we, as the body, the leaders, pastors, church planters & anyone else who fits in this category MUST discontinue immediately this contest of “whose is bigger”!!! even more important, those like myself who are in the process of building something must not get caught up in measuring ourselves against others wondering why we aren’t as big!!

I know the metaphor may be a little crass, but it’s really time out for the foolishness… and here is why!

“I am the vine, you are the branches…” remember this scripture? ok, follow me please. there is another scripture that says, “…you shall know my sons & daughters by thier fruit…” (paraphrasing). you still with me?

people, when someone confess Christ as thier Lord, they are not fruit! they are another branch added to the vine! a branch like you, who now becomes responsible for producing it’s OWN fruit!!

so what are we really measuring? what are the fruit then?

I believe, the fruit we MUST produce occur at your job when you get a pink slip, when the gossip crowd gathers around your desk, when “that” lady wears “that” outfit or skirt, when “that” man flirts with you, when you can’t pay a bill, when you feel your life is worthless, when your relationship is hanging by a thread… HOW YOU RESPOND IN THE FACE OF THESE AND OTHER SITUATIONS ARE FRUIT!

the only fruit, no I don’t think so! how you treat your wife, kids, family that’s fruit. how you give if you give, that’s fruit.

all I’m saying, there’s so much more I want to say, is that this not a pissing contest, nor is it a “stand around the boys lockeroom with a ruler” contest either!

we’ve got to get it together, & that definitely includes me!!!

now imagine, you smell like sheep, your tired & you’re called to this posthumous line up. the old guy comes to you and says you are the next King of isreal?

what the heck??

and for several years after this proclimation you are still not king, yet you serve the king.

you defeat a giant and save your country, the people love you, yet you’re still NOT king!!

here’s my point, David, like Jeremiah & many others before & after him, there WAS A PROCESS!!

we cannot, as much as I want to, skip through the process. we cannot select what parts we want to go through and which we don’t.

process hurts, it’s uncomfortable & often it is never as attractive as the vision or finish line, but we MUST endure… we MUST walk through the fire… we MUST learn about ourselves… we MUST not abort the process!!

Most of us are familiar with the 80/20 rule that applies to a number of generes. In the church world it’s often applied to the 20% of a particular churches membership that is actually the “church” & for a long time I’ve prayed and asked God for more. Asking Him to show us a way to rewrite this prescription for church.

I’m not saying I’ve got the answer for your church, but I believe God has shown me what makes sense for peculiarplace…

Imagine 80% of your core, launch &/or congregation performing a minimum of 10 hours/ month of volunteer services in the community your church is in. Imagine 80 people (80% of 100 people, a foundational goal for us) doing 10 hours… That’s 8000 hours in our schools, parks, nursing homes, tutoring, mentoring, cleaning & repairing. Imagine the IMPACT this could have on a community! Imagine the impact it would have on the persons “BEing” the church!!

Crazy? Maybe? But I believe this is one way to make outreach a daily thing versus a holiday, speacial weekend or time of year thing. This is a way to get those living outside of the community to invest effort, time & money into O4W!!