A View From The Ride

My next installment of A View From The Ride comes from Mission Connexion Northwest. On Saturday night I had the privilege of helping my friend Jon lead a workshop at the conference that we entitled "When Slide Shows and Potlucks Don't Cut It." It was a workshop focused on igniting a heart for missions within your church. Jon opened the workshop with a talk on the importance of Kingdom living, and then had three from our church share how we have sought to live in such a way. I spoke to how I have done so in the context of our ministry to students.

After the workshop we went to the last General Session of the weekend, and heard International Evangelist Luis Palau speak. It was a great session. One piece in particular really grabbed me. Palau shared how God moved him into the ministry that he is now in.


He spoke of how as a young man he was working in a bank, knowing the whole time that God had big plans for his life. When his mom asked him what he was doing wasting his life working in a bank, he replied to her that he was waiting to hear God call him to where he was to go. I loved his mother's response. She told him, "Forget about waiting for the call. God called you over 2,000 years ago. He's just waiting for you to answer!" Love it!

So often we the Church, sit around waiting to be called to particular place, person, or ministry, forgetting that God has us right where we are now, to use us right where we are now. He has called us. He simply wants us to answer.

Are you waiting, or are you answering?

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20