Still thinking about the Achilles tendon

Paul,

I’ve been thinking about your question regarding what our church's Achilles tendon is.

You, Tony Thompson from the Burlington church and I have worked on a series of lesson from Mark’s gospel. We’ve entitled the series “No Turning Back- living the surrendered life.” The challenge I see for the church is that the cause for which Christ died is being routed in our society. Ironically, as Christians our story underscores that God has come near. I heard a lesson from Randy Harris where he spoke about God coming near. He said 100 years ago in Africa about 7% of the people would have claimed to be Christian. Do you want to know what that number is today? 46%! Africans are now leaving their countries and going into other African countries to evangelize. Africa has become the center of Christianity. Or what about China? In 1900 about one half of one percent of the population claimed to be Christian. And after a hundred years of China trying to rid the country of Christianity it now has approximately 7% of the population that claims Christianity. There are more Chinese Christians than there are American Christians. But in our country the un-churched population is growing by leaps and bounds. Yet our story says that God has come near.

If we buy into the idea that there’s “No Turning Back” and that we are called to “Live the Surrendered Life,” we’ll find ourselves going to all kinds of people to show them that God is near. Here’s where our potential Achilles tendon is: There’s risk in buying into this idea. The risk is that all kinds of people will come into our churches and make them look a lot different. The risk is that God will be in control and for those of us who like to be in control––will be challenged.

In my rock climbing “year” I learned a valuable lesson. You need to trust the rope that ultimately holds you when you fall. Here’s my point––believe that God is the one who is in control. We are a people with a story. We are being called to let creation know that God is near. I’m convinced that when you do this, God’s got ya!! He’s got ya because it’s his mission and he’s the one in control.

Make no mistake, this new life we are called into for God will be one dedicated toward the goal of transforming others.

God has come near!