change

After all I've seen and the time I've spent in beautiful well organized church services, after all trendy retreats and big-budget mission trips my prayer has gradually become a plea for brokenness.

What are we doing?

I used to imagine that to see God's kingdom come would allow me to witness numbers and multitudes flocking to the church for membership and salvation. I used to look for loud worship and charismatic leaders, but something has changed. A shift has begun happening...

All I'm asking for now is that in my life I will witness a change in which crowds and numbers are replaced by a devoted few that plant the seeds of restoration. I want to see a world in which church becomes a word no longer associated with big buildings and fancy programs, but rather a community extreme grace and sharing. I want to see a world where Christians no longer carry the stereotype of middle-class/wealthy republicans, but rather activists, environmentalists and givers who are willing to sacrifice comfort to protect life and humanity (and not just American life!). I want to see a world take shape in which our buildings are replaced by homes, and congregations replaced with community. When will we become a people more devoted to feeding the homeless, than attending retreats and church events? When will we love our neighbors more than ourselves? When we we love our world more than our comfort?

When will we learn to love our Jesus well?

And this is my solution: It is me. Both the problem and the solution are found in me and with me. Gandhi said "you must be the change you wish to see" and I think he was right. As easy as it is to fight devotedly for my cause, and let the organized church become my enemy, it must not.

"The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community (even if their intentions are ever so earnest), but the person who loves those around them will create community."
-The Irresistible Revolution

So this has become my heart and my devotion: to desire my God and his change with such desperation that I Love and Give until my life and world have been transformed by The One.