Crazy Jack

I took the kids out last night while Janelle led a Bible Study with some of her high school girls.  Our plan was to go to a park and then stop at McDonalds for ice cream.  Lately I have been struggling with my "introvertedness" and feeling concerned about how much of a challenge it will be for me in church planting.

Satan loves to mess with us in our areas of weakness.  He loves to remind us, condemn us, and consume us with hopeless thoughts when it comes to our weaknesses.  The problem is there is always an element of truth in his lies.  I am weak at starting conversation, approaching people, etc.  It is true.  Guilty as charged.  But the good news is that in the Word of God Paul says, "I delight in weakness... because when I am weak, I am strong!"

We got to the playground and there was NO ONE there except for a stray teen or two wandering about.  No conversation possibilities... just time to play Star Wars with the kids.  Then we went off to McDonalds.  Before long, a guy sat down beside us and introduced himself as Crazy Jack.  Crazy Jack, as I soon found out, is perhaps the most talkative man in Springfield, Ohio.

Crazy Jack was a Navy Seal who fought in Vietnam.  His parents were German and Cherokee Indian.  He took his hat off so I could see his full head of hair.  He is getting 3 pensions... from Navistar, the Navy, and Social Security.  He is 64 and he can still lift 100 pounds over his head.  He even taught me a cool handshake.    

Somehow God came up in the conversation.  I am pretty sure Crazy Jack is not a Christian, but he said, "You can't do life without God."  And I had a brief moment to respond.  I told him that God is everything to me, he changed my life, he saved me, he transformed everything in my life.  And then we talked about rebuilding lawnmowers.

I left McDonalds reminded, "When I am weak, He is strong!"  I am horrible at conversations.  I am horrible at evangelism.  But God is really good at it.  And my weakness gives me a chance for him to show off, to show how strong He is.  I wish I would have said more to Crazy Jack about Jesus, but I am glad I said what I said.  

I told Micah on the way home, "This is what we are going to do when we church plant.  Just trust God to help us get into conversations like the one we just had with Crazy Jack."  Micah was super excited and told me how he convinced his friend the other day that God was better than Batman.

God is so good.  Our weaknesses are opportunities to trust Him.  He wants us to trust Him and rely on Him, and not have to have everything figured out.  Micah and I prayed for Crazy Jack tonight, that we'll get to see him again and eventually spend some time working on that handshake in heaven.

Junior Holy Spirit

One of our greatest hesitations to church planting was the cost it would be for our kids.  We pictured packed schedules, evenings and weekends being separate from each other, and living at an unsustainable pace for at least the first year or two of church planting.

But one day I was out jogging and I sensed the Lord speak very clearly to me- "I don't want you to plant a church at the cost of your kids, I want you to plant a church WITH your kids."  That became an incredible breakthrough for me and stirred excitement in my heart for believing the truth about kids.  Let me share some of those truths:

• There is no Junior Holy Spirit.  The same Holy Spirit in me and in my wife is the same Holy Spirit at work in my 6 year old, my 3 year old, and my 1 year old.  And HE is not limited to the size of our bodies, life experience, or any other restraints we want to put on Him.  Why do we have such low expectations for our kids?  What if they could pray for the sick, serve the poor, share the gospel, go on mission trips, pray, hear from God, worship, and have intimacy with Jesus as much as adults do because they have the same Holy Spirit living inside of them?
• Children are a blessing from the Lord, not a burden.  So when we are called to do something by God, those little people in our home are an asset not a liability.  They are an essential and critical part of God's plan.  I LOVE Psalm 127 and think it needs to be proclaimed more and more these days-  ³ Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. ⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  ⁵ Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.  
• Our kids need to be invited into taking risks for the kingdom of God.  Instead of being obsessed with protecting our kids, providing them with every financial provision possible, and teaching them to preserve their lives, let's teach them to lose their lives for the sake of the gospel.  What if they will be better off with less stuff and more sacrifice for the kingdom?  What if we showed them first hand what it looks like to build God's kingdom, instead of our own kingdom?  Let's stop just quoting Bible verses about complete surrender to Jesus (and the cool promises that follow those calls of surrender) and actually let them experience it first hand by the way we live our lives together as a family.  Micah (my 6 year old) a while back told me with tears in his eyes he was willing to move away from his best friend Ian because, "people need to hear about Jesus."  Talk about an awesome moment!  
• The most fruit we will ever bear is in our home.  You could plant 100 churches and it still won't compare to the discipleship opportunity and impact we have with these little ones.  Living out the gospel in our homes is the highest calling we have and the most fruitful mission we are called to.  

I am excited to plant a church WITH my family.  I am excited that God gave me a handful of arrows (or perhaps missiles) to fight this battle with.  Don't underestimate the significance of those little ones.  There is no Junior Holy Spirit.

-Ben