Connection Not Consumption
Dear Friends,
Ouch, check out a devotional shared by my good friend in San Diego.
GiG, there is a direct correlation between effort put forward and effect, influence, and impact, in the world around us that God places us in. On the real, we are called to be mobilized Jesus apprentices. When we do this (are mobilized), we experience more Kingdom changes and we become influencers to those around us.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NLT
In 2020, put on display for all to see were three categories of church goers: the commentators, the consultants, and the committed.
The Commentators were those who took to social media. They were on the sidelines and stopped attending church altogether. They stopped reading their Bible, praying for others especially those in authority or leadership, and instead feasted on a heaping helping of what Pastor Logan from Ocean View Church named, “Thumbs became our tongues.”
The Consultants were those who took to pointing out all that was wrong and that needed fixing. But don’t get it twisted; that’s easy to do when you have no skin in the game. OUCH or Amen!
The Committed, who have continued to engage with our local church whether in person or livestream. We, the committed, attended without missing. But make no mistake about it, this is counter-cultural in our commitment phobic society. God calls each of us to plant in a local assembly for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Are we all-in at the local church we call our “home church,” the place where we can be counted on?
Due to COVID, Barna Research says 65% of people digitally church hop. OUCH! We have to be clear of the difference between connection and consumption. As apprentices, we thrive best when connected. We should seek to be an integral part of God moving as well as being committed to our growth and development. However, the consumers stick around until they hear about a better platform, product, or process. Let me go one layer deeper. There is a difference between commitment and connecting verses content and consumption. See, I tune into my son’s church every week prior to livestreaming where I fellowship. That is content and consumption.
GiG, this is the start of a new year when a lot of decisions are being made. But remember this,
“There is no problem in human life that apprenticeship to Jesus cannot solve.” Dallas Willard
Let us enter 2021 in His power and grace. Be the world changers Jesus is calling us to be. Help me shine for you today, Lord. Gwen Smith
May we be encouraged to get plugged-in where we are in 2021 and become part of the work God’s doing in our respective communities.
Called to serve and encouraging others to thrive,
DEA: Embracing the notion in 2021, silence is more powerful than proving a point.
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