I am struggling to know how to pastor in a culture that no longer needs God:
– Financially
– Concerning right and wrong
– To answer prayer
– In wars and conflicts
– As a national voice
– Or His church
Here’s the conundrum: We struggle, but we can’t admit it, so we continue to struggle.
Stages of Learning/Competence
– We don’t know that we don’t know – the most dangerous stage
– We know that we don’t know – the beginning of maturity
– We know what we know – we work at it and most development takes place here
– We don’t need to focus on what we know – unconscious competence, like second nature
Spiritually, when it comes to knowing God, we never fully leave the 2nd level.
Ephesians 1:16-23, Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20
We are struggling but we don’t want God’s help for fear we will give up our freedom, our imagined autonomy.
Freedom isn’t doing what we want without regard to anyone or anything else. That doesn’t exist. There is always responsibility.
Contrast Israel leaving Egypt and the pilgrims leaving England.
It is apparent most of Israel thought they were headed to a place of no responsibility, no effort, no work and maybe no restraint. Exodus 16, Numbers 11, Numbers 14
The pilgrims knew they were embarking on a quest of great difficulty but they still chose the responsibility of liberty!
“When I don’t need God then I know I’m not with God.“
– Josh Smith
Live a life so big you need God!
Church 29:11 