Be the Church

GOD's Mission to have a Bride predates Creation. We know this because Luke tells us that Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world, and we know that He gave His life to redeem mankind. As we study the entirety of the Text we see GOD's Mission displayed through typology from the Garden all the way to Apocalypse, but nowhere is it more pronounced that when first spoken to Abram in Genesis 12. GOD told Abram, I'm going to bless you, but that wasn't all that He said. GOD continued, this blessing I'm giving you is so that through you all the nations of the world will be blessed.


GOD gave Abram (the father of the faithful) a blessing wrapped in responsibility.


Jesus reiterated this responsibility when He gave His Commission: go… make disciples… teach them everything I've taught you. In other words, take what I've given you and give it to someone else. GOD's Mission to Abram in the Old Testament is the same as Jesus' Commission to the 1st Century Community, and—subsequently—to us.


When we received this Treasure that we house in our jars of clay, we did not with it receive an admonition to horde the Glory. The jars of clay were porous, thus they leaked their contents. Paul's reference to clay jars was to illuminate the typology of our own Spiritual clay jars leaking the Glorious Treasure onto the hurting world in which we live.


Jesus didn't redeem us for us to simply possess salvation. He redeemed us so that we would take salvation to the world. It's past time for those who claim to name the name of Messiah to stop simply having good church and to effectively start being the Church. It's time for the culture to shift, from the minority of the congregation being the Bible study teachers, to everyone who has been Spirit-baptized to actively be discipling people on a weekly basis. It past time for us to shine Jesus to our hurting world by demonstrating His love to them by feeding them, clothing them, visiting them. It's time for the most important thing that we do as the Redeemed to stop being about our gatherings (church services), and to finally be about what gives our GOD good pleasure, new births. It's past time for our preferences to cease determining our activity (or lack thereof). It's time for us to forget about our opinions about GOD and actually start doing what He Commissioned us to do: go. It's past time for us to stop making little pentecostal duplicates of ourselves and our tired, Text-less philosophies, and to start making disciples of Jesus Messiah. It's time for us to be rather than to have.


Church is not a verb, thus it is impossible to have church (either good or bad). The Church is a proper noun, thus must be performing the action of blessing the world around us with the blessing with which we've been entrusted. What would happen in our world if, collectively, GOD's Community would being to leave the confines of the church buildings and start actively being the Church? How many lives would be radically altered for GOD if we would shine His Love rather than our religion; go to where they are rather than forcing them to always come to us (as if we can do anything for them in the first place)?


Is this call to be the Church resonating with any of you?

"Having Church" — the Bane of GOD's Community

I'm not sure where the idea originated, nor when it became the accepted modus oporandi, but there exists a notion that the most important thing that GOD's Community does is have church. Think about it: we invite people to our weekly events so that they can find GOD (I say we because I've done it too); we pass out flyers (new-fangled jargon for tracts) and invitations to people all over our cities so that they will attend a worship experience… the list goes on and on. Please understand, I'm not suggesting that this action is wrong, or that we should cease these efforts. My point in bringing this up is that this cannot be all that Jesus had in mind when He built His Ekklesia on the rock.


There is one aspect of this particular brand of outreach that has always made me laugh. After we put in the efforts to invite all these people to our gatherings, when they arrive—more often than not—they are completely lost as to what is going on. The worship style is far too often more centered around our personal preference rather than Messiah-focused, thus making it very difficult for those unfamiliar with our particular brand of pentecostalism to participate. Our admonitions are filled with inside baseball phrases and one-liners designed to make our inner Pentecostal run around the room with arms flailing (I've always wondered where aisle running came from; I haven't been able to find it in the Text) or some other pentecostal expression, all the while those we've invited are looking around clueless as to what is going on. On a side note, we call our expressive worship pentecostal because we claim the birth of the Church to be Acts 2, at the Feast of Pentecost. We—however—apparently miss the verse in Acts 2 that tells us that they were all sitting in the upper room when GOD poured out His Spirit. Nowhere does it say that they began to run around the room, whooping like Hollywood Indians. Sure David danced before the Lord (maybe we should've called ourselves Davidians), but he wasn't at Pentecost; not to mention, he was in his underwear and I haven't heard anyone calling for that practice. 


