Back In The Battle

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Over the last few weeks, I have met many new people. A new company I am
working with has brought me into close contact with them. It reminded
me of looking at someone's hands to tell what they do for a living. In
my case, I think my hands were not "dirty" enough. Not calloused
enough. I could not compare to what they were going through. My new
work has put me in close proximity with many people. And most are not
believers. Only last week while at a friends, I met a middle aged,
Jewish , liberal atheist who works for a prominent show on CBS. How do
conservative, Christian people respond to a man like this? We embraced
him. We had a pleasurable time. My friend has developed a strong
friendship with him over the years. And it is working.

And for me. I realized I was going back into the battle.

And it has caused me some deep thinking. So many are saying that the
church needs to go outside the walls of the church. In many cases the
walls seem to be coming down anyways. And anyone who has known me knows
I have always said "go outside." Jesus came that He might die that
forgiveness of sin would be played out into everyone's hands who would
embrace Him. But here is an interesting concept. Why did Jesus approach
the fishermen? Where were the shepherds? Why did He approach the tax
collector? Where was the likes of David, Abraham, etc.? He said to be
"fishers of men." He didn't even say be "cleaners of fish." Now before
someone thinks I have disowned "shepherds" that is not true. (If you
were here on Tuesday nights, and followed my weekly schedule, you would
see that is not true.) As I meet with younger people and sow seeds of
life, I believe there is a place for shepherds. But WHY did Jesus call
for fishers of men?

As I review the world news and see the fallout from broken
relationships, violated agreements and angry people, I know that we
only win this "war" by embracing Him and giving Him away. How did we
get here? Is it possible that we have not reached out? Is that why
Jesus used fishermen and business people? Because they had a knowing of
the world and the need for relationships? Is that why we today feel
such a frustration with things?

Last week my brakes began to "fail" on my car. I knew it was coming,
but I pushed the brake pads to the limit. A long trip announced the end
of my procrastination. And I had to buy brake pads and put them on. (An
exercise that left me feeling pretty stupid at one point.) But it had
to be done. I think we are approaching that place in our world. A place
where the "brakes" have failed. We do not seem to be stopping. For a
while I just downshifted a lot in my car trying to avoid the
inevitable. I live on a pretty steep mountain road so even that can be
exciting. And let's be real, the transmission costs more than a set of
brakes.

I think the church has approached that place. What was designated by
Jesus, that we become fishers of men, is akin to the brakes. It can be
the stopping power of sin. The revival we seek is a lot like stopping
the car. By choosing fishermen and business people, He chose to have
things changed. By relying on the "transmission," it is a lot like
relying on shepherds (Now called pastors.) It will not totally stop.
And for many reasons this is not working. I know that Paul said to
Timothy, "do the work of evangelist." We have overloaded people with
expectations and the "brakes" are not working. I believe it is time to
reinforce the reaching out principles of the church. This means
becoming a fisher of men. Do I believe pastors need to go talk to
people outside the church? Yes! But, I also believe that each one of
us is called to be a fisher of men. Do I believe in the fivefold
ministry-yes! But I also see a people locked in on comfort. Would you
sacrifice some of your comfort to see future generations changed for
the Lord? What is the comfort worth?

You and I will not reach the world that needs to change without going
"outside." We probably won't even be really happy. And maybe that is
God trying to get us to be changing course. How do we come together to
change the course of history? Do you think it will happen in the
elections? I think not. We have prayed for a rooting out of immorality
in politics and now it is happening. So, in the midst of fall out are
we going to change things around us? Will you reach out to one today?
That is the cry of the Father. We can change history. We do not have to
do things the way we learned or the way we always have. We can be
trendsetters. We can be a re-inactment of the book of Acts.

God, I believe wants us involved in the community. Conversion and
transformation come from a transferring of ideas. And He is looking for
us to reach out. He spoke it so many times. So many say, "what do I
do?" There is so much scripture on what we can do. But, a lot of it is
irrelevant until we reach out.

I tell people, imagine a community where there is harmony. Imagine a
church that is accepted not because of a watered down gospel, but
because of doing good things. Giving to the poor, feeding them,
clothing them. Imagine a community where the youth come together in
peace. Imagine a place where business flourishes because of the
manifest presence of Him.

What does that take? Certainly it takes prayer. But most likely it will
take you and I becoming fishers of men, discipling people into the
goodness of Him...one at a time. It will take a willingness on our
parts to get back in the battle again.

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/
Lee & Tina Johndrow
www.vermontel.com/~servant/ministryopportunity