Finding PASSION And PURPOSE For Serving a Loving God
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Finding PASSION And PURPOSE For Serving a Loving God
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Overview
If we Christians are going to change the world, we need to renew the passion and purpose that we once had for Jesus Christ and begin sharing Him with unbelievers while serving each other in ministry.
You are invited to join me on this spiritual journey in search of your own passion and purpose in serving Jesus Christ. Along the way you will be able to re-ignite your passion for ministry as you discover God’s holy purpose for your life.
You can follow four simple steps of the Spiritual Life Cycle that begins with salvation and culminates with a lifestyle of ministry and evangelism. The roadway has rest stops that allow you to discover God’s holy purpose for your life as well as uncomplicated guidelines for your personal renewal and restoration.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus uttered these last words just before His ascension, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” With the power of God within us, nothing can stop us from succeeding. What is holding you back? Your answer will lead you to Finding Your Passion and Purpose for Serving a Loving God.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781614481218 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Morgan James Publishing |
| Publication date: | 04/01/2012 |
| Series: | Morgan James Faith Series |
| Pages: | 125 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.00(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Keith Brownfield has taught Sunday School, discipleship and lectured from the Word of God for over 20 years. He has held various leadership positions in the church as well as nearly a decade of serving in the Lay Renewal ministry throughout the Southeast.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
BEGINNING THE JOURNEY
He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.
Philippians 3:21
In 1952, I felt a nagging feeling in my heart to improve my life. I wasn't quite a teenager yet, but I still felt that there was a better life ahead of me. I needed something in my life that I wasn't getting from my parents or my siblings. I needed Jesus!
I spoke to my youth leader, then the pastor. After several meetings with them, I accepted Jesus Christ into my life and became baptized in the faith. It indeed changed my life. I no longer struggled with disappointments, I could control my anger, and my relationships with others improved. I was excited, full of passion for Jesus, and ready to change the world! All I needed was a purpose — a direction in which to funnel that passion that I could share with others.
Throughout my teenage years, I grew in my faith, but still, that purpose I sought was missing. As I look back, I believe the proper training and mentoring that should have occurred did not. If it did occur, I missed it. Perhaps I was too inattentive to learn? Yet I still felt the passion to grow spiritually.
When I graduated from high school, I enlisted in the United States Air Force. I quickly got caught up in the activities of being on my own and began to neglect my spiritual life. Soon, habits of skipping church and running with the wrong crowds dominated my life. Yet I knew I still had the core values that were taught to me as a young man. I began to believe that those core values would sustain me and my good deeds would be rewarded. How much I had forgotten!
After many years of wandering in the wilderness, I began to feel that nagging pull on my heart once again. I knew I needed to get right with Jesus, but I just couldn't give up the relaxed lifestyle that I thought I was enjoying so much. God certainly fixed that! Over two decades ago, God called me to join a church. I soon learned that many in the congregation were just like me, struggling to find their faith. Relationships began to develop and I felt right at home with my new friends. Once again, God put me in a position to experience His work firsthand. A small group of us men began to provide work assistance to families throughout South Carolina who were both desperate and destitute. Finally I began to experience the joy of serving!
Apparently this work was not enough for a God who had a larger plan for me. I recalled the words of the prophet Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you ... plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you" (Jer. 29:11).
I was asked to co-teach a group of middle school students during the Sunday School hour. I struggled through those few years but I will never forget the kids who taught me so much about growing spiritually while showing mercy and forgiveness to one who was learning how to become a teacher.
This initial teaching experience led to leadership roles in discipleship training and more Sunday School teaching. God was certainly using me now! I finally had found a purpose through which to channel my passion. In the years since, I have continued to grow spiritually, but I know that I'm still a work in progress as far as God is concerned. My teaching techniques have improved and my leadership skills have developed. Still, there is always that desire to do more.
When God called me out of the wilderness to work for Him, He challenged me with different assignments. Each time, I knew that as long as He was with me and leading the way, I would succeed — as long as I didn't get in the way. Paul's encouragement to the church at Philippi, "I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13), has proven to be so true in my life.
Along the way, I learned four things: 1) I have a spiritual gift; 2) God has specifically called me to ministry; 3) I am ably equipped for any ministry God chooses for me; and 4) I need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The late Dr. Adrian Rogers once told the story of a businessman who told him, "I used to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and that He was buried and rose again, but I don't believe it anymore." Then he continued, "I don't believe it anymore. Now, I know it!" Oh, if we all could just move from the believing to the knowing! What a difference in our life, and in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 16, Jesus asked, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" After hearing various responses from the disciples, He asked again, "But you, who do you say that I am?" Peter correctly answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Peter got it right, even though his statement could have resulted in death. He had just moved from merely believing in Jesus Christ to knowing who He is.
If we are to find, or restore, our passion and purpose for loving Christ as He first loved us, we must all quit believing Jesus is the Messiah and start knowing that He is our Savior. He commands us to serve. If we truly know Him, how can we say no?