Please don't take me wrong, I'm not here to criticize anyone's personal expression of worship and adoration to GOD. I wholeheartedly believe and encourage expressive worship. That being said, I do wonder how much of our gyrations are nothing more than attempts to conjure GOD's Spirit. Read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. There's no misunderstanding who was GOD's prophet and who were the prophets of Baal. Now, look deeper; which ones were leaping and dancing, and which one simply prayed a prayer of faith? Which prophet's GOD rained down fire and consumed the sacrifice, altar, water and everything around the altar? Was it the god of those who were having funky-chicken church (if you'll allow me a bit of poetic license), or was it the GOD of the man who prayed a simple prayer?


True worship comes from the heart, not necessarily from the twitching of the body. The power of GOD's Spirit is often times much more present in the moments when our hands are collectively raised in surrender and adoration to His Majesty than in those times when it looks like a well-dressed roller derby has taken over the church building.


Continuing on through our gatherings… after a worship set consisting of songs and pentecostal catch-phrases, our sermonizing—far too often—is centered on maintaining the Body rather than pricking the heart of the lost soul. I've raised this question before, but where in the Text does it read that preaching is to maintain the saints? Isn't that the task of teaching, or better yet, shouldn't that be accomplished through daily study and personal intimacy with GOD Himself? I wonder how many times someone who was truly seeking GOD came and sat through one of our gatherings and left more confused and just as lost, all because we wanted to have good church? In case you're wondering, I am—in fact—in favor of seeker-friendly worship experiences (or church services if that's your preference). In my understanding GOD chose the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe (by context, those who have transitioned from the state of unbelief to a state of belief). A seeker is by definition someone seeking to believe. I believe that GOD's Community should be the most friendly people a seeker has ever encountered. I also believe in being hurting-friendly, abused-friendly, sick-friendly, lost-friendly, etc.


Then there's the notion, "Bo, if you get the fire hot enough, they'll come!" Now, let's first overlook the fact that this notion is a derivative of Field of Dreams, then let's face the reality that it has no semblance of GOD's Reality. The answer to our hurting world's emptiness is not good church, it's GOD Himself.


Another pentecostalism that makes me giggle is when the preacher is preaching and drops the phrase, "Can I get an amen?" or "I wish I had help" (normally followed by the phrase "up in here"). When did GOD say for us to preach or teach for a response? And, why are you wanting help from the congregation; shouldn't you want GOD's help? Wouldn't that help have come from Him while you were studying and seeking His direction? I'm sorry, I probably should've said GAWD so that the more preachy among us would understand what I'm talking about. 


Having church is a huge problem, primarily because nowhere in the Text will you find the implication nor instruction to have church. You will—however—find numerous admonitions for those who are Spirit-baptized to be the Church. It's also a problem because having church never truly changed anyone's life. Sure, you can get people gyrating, but GOD didn't say that the foolishness of our expressed worship ever saved anyone. Nor does the Text say that the louder we scream or holler, or the faster we run, or the higher we jump, or the more funky our chicken the more of GOD's Spirit will be poured out. Sure, you may enjoy all of the above, but that doesn't mean that GOD necessarily does.


Being a peculiar people doesn't mean being freaks of nature.


So, how can we be the Church? This answer is found in the Text. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by our love one to another. He also said that when we show love to those who are the least in society that we've shown love unto Him. He also said that when we visit the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked, visit those in prison that we are actually ministering (serving) Him. Notice that He never said to visit only the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked or visit the imprisoned who are directly connected with our local congregation.


At the close of Acts 2 we read that GOD added to the Church daily. What brought this advent about? If you take the time to dig into this verse and the surrounding context you'll find that after the infilling, those Spirit-baptized began fulfilling the Commission that Jesus gave at the close of Matthew's Gospel.


We are only the Church when we fulfill His Mission.


We fulfill His Mission when we begin to actually go… make disciples. Far too much of our outreach consists of our bringing people to us, or asking them to come to our gatherings (church services for those more traditional among us). True outreach is reaching out beyond the safety of the walls of our church buildings into the hurting world that surrounds us. We need to realize that we're not going to reach our world through crusades and conferences. We will reach our world when we begin going to where they are.


We will only be the Church when we stop simply having church.

Showing the World a Big Jesus

It's been a month or so since I've posted anything, but this is a subject for which I feel a lot of passion, so I thought I'd share it.

