Over the past few months, the Lord has really been stirring me in His thoughts for the Body of Christ.
I have often indulged in judgement over the different denominations and branches of Christendom, and I am starting to see that my "us and them" mindset has caused me to miss out on so much of what the Lord has to offer. When I say "us and them", I really mean, people who differ and don't agree with me verses people who are similar and do agree with me. But there is something, to being in reverence of the gift of God deposited in every person and manifested in every person. God has created us unique and knows us intimately in our own ways. So, in my loving Him with all my heart, my mind, my soul and strength--it will be a completely different expression of love from that of someone who is wired entirely differently than I am.
This used to upset me. Now, it excites me.
I used to look for the right formulas. And by that I mean, the right teachings, the right prayers, the right worship, etc. If I've learned anything in the past years in my journey with Jesus, I've learned relationship trumps formula. While I do believe He is a God of structure and order (1 Cor 14:33), I also believe that He is a Father calling me to explore the identity of being His child (Romans 8). What I've come to realize again and again, is that I have something to learn from everyone. He has deposited part of His DNA in every person on earth and He awakens the DNA into a beautiful metamorphosis for us who are born of the Spirit through Jesus Christ.
When I was in Africa, I think this revelation began to dawn on me.
I sat in a small bible study that my Dad runs every week. He has three local african church leaders meet with him and explore scripture and what relationship with God is like every weekend. These three guys are very different. One of them has been discipled by YWAM and local churches, that follow more in the footsteps of Hillsong-esque churches. Another one used to be considered the town drunk, downing more alcohol than you'd think humanly possible. He has now been sober for two years, and even though he's rough around the edges, there is a divine spark of hunger in his soul to know Jesus, the real Jesus. Then there is another guy, who is maybe one of the most responsible, hard-working Africans I met. My dad talked highly of him, because this was a man who never asked for a dime from my dad in the last year (unlike many others) but had a consistent, growing hunger for Jesus.
I sat with these guys a handful of times listening to their responses to my dad's questions, amazed by them. They answered with such honesty and hungered for truth with such intensity. The smallest morsel of revelation was like a feast of kings for them. I listened in pure delight seeing the truth wash over them, and seeing them receive good news with joy. I saw in them the embodiment of Jesus' words, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled," (Matt. 5:6) and then I realized what true hunger was. I have only barely experienced it, but these sons of God walk in their hunger for God daily. I want that.
Next, I am confronted by one of my good friends, Will Stackable. Will and I had the blessing of being in a team together while we were ministering in Masipumalele. Will is one of my closest friends, but we are wired completely differently. He thrives on being around people, meeting new people, talking and learning from others, and to be honest, he's a natural evangelist. I tend to want to be alone or at least with people I know very well, I'd rather not meet a lot of new people in day, and I don't do well opening up with people I've never met before, and to be honest, I'm not a natural evangelist.
But, my delight was in working with Will. We, and our other two team members (who differed from one another as greatly as Will and I did from each other), had the privilege to learn from each other. In 1 John 2:28 says, "But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone should teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."
I wasn't looking for a teaching on evangelism, but I was looking for the anointing of evangelism at work. I was looking for the fruit of the Spirit coming through Will and allowing the Lord to show me what it means to be an evangelist in my own right. So, we spent heaps of time with people and the whole time I was with Will and the other girls, I saw gifts of God at work at them, the anointing of the Spirit at work, and my heart was stirred to not only continue acting out in who I am, but in hungering for the manifestation of those gifts in my life, and in my personality.
Towards the end of the trip, I think I hit my stride. I was able to talk to people openly about my beliefs and offer prayer, where before it seemed like such a daunting task to accomplish.
In our times of worship and prayer, we saw others take the lead according to their gifting and anointing. My sister Kathyrn amazed me here. She took such a strong leadership, leading in conviction and faith on what God was speaking. Myself and others gave our two cents in what we heard from God, in prayers, in leading worship, but all contributed every morning. We saw another dynamic shift of those who felt and understood things from the Lord being a two fold gift-- In one sense, giving us direction and in another, seeing the Holy Spirit teach us through them.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to see the Holy Spirit come radically into every person's life experience. I haven't always been conscious of it. When I was a young kid, I would drum with all my might and rhythm seeking to release the Spirit of God over the worshipers in front of the stage. When I led worship, the same zeal over took me resulting in loud singing and breaking guitar strings. When I led my outreach team, the same zeal overtook me in intercession and in sharing devotions. I want to see the Holy Spirit come in a powerful way, that is the personal and unique way for individuals.
I wonder sometimes, if we miss half of what God is saying or doing because of our view of what He should be saying or doing.
In any case, I want to see the fingerprints of God over every person who calls Jesus 'Lord.' I want to learn from the Catholics, the Protestants, the Baptists, the Charismatics, the Liberals and the Conservatives, because WE are the body of Christ. There is One Spirit and One Lord, and He dwells within us. We owe it to our brothers and sisters to be who God has uniquely called us to be, and our brothers and sisters owe it to us to be who God has called them to be.
Sometimes, I ask the Lord to give me His perspective for people and when I pray that prayer He always answers it. Sometimes, I have seen pictures of big glasses being put over my eyes, and the view of the person changes from what is material and judgmental, to what is unseen and eternal, straight from the heart of God. I can't afford to judge others, because if I do, I might just miss the fingerprints of Christ all over their heart and soul, and therefore miss Him as well.
As I left Africa and came back to a western nation, I remembered the African church leaders I met. I remembered the western missionaries I met, and the friends with whom I ministered with. Put it all on one big canvas and you see Christ Himself just visited Africa. He left His mark: the lame walked, the pain relieved, the tuberculosis removed, the backs straightened, the words of encouragement and life spoken, the hope imparted and the salvation received.
