Frustrations abound in committed missional leaders who want to move their church members out of the pews and into the streets. Daryl Tolleson’s Oct. 25 letter, “Plow, but avoid dead roots,” hit the nail on the head. The advice applies to more than pastors.
The quote from Daryl’s former pastor was a jewel: “If you continually try and plow through dead roots, it will dull your blade.” Could it be that “dead roots” are still restricting the way forward in our “plowing field” because the power to plow has been overlooked? Could it be that we are full of “dead roots” ourselves, and these dead roots have restricted God’s message?
I recently read “Forgotten God, Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit,” by Francis Chan. This book enlightened me toward the power and work of the Holy Spirit in a scriptural context.
Our God reveals himself to us as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father reigns over his universe. God the Son is exalted at the right hand of God, interceding for us.
Do we really believe the Holy Spirit resides and works in Christians? God exists in every believer through the power of the Holy Spirit.
With that truth comes the question: If one-third of God is in each Christian, why is the universal church so powerless in its witnessing? Could it be that we have ignored the Holy Spirit who empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism and service?
God’s method of working his fields is to work through empowered believers, but God does not impose his presence on believers. We must want him, ask him to work through us, and then believe that he is working. We must acknowledge the devil’s tools of self-doubt, pride, fear of failure, etc., confess these, and plow in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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