Acts 3:1-4

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

The Temple and the Hebrew

There are several significant items at the beginning of Acts 3. The first thing that I notice is that Peter and John were on they’re way to the Temple first thing in the morning. The next thing that comes to my attention is the lame man who had been carried to the gate of the Temple to beg for alms. Something that comes to my attention from a layer or two deep is the the fact that both the Apostle's frequenting the Temple and the lame man being carried to the vicinity of the Temple were apparently common occurrences. In fact, there's a good chance that Peter and John had seen this same man on previous Temple trips.

The Temple was an integral aspect of the daily life of the 1^st Century Hebrews. The Temple represented the central theme of the Hebrew lifestyle. This lifestyle was not a religion, rather an entire existence. The Temple was where you talked to GOD, where you worshiped GOD; and GOD was everything to you. The Temple was also located in the center of the city, and all daily activity moved in and around it.

This placement of the Temple within the layout of the city, and the high importance of GOD in the lives of the Hebrews, insured a GOD-thought in their minds on a regular basis. If they went to the market, they had to pass by the Temple. If they were going to visit a friend on the other side of town, they had to pass the Temple. If they were going on a journey outside of the city, they had to first pass the Temple on the way to the gate of the city.

This bring to my mind several questions. How important is the house of GOD to the Community today? Have we forsaken the assembling of ourselves together for matters of convenience? Is work and responsibility more important than daily communion with GOD and the people of GOD? Sure, I'm aware that the church building is by no means the only place to interact with GOD and/or His people, but this great significance to our designating a place of communal worship, and to a place where GOD places His name (do the study, it's fun).

The lame man was taken to the gate of the Temple for a reason. He knew that he had the best chance of receiving in the place where people were congregating and passing through. He was not there by accident nor happenstance. He had gone to the Temple seeking (hang on to this thought, we're coming back here in a bit).

The Temple of Flesh

There is great significance in the words that Peter said to the lame man in verse 4. Peter knew the lame man was looking for something to help him out. He also knew that the lame man was looking for money; money which Peter didn’t have. Understanding all of this, why then would Peter say: Look on us?

Is it possible that Peter’s words are a foreshadowing of Paul’s teaching to the Community at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3, 6 and 2 Corinthians 6? In this Text Paul tells us that our bodies are the Temple of God (1 Cor 3:16, 17 and 6:19). He also teaches that as the Temple of God we have no agreement or interaction with the idols of this world (2 Cor 6:16).

When Peter said, Look on us, he was telling the lame man, you don’t have to look at this Temple of stone anymore to find the answers; instead, look to the people of God, because the Answer lives inside of us. Peter was not only giving instruction to the lame man, he was also giving instruction to the modern-day Church. The Answer this world is looking for is not found in our buildings nor our monuments, but in our lives, but the world will only find the Answer in us when we place God and the things of God at the center of our entire existence. When our world looks to us they won’t see us, but they will see God through us (Matt 5:14-16). Like John the Baptist said, He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).

Acts 3:5-7

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

The Expectation & the Answer

It’s important to note that the lame man looked to Peter and John expecting to receive something. Our world is like this lame man; they need something, anything to get through the hell that their lives have become. The world is looking to GOD's Community expecting us to give them an answer.

What are we showing them?

When Peter made the statement, look on us, the lame man’s focus was taken off of the man-made Temple and centered on the GOD-filled Temple. Peter’s statement of identity impacted the man who had a need. When we say to the world, we are the people of God, we are telling them to stop looking everywhere else for the answers.

Are we prepared to give the Answer?

The lame man was not asking to be healed; he simply wanted something to help him get through that day. Peter gave him Someone Who got him through the rest of his life. The Community can’t help our world out with a fix, but we can show them Someone Who can change their lives forever. Peter and John gave us the example of what we should show the world: they showed the lame man a Big Jesus.

Acts 3:18-21

But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

The Big Jesus

Jesus did not come to the world to do a small work. We make a mistake when we trivialize the life-work of Jesus into something as simple as strictly salvation. While it was the primary purpose of Jesus Messiah, salvation was only one aspect of His Mission. Peter shows us in verse 21 that not only did Messiah come to seek and to save, but he also came to restore all things. What is this restoration that Peter is referring to? What is the significance of this restoration in my life, and your life, and the lives of everyone around us? What is Jesus really talking about when He says, I have come that you might have life, and this life I give is more abundant than anything that you’ve ever imagined (John 10:10)?

