The Holy Spirit

"It's amazing how much you guys can get done without the Holy Spirit."

Said by an Asian Christian man to an American Christian man

Ouch - but painfully true.
We Christians in America are good at helping the Holy Spirit get His job done.
We plot.
We plan.
We organize.
We put teams together.
We wait until it's convenient to do ... whatever it is.
We must have all of our ducks in a row first.

For example, church planting.
It has become so organized.
There are "How To" lists to become a successful church plant.
There are "Boot Camps" to prepare you to have a successful church plant.
Yes, we experienced this first hand when attempting to plant a church.
This is especially true for church planting in America.

Missions has become a "neighborhood" word.
We don't want to think of the "least of these" in the world ...
People at work.
People in our neighborhoods.
People where we shop.
It's hard enough to help them and reach them.
We don't even think of going out of our borders.

I have had a heart for foreign missions for quite some time.
Recently I proposed a vision I had to a certain local leader.
I wanted to see groups of people "sponsor or adopt" a church planting pastor, both here and abroad.
Each group would be responsible to communicate with them - sending words of encouragement, letters, cards, emails and care packages. Prayers would be lifted up on their behalf. Money would be given, should that be a need and a possibility for the group to do so.

This was the response I received.
"I am glad you have a huge heart for missions, but it seems you have embraced an unbiblical idea, namely that you used to serve in missions. The truth is you are still called to serve today, every day, in missions as a local missionary in day to day life. You seem to have the idea that "missions" and "missionaries" are people doing certain things, such as church planting ou there somewhere and we are called to support and encourage them."

Ok, so I can accept that I am called to serve in missions locally - although I WAS talking about Global Missions.

But here was the clincher.
"If we created a program to spend time, energy, focus and money supporting and encouraging missionaries "out there" it would have the effect of destroying the mission that Jesus has actually called us to. I'm sure you have heard the saying: Sometimes the good is the enemy of the best. What you are proposing is a good thing which is an enemy of the best thing, the thing Jesus has called us to. Therefore, it is my job to officially kill your idea ... in a very nice way of course!"

Say what??
I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead and guide - each of us in our personal journeys and the American church at large - and that He will take us out of His path, should we get in the way.