Saturday, September 20, 2008

Southside - Part 2

Follow-up from previous post.

So with change - there is resistance. That is a known condition in any 'organization'. Being outright resistant is different than being a challenger though. Being resistant means that you aren't willing to give the change a chance. Many time resistance comes in the form of sinful complaining, criticsm & condeming.

Being a challenger means that you are willing to give it a chance -but you refuse to be the seed that Jesus talks about in Matthew 13. The seed that gets so excited & enthusiastic automatically about every new idea presented without knowing the details, without spending time with God talking about the change with Him and then when any hard times comes - bails out. I am happy to be a challenger. I will continue to love & respect our leaders and be one of their biggest cheerleaders.... but I also am going to continue to challenge.

I will challenge my own thoughts on the way our church has always done things, the way I have always done things.... and the way we SHOULD do things. I am an EXTREMELY passionate & enthusiastic person --- but I want to be behind this vision 100% not in my emotions but in my soul, my heart and my actions.... so I am going to make sure I have deep roots so I'm ready to stand firm when the wind blows. I don't want this to be another thing to get excited about --- I want others to realize that the excitement and passion they see is not a facade -- it's an external sign of what God is working on inside making me ready for long haul work & discipline.

I want to challenge, to ask questions all the while being encouraging and loving --- so that I can truly understand the vision, so that I understand the reality of the growing pains that will come so that I am willing to stick around no matter what comes. I want to be that good seed that hears and takes in the News (key being TAKES IT IN --- gives the change a chance) challenges, and then is ready to go when it's time to act!! -- allowing God to produce a harvest beyond wildest dreams. When it's time to act - there is NO looking back - it's full steam ahead -- so the time to examine & challenge is NOW!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love this post from someone's blog I have been following lately; had the chance to hear him speak, and Man! This guy is passionate about winning souls for the kindgom. Here he directly speaks to controversy and the good that can result! It was today's post. Coincidence? Definitely not...

I told our team the other day:
We’ve got to become more comfortable with controversy!

We’ve learned how to tolerate it and move past it. Now it’s time for us to learn to view it as a gift, and use it to our advantage. Controversy is a sign of progress. Controversy is a sign of impact. Controversy is a precursor to promotion. And a training ground for greater things.

If you want to be like Christ, expect controversy.
And when it comes, don’t fight it. Ride it. Pray through it. Learn from it. Celebrate it.
And watch God use it to elevate you to your next level.

Anonymous said...

Hi Randi, I love that you are writing again here, I love your heart for God. It's so exciting to read about God birthing something new in and through your church, it will be so good to see how things continue to unfold. I particularly loved the vision and heart to reach out to those who don't know God yet that you described in the previous post - SO great! God bless.

Randi Jo :) said...

thanx so much yall:) love ya

Anonymous said...

Sounds exciting. I'll be interested in seeing God unwrap this package.

Rebekah said...

How exciting to know that God is doing such an awesome thing in his church!