Tuesday night on twitter there was a war of words between men of the SBC and pastor Andy Stanley over the SBC praying for revival. (I would direct you to read them but words written out of pride and that don't embody the body of Christ are harmful to people-esp if you are a non or new believer)
I sat in awe of the childish slander that took place after Andy Stanley said that praying for revival wasn't enough (in a shorten version) and the rebuttals of the SBC that cast stones because of the statement.
This morning I have read many of the blog post posted by these pastors and I want to add my outsiders view to the mix.
First my background-I grew up in a southern baptist church-29.5 years. It wasn't until year 21 that I began to invest myself into my relationship with Christ. I began to study and fall in love with God all over again. 5 years into my new walk, the church i loved fell into hard times. Our pastor led our church-with Gods help-through the darkness and into a new blooming phase. It wasn't easy-I worked for the church during the time and I never imagined the struggles pastors go through to be the best leaders that God CREATED them to be.
But our pastor did it-he is still doing it. And he does each step with God holding his hand and prayer guiding him.
When we moved to Atlanta I was in shock. We needed a church family. We needed to serve and wanted to be apart of a church that's purpose was to lead others into a growing relationship with Christ.
We spent weeks going from church to church-most SBC affiliates. I consulted our pastor back in MS and I was following his suggestions. But let me tell you what I found. I found churches that when you asked members why they come there they answered "because my wife makes me." I found churches that have a strip of highway named after their pastor...and also a church that makes you pay to have recordings of past sermons.
I found many churches that had a lot of good-but that lacked the spirit of God.
We finally took a big leap of faith and tried a church that wasn't SBC related...and that happened to be led by Andy Stanley.
We found a church that invest not only into it's members but into the community. That goes over and beyond to make sure each person-weather lost/found/in a suit/or shorts/poor/addict/rich/or hurting felt welcomed.
We found a place that felt so much like our church back home that I cried. Because for the first time in months I felt like I was at home.
Then last night I read the 140 characters of pastor bashing over Revival!?! And prayer for revival? And here is my thought:
Pastors of the SBC and Pastor Andy Stanley: you are both correct. Believe it or not but it doesn't have to be one way or the other-let me introduce you to the color gray.
You can pray for revival. Everyday. You can pray for revival in yourself-in your family-your church-your community-the world. Pray for it!! Prayer never hurts and God hears our cries. (SBC side)
But after praying. go and be the hands and feet of Christ. Get off of twitter-quit defending your prayers and God and go and stand next to a woman at the abortion clinic and tell her she is loved and that baby is loved. Go and feed the homeless-go and meet people of your church. Take ur fancy Olan mills directories and go out and learn about your church members. Personally. (Stanley side)
And now the (gray) see Yes we need God to help us "send revival", function everyday, chose to love our spouse, chose to not condemn other for believing different...we need God daily-for everything. But we don't sit and wait. We don't pray "God please send me a waffle" -we get up and we fix ourselves one. Then we say thank you God for this job that you have given me-that pays for my waffle.
Leaders-God has given you the best revival for our country-he has given you the knowledge and the instruction to lead the church and to lead the people. Jesus had (daily) 12 men. The 12 men that were told to come and follow him-did because they desired to learn. He and those 12 men changed so much. Most of you have
12-120-1200 some even 12,000 church members that desire to learn from you. Use your gifts to led your church people into a relationship with God.
Is your mission to simply pray? Or is your mission to pray for and do everything in your power while God waits for His time.
Quit choosing a side-and remember your calling. Remember that their are people on twitter-like me-that follow some of you for daily nuggets of how to adapt Christ into my life. How to have a revival in myself.