To understand this mystery we have to think Hebrew. Peter was referencing an ancient Hebrew teaching that had been passed down from generation to generation. The teaching was that at the advent of the Messiah all things would be restored to YHWH's original creation: harmony with YHWH. The Hebrews believed that Messiah would bring this restoration by establishing an earthly kingdom that would bring all creation back into perfect harmony with GOD: or what they called Eternal Life.

We have to remember that GOD never intended for man to be separated from Him. Since the fall of man, GOD has desired for man to be restored back into this harmony. Salvation is the first step in this restoration. Peter reiterates this point in 2 Peter 1:5-9. The faith is the first step toward salvation, but we can’t stop there; the process of restoration is a journey that brings each one of us individually back into perfect harmony with GOD. Deliverance from sin is only part one of the Answer. The Answer continues with complete and total restoration to GOD.

The world in which we live has been sold salvation by every religion and philosophy out there. They are asking for more than just religion. They want something more than just safety, they need something that will bring them back into harmony with GOD. We are not called to shine our world a small Jesus that can only touch their lives spiritually; we are called to shine them a Big Jesus that can restore every part of their existence. When we reduce Jesus to simply a religious answer, we are reducing His impact in both our lives and the lives of everyone in the world. The Answer of Jesus is not a small answer. Jesus is the Answer to every part of life.

As the Body of Messiah, are we shining our world a Jesus of religion, or are we shining them a Jesus of reality?

Are we showing the world a small Jesus, or are we showing the world a Big Jesus?

Finding Your Passion

I self-examine often. This is a practice I picked up when I returned to GOD after being away for many years; I want to make sure that I haven't slipped. You see, I'm a pretty carnal individual. I have weaknesses in my flesh that will rip me away from GOD if I allow them to, so I have to perform an all systems check (ASC) on a regular basis. It's a good practice and I highly recommend it to everyone. I think we were told somewhere that we should pay attention or we'll fall… (yeah, loose translation).


Recently I was performing a regularly scheduled ASC and I began thinking about my passion for GOD. I asked myself several questions: 1) am I truly sold out to GOD and His Mission?; 2) am I truly practicing what I preach?; 3) do i truly have a love for His Word? There were more questions, but—as they're somewhat private—I'll just keep those between GOD and myself, thank you very much.


Honestly, I wasn't too happy with my answers to these questions. My first response was to candy-coat a generalized form-response that made me seem spiritual, but was about as deep as a sheet of paper. I was amazed at just how easy it was to lie to myself. I guess I've grown so used to giving pat answers to questions that my programed response just flew out without me having to truly think about what I was going to say.


I wonder how often this happens?


Realization dawned on me that I was avoiding the truth of the matter at hand, that while I may be fully engrossed in work and effort that is loosely related to GOD and His Mission, I'm not always passionate for Him. It's almost as if I'm more passionate about the idea of GOD than I am about GOD Himself. It's easy to get so busy doing the work of GOD (italics added to emphasis the fallacy of the premise) that we overlook Him altogether. This is where I found myself. Change must needs come.


Thank You GOD for Your mercy.


What is the most important thing in your life? Be honest, we're not looking for a spiritual answer, just the truth. Now, examine your life and see if your answer matches reality. Matthew's Gospel records Jesus saying that the things we treasure determine our passion; our heart. If I can expand on this, the things we talk about the most are the things we're the most passionate about. Look back through your Twitter feed, your Facebook status updates… what are you talking about? Think back over your work conversations, your interaction with friends, your response to life-happens moments (to quote Forrest Gump, "It happens.")… what are you saying in each of these moments? Luke 6:45 says that we speak out of the abundance of our heart. To put this another way, our passions will rise to the surface.


I'm not sure that I can honestly say that I'm totally sold out to His Mission. There are many other things and efforts that—if I'm truly honest—I have made more important in my life than GOD. When I read about the Apostles hazarding themselves for the Good News I'm embarrassed. I've never hazarded myself. I've never put my very life on the line for GOD. Yes, I know that society and life are different now than in the 1st Century, but even adjusting for the acceptance of Christianity by society as a whole, I've never really put myself out there. Sure I've fed homeless and/or needy people, I've even been known to knock a door or twelve, but is that what equates with hazarding myself? I don't think I've ever even been close to the mindset that says, "Self be damned, I'm following GOD."


