step up, step out

I'm not talking about some dance move here. I'm talking about things surrounding Jesus' life.

I hadn't had any one on one time with God lately, It was a long, stressful week with getting over a sinus infection, work, church. No time to stop and think really. So I was kind of angry, bitter, tired, frustrated, annoyed with life.

I got in church and there were hardly any people there. It is kind of disheartening because this service has been going on for a year and instead of seeing any kind of growth, we're seeing all kinds of atrophy. When you're seeing atrophy you have to stop and wonder, what the heck is going on. Is there something being done wrong, for the wrong reasons? Why is God not blessing this outreach.

Then it hit me...this is an outreach and we're not out there reaching to people. that is why there is atrophy in this service that is geared towards singles and college students. The same people show up week after week and most of the time extremely late. They come in sit down, 'soak' and leave. They don't bring anyone with them, they don't try and initiate any type of growth opportunities. (I'll inject, I can't say I'm completely on top of this either, but I do invite people occasionally, and I have a desire to see this ministry grow since I was 'there at the conception'). Atrophy is a do nothing disease and this is where the first "Step up, step out" principle hit me. Christ talked a lot about service, he lived out service. Christ and his disciples said, either you step up to the challenge and the commission I have given you or step out of the way so that other people can get it done. Start building that muscle, start giving it opportunities to grow otherwise it will atrophy and you won't be able to do anything.

So do I think that something needs done? yes, I think people need to get off their butts and stop thinking of this service as a ministry for them and start realizing it is a ministry for them to participate in. You wonder why there is so much drama, angst, bickering, and bitterness within a group of people. It is because these people are looking for chances where they can be served, filled, babied, uplifted, gorged, and become downright selfish. Instead these people need to be jumping in along side those who are working, and lend a hand. They need to stop gorging themselves and put into practice what Jesus lived, service.


Second principle that I think comes more out of Jesus' lifestyle rather than teachings is that of "Step up, then step out". Jesus came to this earth, started his ministry, gathered followers, poured himself into the followers and then stepped out of the scene. While there are more reasons than just this. He did this in order that his followers would be able to grow, learn and understand on their own, rather than leaning and relying on Jesus to always take over a situation when they did something stupid. That doesn't mean that you stop being involved, but once you have helped/fed a person spiritually you have to take away the bottle and let them go on their own. The it cycles back around to "Step up or step out". That person then becomes responsible to reach out and begin pouring themselves out into other people.

Unfortunately the church, my church, our church, the body of Christ takes neither of these principles to the road.
Atrophy sets in.
People complain, become bitter, get annoyed, bicker, pick fights.
Numbers dwindle.
Christ is not glorified.
God finds someone/somewhere else to move.