* * *
Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.
John Wesley, preacher and theologian The secret of the Christian's passion is simple: Everything we do in life we do it as to the Lord and not to men.
David Jeremiah, Christian author and pastor
CHAPTER 2CHURCH SPECTATORS
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21
Statistics show that the great majority of us church attendees choose to sit in the chair or pew and watch the worship time unfold. We listen to the sermon, sing the songs, and hear the prayers offered by our leaders. Beyond the worship hour, we choose to go about our lives and think no more of what we heard, witnessed, or sang at our church. Our time is our time while God's time seems to be reserved for Sunday mornings. We choose to be spectators rather than active participants.
I have many friends who pay thousands of dollars every year to attend and support the local university's football team. They have a great passion for spending their Saturdays at the stadium, tailgating and watching the game. If the team wins, they have bragging rights all week long until the next game. If the team loses, "we'll get 'em next time."
Too many of us church members choose to treat our church, and thus Jesus Christ who is the reason for church, like a football game. We come to watch! Is it enough to just give money to the church and not participate in its activities? Or are we called to be obedient to Scripture, which tells us we are called to a lifestyle of ministry and evangelism?
Now I admit it is very exciting to watch good football players make great plays. We spectators often fantasize about being that player and reacting to the jubilation of the crowd when we perform well. We are all on the team even if we are only the "twelfth man" — the fans. We choose to be spectators. That way we never get hurt. Yet we tell our friends how well we played when we win or how we could have done better if only we had chosen a different play at a critical time in the game.
I look at the football team and see sixty to eighty players suited up and ready to play. We know that the coach will only use a few of those players in every game. He chooses the best players available because his goal is to win the game. The rest of the players sit on the bench and wait and watch. Some of them are even a good source of encouragement to the players that have been chosen to be in the game.
The Christian church is like this football team. We have a small number of people who play every game. They are always busy in ministry or evangelism for the leader (owner) of our team, who is Jesus Christ. We have another group that represents the second team. They provide the backup support each team needs. They are our prayer warriors, fulfilling a vital role on our team. When needed, or asked, they jump in the "game" with the first team and play very well.
A larger number of us just ride the bench. There is very little hope that we will ever be playing in the game, because although we have chosen to be on the team, we lack the desire or passion to perform as well as the chosen players. We lack commitment. We don't have the confidence it takes to excel. It is okay with us if we sit on the bench. We are still recognized as part of the team and will share the joy when we win and the sadness when we lose. We are team members!
The majority of us, however, are part of that twelfth man. We are the fans! At our local stadium, the fans comprise approximately 80,000 members while the team on the field may be only 80. So the fans are 1,000 times the total number of players, and 2,000 times the number of players that actually participate on game day. To further compare these numbers with participating church membership would lead to astronomical results and be unproductive.
Being a Christian disciple means that we don't consider our faith to be the equivalent of a spectator sport. If our life is anything less than complete obedience with a personal, passionate relationship with Jesus Christ, then we are living beneath our privilege and potential as a forgiven soldier of the cross. A Christian disciple will honor his God with obedience, service, and ministry while enjoying the fruit of his or her salvation. We want to be on the first team of Christ!
The question is: where are you on this Christian team? Are you a first-team player? Second team? Perhaps you are relegated to the bench? If so, do you encourage those who are playing? Or, are you a twelfth man – a spectator in the stands?
God doesn't have any "best" players. He wants to use every one of us! He has equipped us specifically for the team work that lies before us. Remember, "the harvest is abundant, but the workers are few" (Matt. 9:37).
The workers are few because most of us choose to be disobedient to His word that commands us to ministry and evangelism. It appears we would rather watch others build up our church, minister to others, or evangelize.
According to the Barna network, LifeWay Research, and other credible research firms, less than 20% of church membership performs over 80% of the work. Of course, this is not true in every church, but across the board the numbers are real: almost 90% of self-proclaimed Christians choose not to be involved in any type of ministry or evangelism. These numbers are staggering! Who are these people? We are laity! We are the laypeople who join the church for our own reasons and not God's reasons. We attend church for our purpose and not specifically to worship a living God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We have subliminally chosen to be disobedient!
Don't ask us to work. It is sufficient for us to attend church and occasionally donate money to help with church projects or to help other people. Isn't that the way we football fans support our team? We attend games when we can and spend inordinate amounts of money to show our support for the team. We have no intention to ever "suit up" for the game. Often we will encourage the active team (other laity and church staff) to do well. We are content!
Where is our passion for Christ? Has He not given us a passion? Well, yes, He has. If you don't feel the passion, you have allowed other priorities to enter your life that consume the passions of your heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21). These are the words of Jesus Christ. He made us and He sees us for who and what we really are. He knows that we have other priorities. He simply asks us to be obedient and arrange our priorities so that we are living a lifestyle of ministry and evangelism. Why? To grow the Kingdom of God.