I've never had to.


I'm passionate about the things that entertain me, I'm passionate about the food that fills my belly, I'm passionate about having things my way at the moment I demand them, but… passionate about GOD?


Recently I watched a video on YouTube® of a Hillsong concert in London. They were singing Chris Tomlin's song How Great Is Our God, one of my all-time favorites. The camera panned across the stadium over a mass of people, and—while I understand the production choices of choosing the best shot—there was not a person in the crowd that didn't have their hands raised in surrender to GOD, face lifted in worship, completely lost in singing about the greatness of our GOD. I was moved to tears. I couldn't wait until our next worship experience. I couldn't wait to get in a room with other believers and worship GOD like that. The time came, I began to lead the congregation in worship, I closed my eyes and began to focus on GOD and what I was saying to Him about Himself… I was completely lost in the moment. I opened my eyes to see what was going on around me and what I saw almost took the wind out of my sails. Less than 10% of congregation was even singing. Most were looking around for something to distract them, playing with their kids or even staring blankly into space thinking about who knows what, smugly arrogant in the fact that they had all the Truth. It took everything in me to get through the remainder of the service.


This image stayed with me the rest of the afternoon. I kept going over and over the service in mind, wondering what I—as the worship leader—had done wrong. After beating my head against the proverbial wall for several hours, I began to realize that I had not been able to lead the congregation into complete and total worship because they weren't passionate about what they were doing. But this didn't make sense. The mass of people at Hillsong Live don't have all the Truth (or so I've been told), and the congregation I was leading were all good pentecostals… wait, maybe that was the problem. Somewhere along the way the good pentecostals had lost their passion for GOD while the non-pentecostals had realized that they still needed GOD, therefore were passionate about worshiping Him.


How often do we forget Who we're worshiping during a worship experience?


Now, I'm fully aware that this example isn't indicative of every pentecostal gathering around the world. For that matter, it doesn't even represent every worship experience of the congregation used in the example. I also know that because I used this example that I will be castigated further, but seriously, I couldn't care less, so do your worst. I do—however—believe that GOD wanted to illuminate something to me by allowing me to experience this. I believe that on this particular Sunday I saw us the way GOD sees us; distracted, lethargic, disconnected, going through the ritual of our religion devoid of true intimacy with our Lover. I believe that GOD was showing me how He sees me all too often. I realized that not only do I not always worship with everything, far too often I don't do anything for GOD with all of myself. More often than not I hold myself back from being truly passionate about GOD and His Mission.


If there's anything in our lives that we place before GOD and His Mission, that thing has become a god to us; whether it be our family, our job, school, entertainment, church (and here I go again—quick, name that tune), relationships, anything or anyone—if we prefer it/them before GOD, then they/it become(s) a god to us.


What does it mean to be passionate about GOD's Mission?


Very simply it means to prefer GOD's Mission before our own. It means that we filter every hope, dream, aspiration through the filter of the Mission, and if it doesn't fit we leave it behind. Hazarding ourselves doesn't just apply to our mortality, it also applies to our emotions, our will, every part of our being.


Are you and I willing to give up everything to see His Mission fulfilled?


GOD told Hosea to marry a whore. Gomer represented everything that Hosea wasn't. She was filth, and by marrying her, Hosea opened himself up to the ridicule and castigation of the very people to whom he was to represent GOD. And—because we all understand human nature—we know that the people had a field day with him. They probably ate more Hosea for dinner than they did lamb kabobs. Yes, this story is a story of the undying love that GOD has for His people, but there's a sub-story here that we may overlook if we're not careful. Hosea could have told GOD no. He could have refused to debase himself by marrying Gomer. He could have refused to go bring her back when she left him to return to prostitution. He could have decided that his reputation as a man of GOD was more important than doing what GOD had called him to do. He could have, but he didn't. Hosea hazarded himself for GOD's Mission. It didn't matter the cost, he was willing to be and do what GOD purposed. Hosea was passionate about GOD and His Mission.


