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God Goes Where He's Wanted
The face of the
church is changing. That reality struck me recently as I read a book titled
The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins.
Do you realize that in this century, instead of the stereotypical image of
America and Europe sending missionaries to Africa and the third world, these
countries are now sending missionaries to us? Africa is evangelizing England,
the rest of Western Europe and the United States. There are more Christians
in the People's Republic of China, where persecution has been an opposing
force for decades, than there are in France and Great Britain. Today, the
largest Christian communities on our planet are found in African and Latin
America! While this may not be news to some of you, to a lot of us, it
changes the way we perceive the Church and our mental image of believers.
According to Philip Jenkins, "If we want to visualize a 'typical' contemporary
Christian church, we should think of a woman living in a village in Nigeria or
in a Brazilian favela."
Philip Yancey described this phenomenon this way: "As I travel, I have
observed a pattern, a strange historical phenomenon of God 'moving'
geographically from the Middle East, to Europe to North America to the
developing world. My theory is this: God goes where He's wanted".
I know that God pursues us and allows circumstances into our lives to show us
His love. But then ultimately, our hearts need to recognize our spiritual
poverty and long to have Him. So, the big question is, how do we, human
beings, come to a place where we want God so much that He is finally allowed
into our lives?
This book also makes the point that, "Christianity is flourishing wonderfully
among the poor and persecuted, while it atrophies among the rich and secure."
This isn't news. We've watched this happen throughout church history. But
it's a hard issue to wrestle with. Can we want God when we are rich and
comfortable? Do we have to experience poverty and struggle with life to truly
need Him?
For the past few years, the Lord has given me a word for the New Year; words
like faith, maturity, intimacy, which have helped set the tone for the year.
This year He gave me an entire verse, Jeremiah 48:11-12: "Moab had been at
ease from his youth; he had settled on his dregs, and he has not been emptied
from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivityˇbehold, the days are
coming, says the LORD, that I will send him wine-workers who will tip him over
and empty his vessels, and break his bottles."
This has been a year, for me personally, and for many of my friends and
co-workers, of being poured "from vessel to vessel." It is a time of dealing
with the "dregs" in our lives and no longer allowing those things that are not
pleasing to God to settle in. It has been a time for God to purify and
cleanse His church. It is these kinds of times that cause our hearts to want
God, and all that He wants for us. So I believe the answer to the question I
raised above, is yes, we do need to recognize our poverty, whether it be
physical or spiritual, to truly want God. "Blessed are the poor in spirit,"
Jesus said, "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).
We have indeed been "poured from vessel to vessel." We ask God to continue
His work in all of our lives, that we will never settle for dregs, but will
continue to follow His leading, His calling, and His will. It is exciting to
see what the Lord is doing around the world and in our personal lives.
May He continue to bless us all as we serve Him together.
Pastor Ray Bentley
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