Journey is passionate about three things.
Reaching People
Growing Deeper
Honoring God.
For the most part I thing people understand #1 & #3. They may not live them out to the fullest or want to participate.... but I believe that most people get them.
#2 on the other hand, I think people resist.
Yup, I hear plenty of people saying that they want to grow in their faith, understand God and Jesus more and more... yet they never act on their words. Growing Deeper requires a certain commitment to take personal ownership for ones own relationship with God and others. I think we resist partly because we've been led to believe it just naturally happens. Or we believe, it's someone else responsibility to make the first move and get us growing. Not true. Faith is a personal thing, that gets worked out in community with others. Life itself is a laboratory for faith to grow. But we have to be willing to participate... not just wish for it.
Growing deeper also requires us to be vulnerable with others. Jesus taught his disciples how to serve, minister and grow together. I don't see any other way around this issue. If you really want to grow your faith, you must open up your heart and soul to others, develop relationships, risk being hurt... and commit to being held accountable.
I believe that there are a lot of well meaning Christians that really want to grow, but are allowing fear and an over dependency on the church and formal programs do the job for them. It bothers me that so many wish and talk about growing deeper, and yet so few actually set aside the time to make it happen.
As a church we're passionate about growing deeper.
As a pastor I'm driven by this passion.
As a man I love being in a deeper relationship with God and man.
Yes it takes work... but it's so worth it and more often than not... it's so much fun.
Generis
About Me
- Rich
- Rich Bontrager serves as the lead Pastor of Journey Church in Rochester, MN, which is focused at reaching young adults. Rich is church planter at heart and has a dream of seeing more churches planted along Interstate I-90 (MN & Iowa). In 2009 Journey planted the Crux Church in Faribualt, MN and in the fall of 2011 Journey will give birth to it’s second daughter church in Stewertville, MN. Rich loves to travel and speak with young adults about boldly making an impact in the world today for Christ. In 2010 Journey opened up the Uturn Coffeehouse & Event Center. Rich and his wife Cyndi, have three daughters Abbi, Sarah and Hannah.
2 comments:
Passion #3 - Honor God
This is the apex of our life, or so it should be. But how do we honor God? Do we do it by living a life of fear, always trying to be perfect... and never getting there. Therefore we live in guilt, shame and fear of God himself and his judgement.
Do we do it hy singing every worship song, reading only the Bible and spiritual books. Trying to be a spiritual zombie?
Do we do it knowing how to dress and talk properly. How to "look more Christian" the others?
Jesus demonstrated time and time again, that to honor God was to love a life of service. Service, not slavery! Service that requires faith, brings about growth in all areas of your life and is done in relationship with others and God. It is service that is done freely, because it's simply the right thing to do and it pleases God the father.
People in the church today have a hard time stepping into this part of their faith. Few want to grow, by putting on a servants apron and becoming nothing so that God may do the impossible, be seen, praised and honor. Instead, people have grown accustomed to being served by the church. "Take care of me and help me live better." Jesus would call that sin, and selfish living. Both of which he tried desperately to show others how to overcome and not accept.
We grow the most, when we serve.
No pain, no gain.
At Journey we are passionate about training, equipping and become disciples of Jesus Christ. Therefore we have to passionate about service! After all, "He came to serve, not be served."
I just can't help myself sometimes....I just get on fire for serving and fulfilling god's purposes for me on this earth. Do I grow weary of it? Sometimes...and that is OK....But to be honest...the spirit is very refreshing this way to me, and despite my struggles and "needs", I can still reach deep down in my faith that everything will be alright because so many others benifit from it.
Post a Comment