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Too many Christians are not serving. When you ask them to do something they say, "Well, uh, sorry, but that is not my spiritual gift." Trouble is they seem to think they have no spiritual gift because they say that about everything. Brethren, I tell you the truth in Christ that are no such gifts as pew warming and sermon or music listenin’!! All of the spiritual gifts are proactive. You will be doing something. If you tell me that you are sold out to the Lord and not doing anything I will try not to be rude and call you a liar, but I will have to ask you to explain your definition of consecration to me.
People have long realized the importance of being proactive. Aesop told his famous fable of the grasshopper and the ant. While the grasshopper was obliviously enjoying the freedom of warm weather, the ant was storing up food for the cold winter.
When the weather changed, the grasshopper starved to death, while the ant easily survived through the winter. So much of the Christian life is "acting in anticipation" of the future.
However, Gordon MacDonald has provided a very clear set of descriptors in understanding what it means to fully follow the Lord.
(10A) The first descriptor is spectator. MacDonald notes that there many spectators around Jesus because they were curious about what He had to say and offer. They were part of the crowds that Jesus encountered. Some were vocal in their expressed interest but most of them probably were not.
(10B) The second descriptor is seeker. It is noted by MacDonald that seekers appear in places like John 6 where Jesus, as he puts it, ‘tightened the screws of commitment and the spectators bailed.’ Seekers remained and were very interested in everything about Jesus.
(10C) The third descriptor is follower. This is where a line is crossed. This is where, as MacDonald says, ‘the acquisition of saving faith’ takes place.
(10D) The fourth descriptor is kingdom builder. These are people who are more than just follow Jesus they become, as our guide tells us, ‘proactive.’ They make things, God things, happen.
Multi-Site Churches There are now at least 1,500 multi-site churches in the U.S. finds a new Leadership Network survey. 51% say their reason for going multi-site was evangelistic outreach, and 21% did it to get closer to their target audience. The remaining 19% view it as a solution to overcrowding or being landlocked. This indicates the vast majority are missional and looking for proactive ways to reach out rather than just reacting to growth. 21% follow a franchisee approach, where every site or venue gives a similar experience. 25% follow the licensee approach, where each location has their own “flavor.” The remaining 54% have a blend of the two. (ChristianityToday.com 10/27/05)
READ THE LIST TWICE A DAY
There is a story of a man who goes on vacation, and leaves his assistant to take care of things while he is gone. The man makes a list of all the things that need to be done, and tells his assistant to make sure he reads the list twice a day.
When the man returns, things are a mess. He asks his assistant, "What happened?!"
The assistant answers, "I did exactly what you told me to do. I read the list twice a day."
We must take action if we wish to move forward in life this year. What proactive steps are you willing to commit to taking in the coming weeks?
