2012 is drawing to a close... and yes the world has not come to an end as predicted by Harold Camping and the Mayan Calendar. Yet, I find it strange that I've been left behind by the speed of technology, the growth of my former colleagues mega-ministries, and my choices to pursue subjects like Quakerism and William Penn. For me, I enjoy the story that has been unfolding here in my home area. Over the last number of years, I have found a love for reconciliation, family history, and learning how to become a modern abolitionist in a city once dedicated to selling slaves - like Kunta Kinta. God's incarnational nature got into my world and has transformed how I view things and what has become important to my personal and spiritual growth.
I am a revivalist. I love the move of the Holy Spirit. Although the in between times have been difficult to manage as death knocked on my family's and friends doors. I've lost a lot of good people who have helped me along my journey. People I will always value and never forget. I could have gotten disillusioned by my career path had it not been for my family and friends who have now gone on to be with the Lord. But, now it's my turn to be spiritual father, mentor, and guide for hope. Over the last 35 years, I've been a youthful voice in the midst of great outpourings of the Holy Spirit - serving the generation of leaders who served their generation well and to be honest not so well. However, I gave myself to their visions, their hopes and dreams, and learned how to be a man of God rather than just another preacher. Many years ago i had a brief encounter with Demos Shakarian (Founder of Full Gospel Businessmen - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demos_Shakarian) who asked me, "So son, you going in the ministry?" I said, yes sir. He said, "Remember one thing. Preacher's are a dime a dozen. Be a man of God!" ... and that's exactly what I've tried to be. But, this has cost me dearly.
Over the years, I have watched "what" many people would define as success. I have met leaders, followers, and ordinary people filled with self-ambition pursue, sell and merchandise themselves for glamor, money, crowds and assets. Many gained their goals and lost their marriages, kids to drugs, and their personal integrity. James 3:16 states, "For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil {and} vile practices." And knowing my heart, I decided a long time ago I couldn't, I wouldn't allow myself to pursue these same pursuits due to knowing I was prone to make the same mistakes if I was not careful. By my early 20's right into my 30's I had all the same temptations to self-aggrandize myself into fame, money, and a lifestyle that was at dissonance with my calling from God. My grandfather use to sit me on his lap as a kid and read a verse over and over again to me, exhorting me to never forget, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37) Every day is an exchange. We all exchange our lives for something. We all have personal ambitions... however, self-ambition is a very different thing from a wholehearted pursuit to be a man after God's own heart. Acts 13:22 speaks a very important aspect of faith, "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will." Doing the will of God is very different from doing what you or I want to do. God sometimes calls people to live their lives faithfully in places where the Gospel is rejected. Just do a cursory study of the Old Testament prophets or look at the marks of true apostleship outlined by St. Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul wrote:
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
Notice no where did he mention how many people were attending his meetings, how many people were healed or how many churches he planted. None of this stuff are marks of greatness. Most of those who measure their ministry success by numbers, money and assets do not have have God's view of success. You can have a TV, radio, large church that does not make you a success. If so, then why aren't these same "GREAT" mega stars not exclaiming the successes of their local Roman Catholic churches or Muslim clerics who have far more attendance and money than they will have seen. Let's look at another perspective that can only be examined by spending more than a day or so in archives. Charles G. Finney won a whole city to Christ - Rochester, New York. I haven't witnessed this in my lifetime yet. This is a project I'm working on - this is why I choose to remain in Annapolis. If we can't take a little city then how can we take a big city. I didn't move to Annapolis to build a great church (although I serve one); I came to bring a whole city to Christ... to lower the percentage of those who do not know Christ. I also believe that not one person or one church can bring their city to Christ alone. It takes every follower of Jesus working in concert with one another. So if you think a church is highly effective in reaching it's city for Christ - then let's use some real statistics to see how well things are going. These are some of my favorite churches- who are doing some significant things.
Hillsong Church - Sydney, Australia. Sydney has a population of 4,627,345. Now Hillsong boasts that it has 22,000 in attendance. 1 percent of Sydney's population is 465,735 people. If we take just 1/2 of this one percent then we almost reach Hillsong's membership claim. So, as much as I love Hillsong and their team they have only reached a half of percent of 1 percent of their city's population. (This is only based on Sydney not their entire missional outreach).
Lakewood Church (America's largest Church) - Houston, Texas. Houston, Texas has a population of 2,260,918. Based on current stats, Lakewood Church claims 30,000. Using the same calculations evaluating Lakewood's effectiveness in reaching their city; they are reaching about 1%. This is great but that leaves a hugh population not reached with the gospel. However, we need to start thinking in terms of winning our cities for Christ.
