Monday, April 28, 2008

I need to believe...

Something has been gnawing at my soul the last couple months, and I haven't been able to pinpoint it until this weekend. Our organization has been making changes, which definitely causes instability within the ranks.

This instability finally drew my attention to something--belief. I've noticed that the things I give my life to, or spend the most time doing, are interconnected with what I believe in most. When I doubt something's effectiveness, value, or whatever, the amount of time and energy spent on that thing instantly plummet.

I went to Mosaic when I was a student at UCLA. Erwin McManus is gifted at many things, but his belief and hope impacted me most. His belief in Jesus was contagious; people lived MORE and risked MORE after interacting with Erwin.

I sense that our culture is in transition, much like our organization. In times like these, it's easy to get lost amongst all the change. I'm learning how important it is to discern where God is at work, and be able to live and communicate in ways that reflect my belief in him. I cannot control who follows me, but I can control where I'm going, and what I'm all about. The more clearly people understand where I'm going and why, the more they can either get behind it or decide to follow someone else.

1 comment:

70 Books in 70 Days said...

Hey Brian,

Spud here - I wish that I could take part in the conference, but will be traveling and don't think that I will have access to post each day. The conference site did lead me to your blog which I am enjoying reading. I liked your post on belief in the midst of transitions. I have been reading "The Revolution of the Saints" by Michael Walzer. It is a history of the Christian influence on the English Revolution in the17th Century. One of Walzer's themes was how we look for stability in the midst of sweeping cultural change. Walzer talked about the attractiveness to Calvinism during that time because of the Calvinist's focus on discipline and the theological confidence and certainty that came along with it--it helped people feel more stable and secure. I walked away from the book thinking about both discernment and hope because I agree that we are in cultural transition. I also was thinking about what aspects of the gospel and the life that Jesus offers will capture the attention of this generation of college students that are caught in the transition.