Friday, July 11, 2008

Judah 7's VISION

Wow, i feel really challenged to have to write this, not because I am fearful that it can't be fulfilled, but I am challenged that maybe this is too small. And I pray that as you read it, you will have a similar response with me, that there needs to be more, and it needs to be bigger......

Matthew 22:37-39 is the very core of the life group. We want to be build upon this principle of Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul and ALL your mind. And then, love your neighbour as yourself. The 2 greatest commandment that God has given us, is very much the same heart beat I have for Judah 7. I remember when we first started Judah 7, it was a small group. I was challenged to really grow it and my motto then, as a leader, was Love God, and Love His people. And many times, when I go through the challenges of leading a unit, with the ups and downs, and things that you expect to go right, goes wrong, I had to come back to the point of Love God and His people. This very fact of Loving God and Loving His people kind of motivated me to keep on leading and never giving up.

As we pushed through, by God's grace, Judah 7 grew, and we saw many lives coming to know Christ, and lives being transformed. Being part of Judah 7 is one that I will never trade with anything else in my life.

Anyway, coming back to the focus of Matthew 22:37-39, I came to realise that our foundations need to be build deep, deep relationship with God, through deep prayer, intimacy and worship unto God. In the recent unit getaway, Judah 7 had a theme of "DEEPER" and it was with a clear focus to really want to encourage all to draw deeper to a next level, in their relationship with God. This theme has actually "disturbed" me for a fair bit of time, before and even after the getaway. It really place me in a real uncomfortable spot, to realise that I need to keep growing deeper. Despite the simplicity of prayer life, quiet time and worship, yet God asks that we keep doing it and going back to it.

Once our foundation is strong, and firm, and as we keep adding on to it the simplicity of prayer, quiet time and worship, the foundation "gains more ground", and with a bigger foundation, we can hold more, and rise up to take on more responsibility - to care and to nurture others. All of this will bring us to the place that we can have the capacity to bring others into life group, that we can share with them, love and care. This will give us a good ground to share the love of God with them too. And of course, this brings us then to the 2nd commandment, which can then be fulfilled - Love your neighbour as yourself.

This 2nd commandment cannot be fulfilled, if we don't do the first bit of building a strong foundation of loving God. Because without that, our love for others will just be our own love, and it will be limited. We need to love with God's love.

Judah 7, you can do it, Love the Lord, and then your love for others will be lifted higher. Let's keep praying that as a group, we will fulfill the call that God has for us as a group, and individually.

Uncertainties vs Vision

Have you ever asked some of these questions:
- What is going to happen to the life group?
- Who will lead the guys/ gals?
- There is not enough shepherds, where to find the extra shepherds?
- Why does the change need to happen now?
- Will the life group cope / manage with the changes?
- What can I do?
- What am I suppose to be doing that I am not currently already doing?

When we lead a group, the above questions could be upon our minds from time to time. I don’t know if you have even come to a point where because there is so much questions, and no answers to it, that you feel that you are an inadequate leader, and that you are not fit to lead. Over the last couple of months, something that really struck me is…….i don’t have an answer for all the questions that I ask myself, and that which, others ask me. Even as I sought God, what came back is “to keep on seeking Him”, which at times can get a bit frustrating, but I’m sure God knows what He is doing. However, this has driven me to go deeper in asking God.

And God brought assurance. I was reading a book by Andy Stanley, Next Generation Leader, and it brought a valuable principle, that it is normal for leaders to face uncertainties. But therefore, what matters most is that we will need to have a clear vision of where we are heading, so that in the midst of the uncertainties, we can still lead our people. This challenged me really to ask myself what is my vision for the people that I am leading? Why am I leading them? And where am I leading them to?

All of these brought me to a revealation that I need to renew in my vision. Why am I a leader? And What is my vision? This is what I am after, and have to sought after. I need a clear vision, a forward-looking vision, a big enough vision that will stir and motivate others to the highest calling that God has led them to. All of these really encouraged me to realise leadership is not just about leading in our certainties, and in our securities. But even in the tough times of uncertainties, and challenges, that we can still lead, because of the vision that God has laid in us. We need to keep the vision burning bright, because this is what will keep us going when the going gets tough.

Don’t let go of the uncertainties, it is placed there to remind and renew our vision. I am sure that we have times that we wish the uncertainties will just fade away. It will not, but I pray that it will stir us to really seek God even more, and not be afraid to face the uncertainties. At times, we worry ourselves too much with the uncertainties, rather than keeping our focus on God. Keep reminding yourself of the vision, and keep stirring yourself towards the vision. Because it is the vision that will help us overcome our uncertainties.