Sunday, January 20, 2013

Lead with Excitement

Has anyone ever told you; "you talk too much about your church!"? Or "you shouldn't always be bragging about your church"? Maybe people have said "There's no way you can be that excited every single week". 
Maybe they are right, I mean why should we always be excited about a God who raised from the dead, who has the ability to change lives, who has the power to pierce through every kind of darkness, can end addiction, heal the sick, restore the broken, and forgive us of our sins?
People always ask why I'm so passionate ALL the time. Others have even said that church shouldn't be fun. (maybe that's why no one attends theirs)
Jesus was, is, and always will be THE most exciting thing that can ever happen in someone's life! The story of redemption and love that He offers should be the driving force in all that we do as a church.

If you're a leader in this church, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE EXCITED! You should believe that every week God is going to do something greater than the week prior. You should believe that the best is yet to come. You should do cartwheels when people give their life to Christ (ok, so that one may be impossible for some...but you should be fired up!)
We should lose our minds when people get baptized. We should celebrate when people have taken next steps and started serving as an Owner of Generation Church!

Did you know that the original definition for the word; "enthusiasm" means to be possessed by the Holy Spirit???!! En-Theos...In God!
God IS enthusiasm!!!! God BREATHED creation into existence, that doesn't sound like a boring God to me!!! 

Leaders, you are the examples. If you want people to be excited, then stop acting like you are auditioning for a terrible country song (pretty much every country song)! Live your life with purpose, passion and COMpassion. If the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you, there is something exciting happening. He is molding  you into someone new. He's creating in you an excitement that no one can take away. Why do you think the Apostle Paul was able to write this in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28:


23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

2 Corinthians 12:9b-10
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Even after all that Paul had been through, he was still passionate about his faith. Remember that our boasting is ALWAYS in the Lord! We are not capable of manufacturing a move of God like the one we are privileged to be a part of. It's only by His grace and our obedience that we are blessed to see such life change. God is the miracle worker, not us. I don't know about all of you, but I want to be a part of something that is exciting. When I read about the New Testament church, I read about a passion and a zeal that not even death could crush. May we be known for our passion for Jesus...and our passion for people. I love my church! And yes...the best is YET to come :)

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