On the Ordinary Streets

Another New Years Eve is upon us and many (maybe all?) of us haven't been this glad to see a calendar year come and go more so than this one right here. While many will reflect back on the hardships this year has brought on for some time to come, others will remind themselves of the small blessings 2020 has delivered as well. Both of these are to be expected and feel completely appropriate to do in this season. But then what? What comes after the long look back? How do I (you/they) plan to move forward based on what 2020 has taken and what it has also given? That is about as personal a journey as it gets, but here's just a bit of what's been on my mind lately.

If there is one thing that I, as a believer, have been encouraged by this year regarding the Church (big "C"), it is that nothing can stop it. I knew that prior to 2020 of course (see Matthew 16:18), but having physically witnessed it being played out this year has been amazing. Whether it's been a more traditional face to face gathering or a non-traditional meet-up by way of the internet, the Church hasn't required physical bricks and mortar to survive. In fact for many, this shake up of customary Sunday morning worship services has offered them the chance to get creative in the ways they congregate. Some are in homes, some in the park, some gathered around a fire pit in the backyard, and some still on Zoom. Whatever the case, we need to stop and thank God for this. Yes, some churches in different parts of our country have experienced set backs that have felt very scary, but praise the Lord alternative meeting styles have been established and are working for those temporarily prevented from attending in person! Against such things, the gates of hell will certainly NOT prevail as we have seen over and over again.

To be certain, I am a firm believer in Hebrews 10:24-25 and absolutely hold true the importance of meeting together with church family on Sunday morning. The preaching, teaching, discipleship, sanctification, missions, service, etc. that all play out within a body of believers regularly meeting together face to face is without a doubt the model that Paul and the other early missionaries taught.

However, with that model always in mind, the following excerpt from my daily devotional spoke volumes to me when I read it this fall. It was impressed on me just how beneficial these alternative meeting styles have also been for so many who might otherwise be a little bit on the fringe.

"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God— but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people— and this is not learned in five minutes."

My Utmost For His Highest: October 21st

What better way is there to meet people where they are spiritually then right smack in the middle of the ordinary streets? Isn't that exactly what Jesus and His disciples did all along (see Mark 6:7-13)? I have no idea what 2021 has in store, but it is entirely possible that I need to change my mentality surrounding what I think God considers exceptional. 

In my time working with older teens, these types of questions have been a recurring theme.

"What in the world does God want me to do with my life?"

"Where can I be of the most use for the kingdom?"

"I don't feel like I'm living up to God's potential."

I think Mr. Chambers gives us a major clue in solving these longing uncertainties. Well before Coronavirus was a word in our vocabularies, there has been a culture war raging all around us that has undeniably done a number on many believers. For many like myself, culture war or not, the local church is a part of our DNA and for good reason (see paragraph 3). For others, they find themselves skeptical about "big" church, "big" programs, and the like. Some may have legit reasons behind their cynicism while others certainly do not. Either way, the unfolding of events in 2020 has had me wondering if I have been so over-scheduled and over-programmed chasing after what I presumed to be God's exceptionality within the walls of my church that I have left little room for gospel on the regular, ordinary streets?

God showed me something recently that has me re-thinking the way I view seemingly ordinary things. A Facebook post written by a friend prompted a gentle nudge in me to reach out which then resulted in a lightening fast response asking when we could get together and talk. Interestingly, I have only met this young woman a couple of times in person. Why would she want to talk to me of all people about what she's experiencing? However, in His perfect timing, God led me to see the words of a hurting person and rather than ignore them and go about my day as usual, I listened to that little inner voice that gently said, "Press in." Heeding that nudge resulted in my having the pleasure of engaging in conversation with a fellow believer who is in turmoil over some personal things in her life that have created a divide between her and the Lord. God had taken a very ordinary, every day occurrence and turned it into an exceptional divine appointment.

Why? Because God is in the business of blessing ordinary obedience and He's in the business of making the ordinary extraordinary. THIS is the answer to those teenager's burning questions. The only type of excellence God requires is that which He has already created and merely invites us to participate in. More often than not, it's right across the street (or computer screen). 

Was our conversation earth shattering? Not in the least. Did I change her mind about some tough things? Probably not. But, it was one believer showing another believer that they mattered by listening and, when appropriate, speaking loving but hard truths in the hopes of winning her back to the family.

If we prove to be believers who are willing to meet up on the ordinary streets and just listen, God will undoubtedly give opportunities for us to speak back. Maybe not immediately, but establishing trust takes time right? Chambers also said, "What is extremely important is for the worker's simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone." If we truly become Christians who are excited to offer all of our spaces to folks who either need to know and trust Jesus for the first time or are believers in need of encouragement in their walk, then by the grace of God, allowing them to catch a glimpse of our regular, ordinary lives lived in simple obedience to Christ might just bring some home. There's nothing more extraordinary than that.

By the way, not everyone is in a faith crisis either. For lots of people, they just need you to open your home because it's a long time between Sundays. They know God, they love God, they have assurance of their salvation. They just need you on more days of the week than one! I have the privilege to know several women personally who have the gift of hospitality and watching the way they offer up their homes to singles, women's groups, men's groups, neighbors, out of town guests, etc. has truly been inspiring to me. They know who they are and I am lucky to call them friends as this is something I aspire to improve upon in the new year.

I don't know about you, but I am sick to death of chasing the world's definition of exceptional things. I want to be exceptional in the ordinary and I want to be surrounded by others who desire to be exceptional in the ordinary. I no longer want to be so consumed with programs that I take for granted being holy on the ordinary streets.

Y'all, we can do this! We HAVE to do this. Satan hasn't stopped his prowling so we can not stop our counter attack. Believers need believers every single day of the week and twice on Sunday! And who knows, God may even grant us the opportunity to participate in the gardening process of a non-believer's soul as well. Sowing, planting, watering... whatever words God allows us to speak into the life of a non-believer will be used somewhere in their journey, so we must be ready and use them wisely.

If you, like me, are filled with the urgency to stop all the bloomin' urgency and return to the exceptionally ordinary, consider this your formal invitation to come on out and meet me on the ordinary streets in 2021. With just you, me and Jesus, we can never lose.

Happy New Year my friends!