The cart before the horse
I’ve been thinking and praying a lot about the Missional push, then I had an epiphany. Perhaps I’ve got the cart before the horse. The missional heart is passionate about going out, but where does the passion come from? The missional heart is contagious to those around, but where did it get infected itself? The missional heart is focused on Jesus, but how did Jesus become the focus? I could probably go on and on here, but … the point is there is a starting point that we have failed to get to as believers. Encouraging people to go out is great, but if they don’t have passion then what? Explaining that God is already at work in the world, but if they don’t know God very well, then what? Preaching focus on Jesus is great, but if the people don’t get why He needs to be the focus then what?
Internally strong and externally focused is the Presbyterian Global Fellowship slogan - the cart and the horse are in the right position. The church that is first internally strong has passion, contagious Christianity, and Jesus focused hearts. Henry Blackaby has the word we need - revival. In his study entitled, “Fresh Encounter,” revival starts with an internal hunger for God that explodes into crying out to God, confession, repentance, and then life and mission. Lord let there be revival and let it start with me! That’s where the passion is going to come from and then the compassion for our neighbors, community and world will follow.
