My Three Things

A couple of years ago I read a book by Steve Sjogren that really had a profound impact on me. The book, The Perfectly Imperfect Church, proposed that most churches try to do to much. Every church wants to be a mega-church, or at least compete with one. We feel as though we have to provide all the same programs and activities as the large church, or we are doing something wrong. The problem is that no one can do everything. No church, especially a small, or medium sized one, can meet every need.

At this point, Sjogren suggests that every church focus on three things that it can do. There should be three ministries/programs that any given church should get involved with and pursue. Most churches do not have the resources or personnel to carry out much more than that. To that end, Sjogren says, every church should confine itself to only a few things.

The natural corollary to that is that no person can do everything. However, every individual is created by God to do something. God has gifted every human to do work in and for His Kingdom. To that end, each of us should be seeking our purpose, our calling. Many leaders would have you believe that all Christians have a generic, one-size-fits-all calling. I do not buy this. Jesus loves me and he has called me. I have specific gifts and interests that no one else has. My purpose, my calling is special to me.

So I had a mid-life crisis and prayed a lot. I thought that if my life was half over I should make sure that I was doing God's work for the second half. After months of study, pray and counsel, I think God showed me what I am supposed to be doing for the rest of my life. Here it is:

• For the rest of my life I will be teaching the Bible and encouraging people to love the Scriptures as I do.
• For the rest of my life I will be working toward the renewal of worship, particularly in my congregation(s) and denomination.
• For the rest of my life I will be raising up leaders for the church, particularly young people for the purpose of reaching young people.

Because of this focus, I will evaluate all that I do. To the best of my ability my activities will be able to fall under one of these purposes. I will endeavor to give my life to the purposes for which I have been called.