When God Gives You a Boost

I love it when God gives you an affirmation that you are not crazy. Every once in a while, as I am out doing ministry, I get that feeling of "I wonder if I am heading in the right direction?"

You know, this is the the same kind of feeling that comes with a drive down an unfamiliar stretch of highway, heading for a critical meeting with zero minutes to spare, reading MapQuest directions that you are unsure about. And then you see it, your exit ramp sign or another clue that you are headed in the right direction and are on schedule. "Yes!" you say, and get excited about the trip and the destination all over again.

I got one of those "yep, your right on track" spots today at a pastor's seminar in Watkins Glen, NY. The speaker, Dr. Milo Thompson, formerly president of Baptist Bible College & Seminary, shared some key thoughts about how to navigate the culture around us. Here are just a few of the take-home ideas I got:

1. In many areas, God has said alot about function and not so much about form -- leaving us, and our creativity to figure it out for the people that we are trying to reach.

2. Everything that is healthy grows; not everything that grows is healthy.

3. People only make life change when they hear the challenge given to them in their heart language; we need to learn to speak their language.

4. We are too busy making cosmetic changes and not busy enough making systemic changes; systemic changes are the most important to moving forward in a changing culture.

5. Is it possible that we have become more separated than God is?

6. Contamination is not environmental. The best way to protect against contamination from the world is not isolation, it is vibrancy of yoru relationship with Jesus Christ.

7. A refusal to change or a holding on to the old ways of doing things limits your ministry, the size of its sphere of influence, and the number of people that you can reach.

I want to work feverishly to help Wyoming Baptist be a place of balanced Biblical outreach and ministry. I want to be about the work that God has called me to. I must be an active student of the culture around me -- not just the people who are like me. I am headed the right direction, but there is no road-side rest areas for me until I get to the destination!

Holding fast the faithful Word without compromise,

Mike