hurry up and read this...

One barrier to full intimacy with the Savior is hurriedness. Intimacy may not be rushed. To meet with the Son of God takes time. We can't dash into his presence and choke down spiritual inwardness before we hurry to our next appointment. Inwardness is time-consuming, open only to minds willing to sample spirituality in small bites, savoring each one. 

Intimacy with Christ comes from entering his presence with inner peace rather than bursting into his presence from the hassles of life. A relaxed contemplation of the indwelling Christ allows for an inner communion impossible to achieve while oppressed by busyness and care. 

Holy living is not abrupt living. No one who hurries into the presence of God is content to remain for long. Those who hurry in, hurry out.

This was written by Calvin Miller, a former professor of mine as well as a pastor, author, painter and exceptional communicator. Though this article may sound spiritual and lofty, it is fundamental and basic... isn't this what we already know with regard to any relationship - friends, siblings, spouses? My prayer for each of you today is to walk with intentional pace and deliberate direction so that you won't miss God's blessing. He has blessings already planned to share with you for today, this week, this coming Sunday, this coming holiday season... every day for the rest of your lives! 

If you stop long enough to wonder where God's blessing is,
you're probably moving too fast.

which ministry is really most important?

If I were to ask that question at the next leadership gathering, each and every ministry there would say their ministry is the most important ministry to the health and success of wb... 

and they would ALL be right. 

• The kids workers would say, "If we reach the kids, we'll reach the parents! The kids ministry is most important." 
• The student workers would say, "If we don't reach them by their high school graduation, the chances of them being reached at all drops significantly. The student ministry is most important." 
• LifeGroup leaders would say, "Anything aimed at the home and "living life" (marriage, family, career) because the home is the backbone of the church AND society. LifeGroups are most imporant." 
• The Life Enrichment and other small group teachers would say, "Teaching is the most important because people need the absolute foundation of God's Word, and how will anyone hear if we don't tell them?!? Teaching is the most important ministry of the church." 
• The ones we rarely hear from would then step up and say, "But didn't Jesus say his Father's house should be called a house of... prayer?!?" 
• And then all those artsy-fartsy people would sing and shout (with appropriate dramatic pause, "But the life blood, oh yes, the life blood of the church is worship. Everything we do for God's glory is rooted in worship." 
• Then the missionary-types would take over and say, "Guys, I hear what you're saying but Jesus and the Apostle Paul made it abundantly clear that without this one ministry, the church would eventually die out... and that one ministry is evangelism." 

Here is why we can ALL be right... every Christ-follower should be serving according to their gifts and out of their passion - maybe you've heard the phrases gift-based and passion-driven? So, doesn't it make sense that each and every believer would feel that "my" ministry is the most critical to the continued growth of the Body of Christ?

In a book Dave and I are reading, the author makes the following statement, which is the most beautiful way I have ever heard someone illustrate the synergy of gifts and passion.

My reason for walking through all these ministries was to make one simple point: God has given each of us a different piece of His heart for His world. When we bring each piece to the work of service, we collectively display the heart of God to one another and the world. No one of us has a heart big enough to contain the heart of God for humankind. No one of us has the time and energy to be involved in all that needs to take place. So God gives to each of us a passion - a love, if you will - for some dimension of His work.

So, what piece of God's heart do you carry?
We each need you to bring that piece to our church family... and the world.