Our church start-up just turned three months old and already has been attracting a number of young men who want to learn the ropes of church leadership in hopes of one day entering full-time ministry. Adam and I love pouring into these young bucks and throwing them into the furnace (because its in the heat of serving on Sunday mornings that fine metals are formed and Jesus is experienced most intensely!).
One of the themes I'm trying to model and bang into their heads is the idea of being completely and sacrificially sold-out to the cause of Christ. Half-hearted, wimpy applicants need not apply.
While reading through Acts this morning, I stumbled upon the first recorded appearance of another young buck, Timothy, and the depths of his personal commitment to expanding the gospel's reach:
"Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and CIRCUMCISED HIM because of the Jews who were in those places..." (Acts 16:3, ESV)
Holy cow!! Timothy was feeling called toward reaching people far from God, which is awesome. Paul brings the young guy under his experienced wing, enrolling Timmy in
The School of Kicking Butt for Jesus Leadership Academy. On Day One, Paul looks him over, sees a potential cultural hurdle for reaching the Hebrew masses, and basically says, "This is gonna leave a mark."
Dang. Now that's being completely and sacrificially sold out to the cause of Christ!!
When you're willing to go under the knife and take your voice an octave higher, you're sold out to the cause in my book!
This is completely counter-cultural to the Millennial Generation's world of instant downloads, gratification at the click of a button, and "Selfies." To be sold out to the cause of Christ is to be willing to, um, cut off anything that hinders the cause.
Acts 16 presents questions for all the Young Bucks out there, aspiring to be the next St. Paul or Spurgeon or Chandler or whatever:
- Do you have that same passionate intensity for the things of God?
- Are you willing to do whatever it takes to smash hurdles between someone far from God and the Message of Jesus?
- Do you cling to comforts or embrace the pain?
- Are you sold out to the MALL or to the CALL?
