My good friend and children's pastor here at Hayward Wesleyan, Pastor Jeremy, introduced me to a movement of God going on today in Eastern Europe called Global Youth Initiative. Dave Patty, one of the leaders of this movement has penned an excellent, thought-provoking article entitled "Organic Multiplication" that I suggest is a must read (click the title above).
Churches today talk extensively about multiplication. But, too often behind the language of multiplication is a highly engineered and programmatic effort that seems to require the administrative skills of an accountant and the leadership skills of a CEO to produce. Deep down it feels like a lot of human engineering, rather than an organic act of God.
But, Patty offers a different kind of church multiplication called "organic multiplication" or "organic reproduction". And, it does not have the smell of synthetic systems and programs to reproduce life. No, it has all the smell of real life. Perhaps organic multiplication is a post-modern way of saying "revival" which interestingly, has connotations to fresh life as well. He speaks of a movement of God in people's lives that naturally and organically reproduces life in others. This sort of movement is dependent upon the power and life of God so infused in his people, that that life reproduces itself in others.
I've learned that we cannot control or create such movements. All we can do is prepare ourselves by removing obstacles that keep the life of God from pulsing in and through us. May we live to see the kingdom organically multiplied in powerful ways here in America in our own lifetime. And, may our faithfulness to organic multiplication be seen in the ways that the life of God in us is constantly breathing fresh and new life upon all who we encounter. Only living things have the power to impart life to others. Things cannot reproduce life. Only God and people can. Reproduce His life this week in someone else. And, read this article!
2 comments:
Well, you nailed it down exactly as usual! I, like you, was a fortunate and thankful recipient of his laughter and love. He was my hero growing up and through the good times (and the not so good) his love was an example to me of the unconditional love of God. He loved his country, his family, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. What a gift and blessing to have that seered into my memory bank! It proves that love is the greatest thing that we can leave behind... because truly...love never fails
Memorial Day memories bring back thoughts of my father who was on the USS M.C. Meigs troopship that helped and protected the men and women to come back home and he defended the men behind twin guns against flying zeros.
My son wrote this and I thought to share it with you.
December 7
Deafened you
You never said that
But it must be right
It rang in your ears, didn’t it?
The chest-thumping recoil
Of the Twin 40s
Intruding on silent moments
With grandchildren
You smiled
Smacking your lips
Concocting silly stories
From borscht soup
And cucumber salad
Did you shoot one down, Grandpa?
You’d change the subject
To altar boys
Polka band weddings
Chicago shoe shines
Sometimes the surrender
Your short fingers
Coaxed drumbeats from tabletops
Spat gravel on kamikazes
Pointed the way to steely hailstorms
On Pacific beaches.
Until now
I never heard the guns.
Post a Comment