1) The Lord reminded
me that the proclaimed Gospel is sufficient even when parts of my ministry are
deficient
The heartbeat of the conference was to celebrate and apply the
redemptive realities of what Jesus did on the cross. I got a much needed reminder that it is Christ’s
life, and NOT my fruitfulness or performance in ministry, that saves me and purchases
God’s affections for me.
These truths freed me to honestly assess my ministry and
identify areas needing revision. Between
the messages, conversations, and gift book (Giving
Up Gimmicks), God showed me areas needing attention. To name a few: development of volunteer
Staff, more structured discipleship groups, and increased focus on prayer.
But I must embrace the Gospel as I move forward here. Even when parts are deficient (as if this
would ever NOT be the case!), I am reminded that proclaiming the truths about
who Jesus is and what he has done MORE than compensates for all my
shortcomings! This is because we are
called to preach the word (2 Tim 4:2), for the Gospel is the power of God for
salvation (Rom 1:16)! I don’t have to
rely on a ministry model, my programing, or myself, but rather on the glory of Christ
as seen in the Gospel!
I’m so thankful that we are called to make much of Christ
week after week (1 Cor 2:2), and that God uses His Word to bear fruit through our
imperfect ministries.
2) The Lord convicted
me because in light of how much He alone CAN do, and as much as I alone can NOT
do; I don’t pray nearly enough!
How foolish I am tempted to be at times! Too often I embark upon sermon preparation, conversations
with students, even writing this post, without asking God for the words, the
heart, or the impact I so badly want to have.
HE alone is the one to give the gift of faith. He alone is the one to give the growth (1 Cor
3:6). While we do the proclamation, He
does the transformation (Luke 10). I
need to be far more consistent and dependent in prayer than I am.
3) The Lord renewed my
heart for the lost
Traveling from Washington to Alabama was good for my
soul. Yes, it gave me time to read, to be
alone, and search for good southern BBQ and sweet tea. But something more significant happened. I saw lots of people! This seems obvious in airports, but it was
refreshing. I can so easily see and
interact with the same people week after week, and as a result, my passion for
people discretely fades.
It was good to sit next to strangers and have to trust the
Lord for the words to share the Gospel.
It was good to hurt for the brokenness of others. It was good to see people of all races. It was good to know that though I can’t reach
all these people, God can! And he uses
ministries grounded in the proclaimed Gospel to reach the world one soul at a
time.
May we stay faithful to the faith once for all delivered to
the saints.
David Brashler serves as Youth Pastor at Living Water Community Church in Vancouver, WA.
