Front Lines

I believe we live in a time when expectations on everyone, in the ministry, are getting higher by the day. We are routinely reminded that we are failing to produce and mentor converts, or even to retain those who previously filled our ranks. To add to this, the Bible is no longer the accepted ideology of American society or the pervasive theology of our times. We have become increasingly unpopular. Movies make fun of us, and nightly news casters express more respect for Muslim extremists than Christians. So, in order to survive, we must step up to the plate (using a baseball analogy) and go toe to toe (boxing analogy) with our distractors. In addition, yesterday's expectations don't seem to be getting the job done, and today's expectations need to be directly proportional to the challenges that confront us.

Mark Batterson's blog says, "the church planters are, by default, the research and development department (R&D) of the Kingdom." He goes on to say that they are the ones serving in the trenches - the front lines of the church. They are the ones that directly face the challenges of our times, and that is true. Yet, it is not the whole truth as there are others who need to rise to the challenge and become spiritually active. The rest of us should not be willing to relegate our portion of the mission, the Great Commission, to the few and the brave, serving on the front lines. We are not called to be observers; we are participants!

I do look to the church planter as a key link. However, more and more I have young and old ask me "what is happening?" They have an expectation that something is happening, and that we are engaging and preparing for a victorious tomorrow! A tomorrow that they want to be a part of! I cannot, and will not, tell them that I am merely a fund manager, a bureaucrat, a not-essential in the battle of our times! I, like you, am looking for the front lines where I too will engage the enemy of our souls.

Erwin Rommel would ride in an open car at the front of the battle, leading from the front, not the safety of the rear.