One thing I tend to overlook in my life is the importance of the local church and I did it two entries ago when I wrote on setting a course of ministry. Here are two reasons why I think I did this. =(

First, a part of me just wants to take off ahead of everyone else and do things on my own. “Okay, I prayed about it, God is sufficient to carry me through this endeavor, goodbye LBC you guys can cheer for me from the sidelines.” But praise the Lord that He showed me once again how impatient I can be at times. After some reflection, I realized that much of my impatience simply stems from pride. Having put a lot of thoughts into my future, the last thing I want is for it to be hampered by another’s input. I don’t want to hear from the elders and church family that I am not gifted or prepared to do what I made plans for.  I don’t’ want to hear that there may be holes in my plan I am blinded to. And I definitely don’t want to hear that there may be areas in my life where I have an inflated view of myself. But what I am basically saying then is that I don’t want accountability. Why do I only tend to only view accountability as a tool to keep a brother from blatant sin? I need to start viewing accountability as a way to help determine a course of my life as well.

Second, another part of me is just lazy. Sometimes I would rather run with emotion in my tank rather than discipline and training. Intellectually, I know that to only have passion is foolish and to only have knowledge is arrogant. But because of my laziness, I polarize truth because then, decision making becomes so much easier.  It is too much work to construct a balanced biblical world view that takes into account the WHOLE counsel of God because it requires so much prayer, time, and accountability. An example of polarizing truth in this context would be: One being so emotionally overwhelmed by how amazingly simple the gospel message is that he loses sight of the training necessary to adequately equip a new convert after he’s saved. So two entries ago, perhaps I got a bit too excited because I forgot to mention the importance of the local church’s role in training me and affirming my decision making processes.

Randy Alcorn in Money Possessions and Eternity gives a really cool illustration/warning about the Christian walk and how it ought to be balanced. The context here is his call for wisdom in dealing with materialism and asceticism(the view that money&possessions are inherently evil):

“Martin Luther compared humanity to a drunkard who falls off his horse to the right, only to get back on and fall off to the left. In the matter of money and possessions, asceticism is falling off the horse one way, materialism the other... Satan is the master of extremes, and he cares little which side of the horse we fall off. He cares only that we don’t stay in the saddle.”

Hopefully, you can bridge the illustration to passion and discipline. You can do it, I believe in you.

Modified Conclusion to be Useful Men: After prayerfully making plans for the course of ministry, let’s humbly ask (knowing that your plans may be shot down) the local church for accountability, training, and affirmation! Then, let’s humbly run with passion AND discipline until God stops us.

Phew.