Out the West Window
As I look out the West Window this morning I am reminded of the overwhelming love that God has for all of mankind. The sky is rosy pink as the clouds move slowly across a turquoise sky. God does let us know He is there by the beauty of the world around us. He also lets us know of His love for us by the beauty of the changed lives around us. To the Father this beauty of a life taken from the absolute blackness of sin, where there is no color and no beauty to a sudden rainbow of color, shape and movement, is better than going just from night to a beautiful sunrise. Whereas the sunrises and sunsets will one day be done away with, this human soul will be beautifully His for eternity.
Seeing people’s lives changed because of Jesus is really the second step in church planting. The first step is to practice the presence of the Savior in such a way that He has complete control and can live out His life through the Church Planter. Church Planting then begins with the Church planter and his ongoing, growing personal relationship with Jesus. I am reminded of Paul’s admonition to the church at Galatia. “You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it's obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough. Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!” Galatians 3:1-4 the Message
When Christ is alive in my life and free to be Himself, His joy is changing lives! I then will not be able to stay quiet about who He is and the difference He is making in my life. Then, it follows that people will want Jesus in their lives and when He comes into live with them and bring joy and peace in their lives they will desire to grow in this new colorful world of light and color and movement. When several folks are growing and learning to be vessels of the Holy Spirit of the Living God, a need for a church body becomes evident. Church Planting then is seen as the natural outcome of evangelism and discipleship. So then, church planting begins with the consecration of the church planter and his team.
I want to explore this natural movement from the personal life of the church planter, to a love and desire to see lives changed, to helping those people to grow in Christ Jesus and then seeing the need and desire for a church body that will have a passion for personal spiritual oneness with Christ, leading to the evangelization and transformation of the community/tribe of which they are a part. I will be writing a series of articles this year based around this Biblical principle.
Steve Hoekstra
State Director of Missions - West