Yoido Full Gospel Church (the world's largest church) - Seoul. Korea has certainly demonstrated how great congregations and leaders can emerge and challenge others to accomplish great things. Seoul, Korea's population is 10,208,302. Based on it's multi-campus sites and small group ministry, Yoido boasts of 1 million in it's membership which is 10 percent of the population. However, recent conversations with church growth expert C. Peter Wagner, Yoido has been unable to sustain it's growth and is experience increasing losses in membership due to inability to maintain it's infrastructure. But, who can argue against the impact this church has had on it's own city in proclaiming Jesus. Yet, millions of Koreans are still not being reached for Christ despite this great church's efforts.
Yet, Islamist's claim that their growth rate is 235 percent each year. Christianity only boasts of 47% growth per year. There are over a billion Muslims in the world today, including 3 to 5 million in the U.S., making it the second most populous religion on earth after Christianity. According to some estimates Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. What's now bothersome to me, is that, 100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam. In fact, According to George Barna: "With its 195 million unchurched people, America has become the new mission field. America has more unchurched people than the entire populations of all but 11 of the world's 194 nations. According to America: An Emerging Mission Field in World Christian Encyclopedia, Second Edition p.27: "In 2000, the United States sent out 118,200 missionaries, but it also received 33,200. Ironically, the world's largest missionary-sending country has now become the world's largest missionary-receiving country." Not to mention:
- The world's largest Buddhist temple is located in Boulder, CO, USA!
- The world's largest Muslim
training center is in New York City, USA! - The world's largest training center for transcendental meditation is in Fairfield, Iowa, USA!
Even though Chicago is known by many Christian's for Bill Hybels and Willow Creek, the number of churches in Chicago has decreased by 900 in the last 10 years! In many cases what were once churches are now condominiums. Although, I do not consider myself effective yet, I have a passion to not only reach and disciple the lost for the Kingdom, but to encourage and help others in my own city to do the same—right where God has placed them in life. The job, the neighborhood, the family, and the friends where He has planted you is absolutely no accident. (See Acts 17:26) Scripture tells us that this is your mission field, and it is as significant to God as any in the world! He ordained and planned, in eternity past, to reach it through you. We find this indicated, among other places, in Ephesians 1:3-10 and 2:10. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth." Your world is as much on His heart as any part of the whole world, for which He died. "Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." We have also found what Jesus said in Matthew 9:37 to be so very true: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."
The city I pastor in... is a very transcient city. We lose 30% of our population every year. Our city population is 38,394. Our church has effectively won and discipled hundreds for Christ. However, many of them have moved away and are currently living all over the world. I often wonder if we have been building a missionary movement. Our church membership has remained about the same as those listed above as compared to our city's population over the years, however, let it be said, we do not draw people to our church who are churched. Our membership is made up of 90% of new converts who have made our church their first church experience. Yet, I am not satisfied. Why? Because of this scripture... Ecc. 9 "13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded." I wonder if God has called me to be this "poor wise man" - God knows how expensive it is to live here. It's the third most expensive place to live in the USA. But what disappoints me is how many leaders have dismissed our work and not seen value in what we do because we do not have a 1000 people yet attending our church on Sunday mornings. I'm often think I'm left behind as many other pastors are because they think our church is insignificant. But, yet when you look at the percentage we've won to Christ, discipled and maintained as a church we are just as effective as Hillsong and Lakewood in our city. We are half as effective as Yoido. I know we can be more effective... but so can each of these great large city ministries become more effective... and they can encourage churches in small towns, villages and rural communities to grow too instead of criticizing them for not being as big as them.
I guess what I'm basically trying to point out here is that some of the greatest churches to be found in America are in small cities. In fact, America is more “small town” than we often think, particularly in how we govern ourselves. Slightly more than one-half of the nation’s population lives in jurisdictions --- cities, towns, boroughs, villages and townships --- with fewer than 25,000 people or in rural areas. Planners and geographers might see regions as mega-units, but in fact, they are usually composed of many small towns and a far smaller number of larger cities. Indeed, among the metropolitan areas with more than one million residents, the average sized city, town, borough, village or township has a population of little more than 20,000. Places where a church, if it reached 20,000 in membership will have seen a whole city brought to Christ. Now please redefine success for me... Little is much when God is in it! In closing, I find solace in these verses:
2 Corinthians 10:12-13 "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you."
Hey did I tell you that I love living in Annapolis where 98% of the population of the city doesn't darken a church door? It's going to be awesome to be a part of a major revival here when we take this small city for God... and let me be the first to encourage you pastor if your pastoring in a small city, town, or rural village take your area for God. Now go win your world to Christ so you're not "left Behind" in the next move of the Holy Spirit. - It's big and it's coming to city near you. (See Isa. 60)
