Jeff Miller over at Consuming Worship has an excellent post with video from the opening of the 2007 HIllsong conference. The money quote in my mind is this:
No one person pulled this off. It took the time, talent, and treasure of a multitude. Sure, Hillsong has the resources to throw at it, but that’s just something the rest of us use as an excuse to not take the risk to do something incredible ourselves.
How do I know? I’m guilty too.What happens when even a small group, say a church of 100 or less throws everything they’ve got into risking something for the Kingdom?
Unanimity Unleashed | Consuming Worship
Jeff’s post is entitled “Unanimity Unleashed” and makes a great point, I want to make a different point.
So many times when talking with churches the conversation is around resource or lack thereof. I know you’ve heard this before so don’t tune me out.
Your Father has infinite resources and witholds no good thing from His people. (Psalm 84:11) You have the resources you need to accomplish what has been put in your heart.
The most valuable resource you have are those people who have been entrusted to you. Don’t try to be Hillsong, or New Life, or Willow Creek, or you fill in the blank. Do what you can do well. Be faithful with what’s in your hand. HIllsong has the resources it has because it was faithful with what was in it’s hands from day one. They were faithful with the little things. Most importantly they were faithful with those entrusted to them. Allowing the gifts in the body to grow, express, and flourish.
Make people your aim, use events and resources to serve people don’t use your people to serve events, causes, or needs. As you are faithful with what is in your hands more will be added.
Instead of looking at your various church fund accounts look at the people who have been entrusted to you. Recognize, call out, equip and release the gifting of those entrusted to you into the body and watch what happens.
Ephesians 4:7 says; when Jesus ascended He gave gifts to men and gave them the grace to walk in those gifts. Create an atmosphere where the gifting in the body can flourish. Cast a vision big enough for others vision to come under and grow and contribute.
Go ahead and throw everything you’ve got into risking something for the Kingdom!