In His humanity, Jesus was passionate about His Father's Mission. He ignore the privilege of Deity and preferred the status of a slave [Philippians 2:5-8]. The humanity of Jesus is our ultimate life example, and He sacrificed Himself completely. Who are we to think that we can do less? Jesus walked into the religious environment of the 1st Century and confronted the bloated religiosity of His people head on. He flew in the face of everything they held as sacrosanct, constantly compelling them to experience this new, more abundant life that He was offering. So passionate was He with the Father's Mission that He willingly drank the cup of every sin that had ever been or ever would be committed. Not only did He take the sins on Himself, He took the filth, pleasure, hurt, ecstasy, perversion, lust, fear, loathing of our human stink and drank it into Himself. He was passionate about His Purpose. How can I—in the face of my Savior's Passion—prefer my own existence? How can you?


Jesus said that if we will seek GOD's Kingdom first He'll take care of the rest [Matthew 6:30-34]. I like the way The Message paraphrases this Text: Steep your life in GOD-reality, GOD-initiative, GOD-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. When we become passionate about GOD and His Mission He takes care of details.


My prayer is that passion for GOD overwhelms us all until we're consumed with His Mission and Purpose. GOD burn up the religiosity that is in me. Cleanse me of my pentecostalness. Wash me of my denominational arrogance that assumes that I have arrived. Penetrate me with your Purpose until passion for You is conceived at the center of my very being.


I'm determined to hazard myself for GOD and His Mission. After all, the less of me the world sees, the more of Him that can shine into their darkness.

I'm Ok Not Being First

Every Sunday Olga, our four chicks and myself leave Orange County and drive three-and-a-half hours to Tulare where we are helping to launch a new church plant. We normally leave to come home as soon as that service is over; however, this week was a bit different because of the school holiday, so we stayed over. Because I have night blindness Olga normally drives home, but since we weren't in a rush (or simply because I have an inner death wish) I decided that I would drive home and let her rest.


I love to drive fast. In fact, if you've ever ridden in a car with me driving through the OC traffic, you know I'm not scared to push my car to the height of its German engineering. This—however—is not the case when I'm out on the highway; out there I'm the most observant observer of the the speed laws. My blinker is used almost to the point of ridiculous. You see, I hate getting tickets. You know the pillars of cloud and/or fire that followed and led the Israelites in the Old Testament? I have a large neon sign that floats above me when I travel that says, "I want a ticket!" Thus, my over-adherence to the laws of the road.


So—getting back to the story at hand—there I was meandering along at 70 mph on Hwy 99 South, approaching the Grapevine… Now, those of you who are familiar with this part of California know of which I speak. The Grapevine is a beautiful respite after the sheer boredom and flatness of the Central Valley (primarily Bakersfield; the town that GOD forgot, but Dwight Yoakum didn't). Because of the steep inclines, the speed drops to 65 mph on the Grapevine, and is strictly enforced. This in no way deters many of the heavy footed travelers from barreling on at 70 mph + (but such were some of you… no wait, such were me). So as not to alert any of our good CHP officers, I calmly drop my cruise control to 66 mph (sheesh, I'm such a rebel) and begin the trek across the mountains. I am immediately in a borage of cars, SUVs and cross-overs careening past me on every side (have you ever felt compassed about on every side by so great a cloud of speeders?). Several are very friendly, they even extend to me the finger of friendship. Others are giving me a love tap on their horns as they speed past me. One individual felt like he would take time out of his busy schedule to teach me a lesson, so he began to drive right beside me, then suddenly whip in front of me, slowing down, then whip to the other side in his best Fast and the Furious impression. He was having a blast in his after-market decked rice rocket, but my gas-guzzling SUV (actually 27 mpg on the road) never faltered; I figured he had more to lose if I accidently bumped his uber-large wing (I've always wondered if those actually would help a car fly).


These antics continued on for about 10 to 15 miles until he apparently grew bored and sped off. While I would never have given him the satisfaction of knowing that he had gotten my goat, inwardly I was seething. I remember thinking, "Dude, if we had been on the 405 or the 5 in Central County I would've run your fiberglass pile of junk off the road!" (angry much?). Having been known to jump out of cars at red lights to verbally accost particularly bad drivers, for the next few miles I fantasized about what I would've said to him if the opportunity had presented itself. I was so engrossed in my mind-movie (on 8mm for the more "conservative" of my readers) that I almost missed the beautiful scene playing out on the side of the road, not unlike a road-side Nativity scene at Christmas. In his hast to demonstrate to me his purchasing prowess in regards to his after-market acceleration system, this poor Paul Walker wannabe had forgotten that the steep inclines of the Grapevine are a haven for patrolling CHP officers. There he was, pulled over, with not one, but two CHP teams, lights a-flashing, wearing their tight-fitting polyester uniforms.