God so loved us enough to send His son Jesus to earth to become a living sacrifice for all of us who choose to believe. We don't want to be obedient just because He commands us to obey. We should want to be obedient because of the great love He has shown to us. He showed us this love not just to let us join Him in heaven, but to reconcile us to Him to love Him, praise Him, and worship Him. We can never love Him enough to pay back the love He has shown for us, but we can be obedient to His commands and use our passion for the purpose for which God saved us in the first place.
If we find our passion, we will find our purpose. I encourage you to pray that you will let the passion that God has put into your heart to come to the surface. God does not fail and He will not let you fail either. He has given you the passion, the gift, the purpose, and the tools to succeed. You can move from the stands to the field and to the first team. The choice is yours. God has equipped you for the purpose He wants you to see.
Show your trust in Him by accepting the challenge of purpose that He has given to you. You will be a winner! And forever you will hear the accolades and cheers of all heavenly inhabitants.
Questions for Self-Examination:
1. Do you attend church regularly and participate in its activities?
2. Have you shown a willingness to be involved in ministry or evangelism events?
3. Do you actively demonstrate that you are a Christian beyond the walls of the church?
4. Do others see God's purpose for you being played out in your life?
5. Does your purpose for serving match your passion?
6. Do you strive to be on the first team in your church?
Your answers to these questions should lead you to a time of personal prayer, meditation, and Bible study. Seek God's guidance as you question your involvement in ministry or evangelism. Ask God to forgive you for your disobedience and to lead you to His purpose for your life.
* * *
God's purpose in redeeming men from sin is not to give them freedom to do as they please but freedom to do as He pleases, which is to live righteously.
John F. McArthur, evangelical writer and minister
The purpose of the Bible is to proclaim God's plan and passion to save His children.
Max Lucado, author, pastor, lecturer
CHAPTER 3AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE JOURNEY
For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to will and to act for His good purpose.
Philippians 2:13
When thinking about how to define our spiritual journey, some put an emphasis on the visible events of our life, defining this journey as our encounters with whatever comes our way. But I view our spiritual journey as our personal walk with God, always seeking to draw closer to Him to fulfill His plan of reconciliation. It is a journey that begins with salvation and continues through eternity with God, and our progress is often invisible to the world's eyes. Notice that the cross of Jesus Christ is at the center of our journey, as He is to be the center of our life. As we progress through the four stages of this journey, we discover our passion and purpose to serve Jesus Christ as He intended when He called us unto salvation, and it culminates in a lifestyle of ministry and evangelism. In this chapter, we will work our way through the four stages of this journey on our way to eternity with our heavenly Father.
Stage One: Our Spirit Is Awakened
We begin our journey in the first stage by moving to "first base." This is our spiritual awakening. At this time in our life, we come to the conclusion that we need Jesus; we accept Him into our life and are awarded the grace gift of salvation for an eternity. The very words of Jesus the Christ reveal this truth: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He is our doorkeeper. If we want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must accept that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; He died on the cross as a propitiation for our sin. God raised Him from among the dead and gave Him authority over all things in heaven and on earth.
This awakening of the spirit within us causes an innate desire to join a church and be baptized. The first stage of our journey has begun. Unfortunately, for many of us, we accept the gift of salvation, move to first base, then stay there for the rest of our life. That's not what God wants for us! He wants us to give the gift of ourselves back to Him. As we progress around the bases with the ultimate goal of achieving a spiritual lifestyle, we will learn how God wants us to do this.
Our spiritual awakening comes at a time in our life when we finally realize that we can't travel this sphere alone. We need someone who can provide inner strength that will help us overcome the many trials that will come our way — education, job security, illness, relationships, even death. We move spiritually from an apostate lifestyle to one of heavenly peace and everything changes. Our demeanor changes, our language changes, our compassion for others grows and our heart reaches out to God daily. We even discover a passion for God that can't be suppressed. We can't wait to tell others of the new-found joy we are experiencing. Remember how excited you were when you first accepted Christ? You couldn't wait to tell your family, your friends, even some strangers. Your passion was that strong.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Finding Passion and Purpose"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Keith Edward Brownfield.
Excerpted by permission of Morgan James Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
PrefacePart One: The Spiritual Life Journey
Beginning the Journey
Church Spectators
An Overview of the Spiritual Life Journey
Spirit Is Awakened
Passion Is Ignited
Purpose Is Determined
Lifestyle Is Achieved
Who Is Jesus?
Is Jesus Your Friend?
Spiritual Passion
God’s Great Purpose
Sacrificial Living
Part Two: Expressing Passion and Purpose
Nehemiah’s Purposeful Passion
Peter’s Unbridled Passion
Josiah’s Responsive Passion
James’ Thunderous Passion
David’s Obedient Passion
Esther’s Saving Purpose
Part Three: Leadership and Restoration
Renewal and Restoration
God Needs Leaders
Appendix A. Purpose-Finding Steps
Appendix B. Spiritual Lifestyle Weekends
Appendix C. Suggested Reading List
Interviews
Columbia, South Carolina