In a world dominated by a “me”-centric culture, the focus on “mine” must be replaced with “we.” Surrendering the ego to God allows personal pride to be displaced so that His presence can transform both the hearts of members and the church as a whole.
If we are honest, the ego has overtaken many congregations with mantras of “my” church, “my” classroom, or “my” office, causing us to forget that the church was designed to win and disciple others into a deeper relationship with Christ. Surrendering the ego to God enables spiritual and lay leaders to set aside their own agendas for His divine purpose. In essence, it is dying to self to rise in the Savior through every action taken.
While the world prioritizes individual ownership, the church must stand apart by uniting diverse mindsets to establish a heart that beats for others rather than itself. The only way to achieve this cultural shift is to let go of the ego for God and embrace a kingdom-first perspective.
Not my call but yours.
In a day and time where the world seems to be divided by politics, religious wars, differences in scriptural interpretation, and lifestyle advocacies, the church should be the one place where divided sides come together under the banner of God. Yet, the challenges that rock the world have shaken the local church. So, what happened? For many churches and their leaders, the idea of staying silent has harmed the Christian message because the world has seeped into the fray. On the other hand, a small group of leaders inside the church has spoken to freely about their viewpoints, which do not align with Scripture and have caused a worldly firestorm that has torn churches apart. So where is God? Sadly, he has been set aside by agendas.
If the church is to rebound from the ego manifestation that has taken hold, pastoral and lay leaders must usher in a spirit of prayer based on repentance and redemption. Through small gatherings, Scripture reading in public and in private devotions, devoted prayer times will unite the people. God can be put back at the center of a person’s life and that of the church if the people humble themselves and honor God.
Not my church but yours.
Do you remember the day you committed to serve God for the rest of your life? This is the commitment, complete surrender, that the church needs today. It’s not about the pastor’s will but about God’s will. It’s not about the people’s desires but about God’s desires. God is in the redemption business, not mitigating through turmoil. The focus of the local church and the heart-surrendered Christian is to follow God, day in and out.
Several times in my ministry, I have had to repent from the pulpit for past leaders and leadership that put personal wants over God’s desires. These times brought forth leadership failures and redeemed them by obeying God’s grace in certain situations. By following his plan over man’s plan, the church returned to blessing those in the community. The church must remember that the church is not for accumulating power by a member or leader but for broken lives that the lamb’s blood can redeem.
I wonder if we had more repented leaders of known and unknown sins instead of repeating leaders who share their opinions and couch them as God’s opinion. Where would the church and the community be? I imagine the church would be better off than it is today, and the world would see the church as the bride of Christ and not something else.
Not my community but yours.
Every local community desperately needs a Bible-based lighthouse of hope. The local church should be the standard bearer of the Good News. The church should strike from its vocabulary a political gospel focusing on the left and right divide and instead focus on what God has called the local church to do.
Each church’s context will be based on the spiritual needs, demographics, and scriptural context of the community that bridges the church with the community. God has called the church, and by it, the leaders of the local church community to share the gospel daily, and if needed, with words. The people in the community do not need more preachers; they need more compassion. The community does not need more blind-eyed Christians to approve of sin, but a Christian life lived in scriptural holiness daily as an example of Christ-likeness.
As Christians, when we humbly lay down our egos for God, we begin to reflect the fullness of his image and embody a heart of grace extended to others. This transformation enables the lost to find their way back to Christ. Ultimately, a person’s calling, whether they are a pastor or a lay person, is a divine appointment from God. It is a journey that is best lived out by surrendering it to God, a process that we all can relate to and understand.