Tuesday, July 19, 2011

At War With Myself

Warning The Following Information May be filled with Run-On Sentences and a Bizarre amount of Grammatical Mistakes. Read at your own Risk: :)

(Also this is in no way a reflection of anyone but myself. I am Not preaching at anyone but this is what I've seen in my life and if this is you, too. I pray that this will open your eyes as much as it has mine.)
This is a response to my "Head Knowledge" vs. my "Life Outpour" following the Post "Lord of the Pawn".  

I came to the dramatic reality of how Poisonious Cultural Christianity is to todays American Churches, only a few years ago. My entire life I have been blinded to the reality of the call that Christ has laid on the hearts of His children. 

I have attended church my entire life. For years, because I was so used to sitting in the pew and hearing the word preached, I Knew when I heard a good message, because it was like heart medicine. Even the ones that stepped all over my toes.  It was like finally getting a cold cup of water on a hot Southern day.  It was good!
 But that was as far as it went - HEARING it. 

It's so frustrating to hear a good word but ok what next. How do I Live it out? How do I become Salt and Light?  How do I preach the Gospel to all nations? 

Don't get me wrong, I think the IMB in the beginning was a Great Idea, and it still is. However, I am afraid that too many of us have adopted that as a,
"Well, I'm funding them to go and do what I've been called to do." 

Or even
"Well, don't we pay the pastor and church staff to do that?"


You may not have said these exact words but is "That" what your life is living?

It has been mine. Think about it... You're trusting in these pastors who have also been brought up the same way, alot of words about outreach but very little, if any, out pour.  Alot of conviction but little, to no, Action.

What do we do? How do we do it? How do I become Salt and Light? How do I minister at every oppurtunity I have. And Its not by sneaking Tracks in toilet stalls. Do you think "that's" what Jesus would Do? Run, drop and hide?  Christ wasn't sneaky at all. He was compassionate and His words spoke deep to the heart!

I am not Ashamed of the Gospel because it is the Power of Christ unto Salvation! (Romans 1:16)
Tracks arent all bad, used correctly but have a relationship first. Build a relationship! Even if it is just a 5 min totally out of your comfort zone conversation.

Because frankly "christians" have given "Christianity" a bad name, and most anyone can spot a Fake from a mile away.  And if we're saying one thing and living another, "whats so great about what we're saying?"
Not many in our society are going to respond well to a secret bathroom stall cheesy track that falls out of your toilet paper roll. Because your too scared to open your mouth and talk with them personally.  I have yet to see or hear of a toilet stall convert.

The biggest, scariest, thing about what we're facing in this war with ourselves is - Where Do We Start?  We've not seen it modeled in our churches, or much around us. So we're learning from scratch. It's exciting to see God sparking a light in hearts around the world and friends around the world but you know what.  When you see Truth clearly, and you have no one to follow...it means God's Calling you to be a Leader!

The church has got to quit with the mindset of, "well they'll come to us. maybe if we have a great program, fun games, exciting activities. Ooo, Power Point, no media shout, no a Great worship leader, well it must be, this or that or maybe so and so isn't doing such and such." All of that bogs us down from the truth of the call. Christ called us to be "Fishers of men" What are YOU doing?

Does a fisherman sit on the shore, get a well decorated, state of the art boat, push the boat out and hope that the fish jump in? Heck No!  Go, Tell, Preach! Come on!  If you don't see someone else doing it, you think it needs to be done...it may be God calling You to do it!  Quit waiting for someone else to pick of the reigns of what you've been called to do.  If your scared EVEN Better! If God's calling you to do something and your scared it means, He's ready to rock your socks off! If God's calling you to do something and you think you don't have the time, the skill or it might make you uncomfortable or excuse, excuse, excuse...get ready for God to rock your socks off!
Remain in the word. Learn how to trust Him and Him only! Learn how to hear His Voice, Learn how to notice His hand at work around you.
 It is time we stop waiting for others to fulfill our calling!

Being a Fisher of Men means NOW! Not when it's convenient or during quarterly organized ministry church projects. NOW! Today! 

My biggest struggle right now is figuring out all the little ways God's wanting to use me in my everyday life, with 2 tiny, precious anchors at home.  Anchors: is in no way a derogatory term, it just means that it limits me.  Pulls me back home :) Yes, little things I am cool with, but full-time commitments to different ministries; it is impossible for me to remain consistent in.  Doesn't mean it's stalling me, it means I've got to find out how it all fits together, and I'm about to start stalking some missionaries. 

