Posts tagged christians
THE CHURCH OF THE DO WHAT YOU WANT
THE CHURCH OF THE DO WHAT YOU WANT

Almost three decades ago a mission trip with my high school youth group changed my life, but not in a way you might expect. It wasn’t the people we served or the work we accomplished that helped define my path. Instead, it was the words sung by a second-rate band at a cheesy “Christian nightclub” that I want to tell you about.

We were in Virginia Beach, maybe a dozen of us students, and in our free time we went exploring to see what we could find in the resort town. We happened upon this club where the band was singing about “the church of the do what you want, the church of the do what you please.”

The words struck me like a thunderbolt. And even though I was only 14 years old when I first heard them, I’ve never forgotten. In fact, that indictment of so much represented by Western church culture has colored my whole ministry and purpose in life.

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Church, Leadership, LifeTrevor DeVagechurch, church leaders, christians, christian, passion, uncomplicated, leadership, leading, universal, probelms, problem, vision, unclouded, clarity, clear, pathway, Jesus, bible, scripture, music, band, christian musicComment
RE-POST: REFINING IS DEFINING
RE-POST: REFINING IS DEFINING

I was wrecked within the first 10 pages.

I’d received a prepublication copy of Craig Groeschel’s latest book, Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe. As founder and leader of the revolutionary multisite Life.Church and presider over the international presence of Life.Church Online, he deserves a hearing. So I expected to appreciate his book.

But I didn’t expect to be undone by it. I didn’t expect it to lead me to deep repentance about the wrong ways I’ve led in every sphere of influence: with my family, with our staff, and yes, with our church. I didn’t expect to learn why I must be more intentional about the types of things I pray for. I didn’t expect to realize that my inadequate prayers have gotten in the way of people coming to know Jesus.

Anything I’d write here wouldn’t do the book justice. You must read it for yourself. And, besides, my purpose isn’t to post a book review. Instead, I want to tell you about the three prayers Groeschel challenges us to pray. And I want to explain how those prayers are changing me.

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Church, Leadership, LifeTrevor DeVageprayer, dangerous prayers, church, church leaders, christians, send, use, break, refine, define, god, jesusComment