For Fear of Sounding Redundant

I write regulary for our association's newsletter, published each week on the back page of the Alabama Baptist newspaper for those families whose subscriptions originate from one of our member churches. It doesn't go all over the state like one woman in my previous church believed. She said, "I don't want people all over Alabama knowing our business." Well, she didn't have to worry. It's called a "local edition." The print media has been a mainstay for our communication effort for the past 30 or more years. But you can imagine that we discover a diminishing number of subscriptions each year, thus a reduction in readership.
Hopefully we will begin some creative electronic communication efforts in the near future to help those more "wired" to connect with what God is doing in our midst.

I say all that to say that every time I sit down to write, I get the feeling I have aleady stated this emphasis. So, with that acknowledgement, please forgive any redundancy in my thoughts and expressions. I hope to be writing more very soon.

Spiritual Renewal

I served for the past two years on the Leadership Team of the Network of Baptist Associations. The primary purposes of this loosely knit organization have been to advocate for associationalism, to network associational leadership, and to provide for relevant continuing education opportunities for persons serving in associational leadership. In a separate blog, www.heykenmay.blogspot.com, I wrote about my recent trip to Texas to attend the annual Summit, where I had the opportunity to meet a very distant cousin.

One of my colleagues I have connected with the past four years shared an impression with me. He said we spend so much time and energy making "mechanical" adjustments to our activities, structures, and content that result in minimal change in impact.
He is convinced that our "mechanical" changes are not the ultimate answer. The reason we are not more effective is a spiritual one. Referring to a passage of scripture, Luke 9:23, where Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me," my friend interprets this to mean "I get off my agenda and get on God's agenda." He calls for a new spiritual awakening, saying that the church has drifted significantly but so slowly that it seemed imperceptable since the last great spritual movement in 1858. He pointed to a document he had composed while returning from a trip to South America that contrasted the church of scripture with the church and our lives today. It was pretty telling. There is no doubt in my mind that we need a great spiritual awakening and renewal today. I told my friend I have heard many people call for this in my lifetime, but they almost always seemed to know how this would take place and what form it would take. Thankfully, my friend said he did not have a clue.

All this reminded me of what my associate said a few weeks ago. He read about a monk to set out to change the world. After several years of struggle, he realized he could not change the world, so he sought to change his country. When this did not work after several years, he sought to change his city. Of course this effort did not succeed so he decided to focus on changing his family. Well, by now you know this did not happen, so near the end of his life be begin to focus on changing himself. Obviously, he got it all backwards. Spriritual renewal must begin within. I cannot effectively call for spiritual renewal if I am not seeking spiritual renewal for myself.

How does this happen? It begins with serious prayer and reflection, seeking that deeper relationship with our Lord, and our Lord's will for my very own life. As change begins there, it can then begin to spread to others. I dare not ask others to pray if I am not willing to make the same commitment, or one that exceeds what I am asking of others. How can I seek spiritual renewal in others if I do not seek it as an essential in my own life.