Forrest: I only caught five.
Old Church Planter: A couple of more, you can have yourself a home church. Hey, you ever think about namin this church plant?
Forrest: (voice-over) I'd never named a church before, but there was only one I could think of... The most beautiful name in the whole wide world…
There is nothing more difficult than getting started on a pioneering work. You are the first to try new ideas while others watch and read your newsletters for signs of you giving up. It has been said that everyone wants to be the 2nd to try something new but not the first, and this is very true of the mission field.
We return to our fictitious protagonist, Forrest, as he embarks upon his dream, the church plantin bidness. He has his team, himself, an old boat and an ocean of a city that is, quite frankly, stubborn about giving up the catch. After a catch of five new Christians who seem to have no leadership potential (shrimps) he begins to wonder if Bubba really was sincere when he said, “I know ever thing dey is to know bout da church plantin bidness.” A veteran catcher even mocks his success, and suggests that he name his new ministry to bring God’s favor.
Speaking of naming ministries and churches – allow me to digress a bit - have you ever really thought about how silly it seems to name churches and ministries? I think I will name our new Kiev church something like… hmm, let me think a moment…I will name it John. That’s right, just John. Well maybe the Russian version, Ivan or Иван. Maybe all men named Ivan will come. Who knows? Does naming it make it grow? No. Does not naming it make it not grow? No. It just distinguishes it from the other church named Vlad or Влад. Then all the people named Ivan in the Vlad church will realize they are in the wrong place and come over to me.
Seriously, names have their places, but they don’t catch the lost any more than Forrest naming his boat the most beautiful name in the wide world, Jenny, brought in his catch. We and Forrest have only one sure way to bring in the catch. We need to cast our nets on a daily basis. Of course, Forrest joining the local church and appealing to God was not a bad idea either.
Try prayer for a change.
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Meeting Me & Becoming Them
