I hope I don't have a lot to lose.

Yesterday afternoon after writing some thoughts about movements and style of ministry (insider and outsider-I will post later once my thoughts are clear) I came across Steve Addison's blog entry The Rise and Fall of the Swiss Watch. It is a short must read.

He says at the bottom as a summary: "Movement insight: Those with the greatest investment in the way things are have the most to lose when it comes to the need for change. Expect the breakthroughs to come from people who don't have an investment in the way things are."

The reason I titled this post "I hope I don't have a lot to lose" is because I want to move forward in bringing a new generation the Gospel in a way that transforms lives, cities and countries. I believe right now the western church has a lot to lose. I believe major Christian organizations who have been doing things relatively the same every decade have a lot to lose. I believe those who are hanging their hats on past successes and victories and talk about about the good old days have a lot to lose. I don't want to be in a camp where we're hanging onto the old, tried and true, successful practices. I believe there could be something more.

Do I have some things to lose? I'm sure I do. But one thing I have come to grips with in my leadership these past 12 years is that I was not good at a lot of things. I have already left behind the idea that I will be a great preacher, a great shepherd of thousands and an icon in the Christian world. So I lost that image of creating a traditional movement or church. That happened about a year ago. That was freeing.

Now I know that God has called me to create new forms of doing church and movements so that every person, educated or not, can lead a movement with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit at the helm. They don't need years of training. They don't need tons of money. They don't need to be the greatest extravert. They don't have to preach like Bill Hybels. Here is what I want to give them. Simple training. Encouragement. A vision that a new day of experiencing God and His Kingdom is coming. And I want to give them the validation that they too can change the world. Ordinary men and women who don't have it all together and have all the right skills are going to change the world.

What do I have to lose if I fail in this? Nothing at this point. We have already in our minds left the concept that old is better. We have left living in the states. We have left big teams. All these are good but I believe God is ready to pour out a whole new way of experiencing the Gospel and His Kingdom. Maybe I have to lose reputation and sanity but why not aim for something that will change so many more lives.

This is why I pray, "Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Categories: God, Leadership, SimpleChurch, Movements, Church