An Ignited Passion…

 I have to confess today… church this morning frustrated me. We started a new series called Ignite. Pastor Randall spoke about living a life where you are doing what you’re made to do, not just existing. Most people seek after something to pay the bills… something to make ends meet… something they really don’t want to do, but feel they must. He asked this question “What would you pour yourself out doing absolutely for free?” Most people not only live out a passion-less life… they don’t even know what they would want to do! He challenged us to write out a one-sentence purpose statement this week – could you do it?

I had a conversation with my friend Amy that was very similar. She mentioned Donald Miller’s sermon Story. Miller basically asks this question – do you live a life that you would pay money to see in a theatre? Amy said it this way, quoting Miller – if my number one goal this year is to save enough money to buy a Volvo… that’s not a very interesting story. But then Miller tells of a 25 year old girl who runs an organization building wells in Africa so those communities can have clean water. What she does with her day to day life is impacting an entire nation.

As Randall spoke this morning, I began thinking of the people of Ireland. I began to think of the churches… boring… lifeless… hopeless. I began to think of the 18 year olds, so excited that they can go to the pubs legally now and join the ranks of the alcoholic society. I thought of the teenage boys… so hopeless that more of them commit suicide than anywhere else in the world. The death, the depression, the lifelessness that hangs over the entire country…

And then I began to imagine a couple of 20 year olds, sitting in our living room, worshipping, laughing, meeting their Creator’s smile and knowing for the first time how much they are loved. I began to imagine sitting in that bar, knowing the bartender’s name, and praying with her. I began to think of a group of young Christians, gathered together for a week of training – becoming whole in Christ and being equipped to share God’s wholeness with their hometowns.

…and I got excited.

But here’s the hard part… that 25 year old girl who builds wells? She also cries herself to sleep, knowing how much has to be done… the lives she affects. Why? Because passion is severely opposed. A Christian who grabs hold of the idea that their life CAN make a difference… that’s a threat to Satan. So at the same time that Corey and I get excited about the Story we get to be a part of, we also enter into a dangerous season – Transition.

I honestly believe this is the hardest part of the role we play. It’s the time when we know where we’re headed… but we’re not there. We know what we’ll do… but not yet. We know how to get there… but that takes time and a lot of effort. Michael Hindes recently said the we must learn how to Transition Well. I don’t think I’m good at that yet… We aren’t where we were… but we’re not where we’re going. It’s in this time that I see my passion being tested.

So right now we covet your prayers. We covet your encouragement. We covet your support. We are in the time that we need people like Amy… Randall… Michael… people who come alongside us and remind us who we are and what we’re about. Know that you are vital to us… to where we are now… to where we’re going.