I laughed.


Sad to say that my inner smart alec took over, and as I drove past in the slow lane at a brisk 66 mph, I couldn't help but bump a quick horn blast and offer a light wave.


It was at this moment that GOD reminded me of several things, not the least of which was the fact that gloating is not a virtue. The crux of the Illumination was a reminder that the first won't always finish first.


I was reminded of the majority of the time when I do everything in my power to be first, to be the best, to outdo someone else, to have the best church, to have the best worship band, to teach better than anyone else, to know more than anyone else, to have more, to wear nicer clothes, to drive a better car, to spend more, etc. that I'm still finishing dead last. Honestly, I could go on and on regaling you with examples of my personal drive to beat everyone else, but that doesn't change the facts at hand.


Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with striving to better yourself. In fact, the striving to be more than we are is a GOD-inspired endeavor. However, trying to be better than everyone else is where the problem lies. It's when we are seeking to rise above everyone else that we overlook the fact that in our ascension we are actually putting other people down.


It is impossible to elevate yourself without stepping on someone else.


I think that Jesus' cousin John had it right: He must increase, but I must decrease. I like how Patterson paraphrased this in The Message: This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines, [John 3:30]. I wonder how many times we stop the plan of GOD because we are unwilling to give Him the center or the focus?


In my mind, this is played out more prevalently in our misunderstanding of ministry. Our primary usage of the word ministry comes from the koine Greek word διακονία or diakonia [dee-ak-on-ee'-ah]. If you properly study this word usage you'll see that every definition of ministry indicates either servitude or subservience. Now, ask yourself this question: how do we as Christians define ministry? Have we not placed ministers on a pedestal? I'm not talking about giving honor to whom honor is due, I'm referring to an almost minister-worship. And this is not simply an action of the laity, far too often we ministers—either drunk on the accolades of the crowd, or blinded by our own self-worth—continually strive for superiority in our arrogant, GOD-ignoring ladder climbing. If you don't believe me look at our church buildings and tell me we're not trying to outdo each other.


Jesus made Himself a servant to the world, and even debased Himself by washing the disciple's feet and by allowing Himself to be hung naked on the cross. Yet, His called oracles (preachers and non-preachers alike) are often found preening and prancing, drawing the attention to ourselves rather than to Him.


Have you ever made a similar statement: "Well, they don't have all the Truth," or "Their standards aren't as high as mine." Truth be told, we've all fallen prey, at one point or another, to the fallacy that we've received all of GOD. The arrogance of this assumption is sickening. Who are we to think, even for a second, that it's even possible for us to remotely comprehend more than a fraction of All that GOD is? Illumination comes to the seeker not the one who feels that they've gained everything there is to know about Truth.


We don't have to be the best.


And, not being the best doesn't mean that we've missed the boat. As long as we're seeking Truth, He will reveal Himself to us [John 16:12-14]. Jonathan Stockstill wrote a song that says, Come reveal Yourself to me… You're all I want to see… What if this were true in all of our lives? What if GOD were the only thing that we tried to see; His purpose, His mission, His call, His heart…? I wonder what would happen in our world if GOD's people would lay down their swords of defense (they're kind of pointless what with Him being our defense and all) and genuinely begin to seek His face? Oh wait, didn't He say something about this already in 2 Chronicles 7:13-15? Yeah, I think He did. This was GOD's promise to Solomon that if His people were ever without rain, without food, abused by pestilence that all they (we) had to do was simply start by humbling themselves (ourselves), then pray, then seek, then turn, that He would be there ready for them (us). Strains of when the enemy comes in like a flood are floating through my mind even now.


We don't have to have the largest congregation on the most prime piece of real estate to have GOD's favor; all we have to do is seek Him. If your local Community doesn't have the funding to be a mega church, stop faking it. Start asking GOD to reveal Himself in every gathering, start focusing on the Mission Dei in every aspect of your process, start discipling individuals into relationship with GOD rather than conversion to your religious denomination… GOD will promote you in His time. If your reach is only 35 people, do whatever you can to make sure that all 35 know GOD, know His voice, know His face, it won't be long before that 35 make an eternal impact.


We don't have to the be the best, only someone who seeks His best.