Mere Missions

66 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

the next day, I noticed the Projects were eerily silent. I told everyone to stay in the van as I walked up to the door of the Center and knocked. The Director slowly opened one of the two metal doors. “What are you doing here? You must leave. It’s not safe. When you left yesterday, members of the Crips came over. They shot and killed several of the Bloods. The Bloods are out for revenge and the area is locked down as it’s going to get messy.” He quickly thanked me for yesterday but urged me to leave right away. I heeded his words for our safety. I could also talk about the Spirit speaking to me to start our first National Teen Retreat, or our Camp Adventure for youth and teens, the first Family Camp, the first Urban Church Association, the first Men’s Retreat, moving to the East Coast to provide leadership and church planting efforts. From big things to small things my journey as His disciple has been one of, “Are you sure about this Lord?” This was the journey of Jesus as well. While in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26.39a) or, “Are you sure about this Father?”

Content 1 Missions Plank: The Holy Spirit

I must confess that I have questioned the Spirit of the Lord countless times. “Are you sure about this Lord?” In church planting, it’s not the

questioning that matters. It’s what you do when you know the Spirit of the Lord is moving you forward through the questioning. I would look at the situation through my own thinking, fears, or inadequacies. And by the way, I think that is normal for any person. All of us struggle in some way or some area of life with the inner voice that daily whispers, “you’re not good enough; look at you; who do you think you are; you’re a nobody.” It goes on and on and it never stops. But when a man or a woman comes to the obedient faith in Jesus Christ the Lord, he/she becomes a new creature (2 Cor. 5.17). The Holy Spirit is the One who then