I've got to get out of this "Church Mindset", quit labeling full-time missionaries as "the Missionaries" and realize "Hi my name is Melissa Bradley, I live in Danville, Ky and I have been Called by God to be a Missionary in this town and everywhere these feet take me!

Lord, Use me however You chose. Move me out of the way. Move my weakness out of the way and fill me with Your strength. May I be Your vessel to be used however You desire!  Clear the path ahead of me. Fill my mouth with Your words. May Your words, Your desires speak Loudly from my life!

Your Clay,
Melissa





Finding Heaven                        

10 comments:

  1. I started praying 3 years ago, asking the Lord what he wanted me to do. He has led me piece by piece to start a blanket ministry for the homeless which I did and God took it and has does amazing things with it.
    My advice...continually pray, listen and look for how He is leading you. This all started for with a book someone gave me, "Same Kind of Different than Me". That led to a book discussion, that led me to know about our homeless population to an all out ministry that ended up on the front page of our newspaper!
    Ask and God will lead. Praying for you :)
    ps. don't forget that raising the precious ones God gave you is a mission in itself!
    Praying God's guidance for you.
    Kristin

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  2. Completely Agree Kristin and that's awesome! I completely understand and know fully that my little one's are my Biggest ministry :) but too often mothers hide behind that and think that's where their lifes ministry begins and ends. My husband is also a Youth Minister and I am as involved in that as I can be. We're also about to begin being foster parents, none of this I take lightly. Fostering is something God has been shaping us toward for years, and youth ministry is such an amazing blessing to us. I love every one of the teens as my own. My biggest "Lord What..." Is all of these ministries are heavy on my heart and life but how do I make an impact on the world around me. How do I go and make disciples at the Grocery Store, at the Playground, at the community pool, at the Library. What does it mean to live my faith out more than "designated ministries". Right now, the Lord is breaking my heart for this region. We are praying with Heavy hearts for the Lord to open our eyes to oppurtunities He is placing before us and we've always overlooked. To reach out of our "norm" and be fishers of men in Danville, Ky. Does that make sense?
    Thank you for your encouraging words :)
    His Clay,
    Melissa

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  3. HI, Melissa,
    I can tell you feel very passionate about this, and for good reason. We have been guilty of these things, and the only way to un-do the damage is for each one of us to turn and do the hard work. Very convicting. Thanks for making me sit up and take a good look at myself tonight!

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  4. You go for it!! This was sound preaching. Love it. Now I just need to get up and go for it!!!!!!!

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  5. Great post, Melissa. Being real and being in the lives of other people is what we are called to. As a mother of small children, I think it's important to reach out to the mommies I come into contact with. The ones at the park or pool. Living in light of the gospel is radical. It is life changing and changes the lives around you. Seriously, a great post.

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  6. Melissa, this post is so good! I love this part - "Hi my name is Melissa Bradley, I live in Danville, Ky and I have been Called by God to be a Missionary in this town and everywhere these feet take me!" We all need to come to this realization, all of us are called. Definitely something we ALL need to hear.
    Stopping by from Finding Heaven. Many blessings

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  7. I am so grateful that how God is greatly effecting my life He is speaking to yours as well! Cheryl Exactly! I would love to get a mommy discipleship group going! I really want it to reach out into the community though. There are several places I visit WAY too often :) like the coffee house, Applesbees (b/c they have a WW menu. ha!) and subway and I get to know some amazing people that work in these places and now that we just moved to Downtown, I am praying that through this the Lord may open up ministry oppurtunities!

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  8. I think you are at the first step -- being open. I love Cheryl's words, too, and what I have found is that God totally uses the place in my life to bring me other people who are in a similar walk. He loves your passions and He will reveal where you are to walk to share the Good News!

    Welcome to Soli Deo Gloria!

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  9. I would love to get some kind of mommy group going too--but it seems that people are just too busy, so in the meantime until my eyes are opened to how to do this--I'll minister to those whom I come in contact with however that might look. Blessings & Prayers!

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  10. Amen girl! Being the wife of a pastor - this is thrilling to hear that you aren't just relying on your pastor to go out and reach the lost - because really - that isn't his job anyway! He is a shepherd for Christians! He is in charge of leading the flock not necessarily making a bigger flock! He is supposed to teach YOU how to do it! Sounds like your pastor is doing a great job! Thanks for your post today!

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