!!!
Don’t shut down just yet, the day wasn’t over! Well, we got to our
translator/contact for the day and he wasn’t expecting us to ask him how we can
pray for him…. His eyes got real watery and oh boy, the Lord stirred me up in
this one too. Bengo (the guy) said some things about his sons and their education
and then said, “I really want to be a good dad for my sons and a loving
husband to my wife. I want to lead them like I should in the way of the Lord.”
I saw it in his eyes and I couldn’t take it…. I started welling up and tears
started to come down my face like a flood. Not only is that a desire of my
heart, it’s just that you don’t see or hear that from many men that these days.
To see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice was so humbling and chilling to
my spine! I want to raise up my children and disciple men that want this!!!! He
wants to be the spiritual leader, to love them like they should be, etc etc and
it just HIT MY HEART head on!!! That is SO ENCOURAGING because he is a guy that
I REALLY look up to and I want to be that man not when I get married and have
kids, I want to be a good dad and loving husband to my wife NOW! I want to
honor them in all that I am now!!!! I don’t wanna wait and I wanna prepare and
envelope myself with His heart now!!!
Another reason that this was so heavy on me was the simple fact that
God woke me up yesterday morning and He said to me, “You need to let it be
known that it’s time to start really praying with your wifes (kids, grandkids,
etc). I want you to tell them that now is the time to dive into the scriptures
with each other. It’s time to take hold and dig deep. I want you to tell them
that now is the time to be the men that I made a long time ago!” I didn’t
know what all to think about that but when Bengo said all of that, I couldn’t
take it, I KNEW it was from the Lord, no doubt. Confirmation! Don’t you just
LOVE it when God shows up like that!?!?!?!?!?
WHAT A DAY!!!!
So I say to you fathers, it starts with you, so take initiative now.
Start digging deep with your wives in prayer, in the Word. This is God’s will
for you as the spiritual leader, the head of the family. This is part of fully
living in the joy of the Lord! Start praying with your children more intently
and discipling them. Take hold of who you are, men of God, warriors who bring
Kingdom to your families!
I love you all!!!
colby
